Page 65 - Plastcs News January 2019

in the news

No more plastic bottles in BBMP Krishnagiri erupts over plastic

offices crackdown

he Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is lastic bag retailers in Krishnagiri Chennai downed
Tfinally practising what it preaches. The civic body has Pshutters, launching an indefinite strike against
issued an order banning all single-use plastic bottles and the ban on single-use plastics in Chennai. The town’s
disposables in all its offices and at BBMP programmes. plastic retailers are also irked by the ban. According
The order will be implemented with immediate effect. to retailers plastic retail business that includes plastic
The palike is now making amends. Randeep D., Special tumblers, plastic covers and other items, the ban has
Commissioner, Solid Waste Management, BBMP, said,” not addressed solid waste management. The retailers
single use packaged drinking water bottles and other single group said, “Countries like China import plastic waste
use plastic disposables are banned in all BBMP offices for recycling into other products. We are only asking
that the government invest in solid waste management
instead of banning plastics.” The ban will be ineffective
because it does not address chocolate wrappers, biscuit
packets that come with less than 10 micron inner
packaging, and other items by large corporates. But,
smaller cottage units that were dependent on smaller
plastic wrappings will be hit. The town has few plastics
manufacturers, but a large number of retailers, who
claim to be affected by the ban. “We don’t know what
other associations are demanding. We retailers in
Krishnagiri town demand that the focus should be on
solid waste segregation and not a blanket ban. When
the 50-micron rule was announced for plastics, we
including Head Office and also in all public programmes stopped manufacturing or trading in less than 50 micron
organised by BBMP, with immediate effect.” In an order plastics. But, it continued in circulation because it was
dated December 22, BBMP Commissioner N. Manjunath
Prasad ordered all BBMP offices to stop usage of plastic
bottles and disposables, such as plastic plates, cups and
spoons. In the order, he has asked officers to invest in
Common Drinking Water Dispensing System and steel
glasses. “The expenses for this can be billed by the offices
to the BBMP,” says the order.
Mr. Prasad said, “Most of the offices already have RO
plants. Water can be served from these. We have also
asked caterers supplying food for meetings to only provide
reusable cutlery.” The initiative will also cut spending on
plastic bottles for the BBMP. “We have been spending over
Rs 1 crore every year on plastic bottles. This will stop manufactured inside various lanes without scrutiny,”
now. But, more than the money, we want to send out a he says. There appears to be significant confusion on
message about the need to stop plastic usage,” he added. the parameters that attract the ban. The government’s
The commissioner also said the civic body is planning a plan to ban single-use plastics is not right and will badly
concrete action plan to implement the plastic ban in letter hurt the plastic industries and livelihood of workers.
and spirit. “So far, only advisories have been issued. Soon, It was unfortunate that instead of taking a considered
we will pass orders to penalise those who don't abide by decision based on scientific facts, the State government
the law,” Mr. Prasad added. had chosen to announce the ban unilaterally.

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67 Januar y 2019 Plastics News