Page 30 - Plastics News October 2019

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It is crucial for States and the Centre to work together to struggling to handle the situation, reducing plastic waste
formulate a uniform national policy framework for plastics is expected to have set back world over.
use and plastic waste management, given the spread of The battle to reduce Europe’s plastic waste could become
e-commerce operations, observed industry sources.
a quarter of a billion dollars more expensive every year as
Alternatives sought the cost of recycled plastic soars. In recent months, the
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Experts say alternatives to bubble-wrap should be found. soft drink bottles to glitter, has become more expensive
“Even as companies are switching to over 50 microns of
bubble-wrap to escape the lens of law, certain franchise WKDQ YLUJLQ SODVWLF IRU WKH ÀUVW WLPH )RU \HDUV WKH FRVW RI
delivery units stretch the bubble-wrap while packing PDNLQJ SODVWLF SURGXFWV IURP UHF\FOHG ÁDNHV ZDV FKHDSHU
than relying on virgin plastics made using fossil fuels,
to increase the size, and the microns are automatically meaning the sustainable option was an economic option
diminished. Now, how can a State regulator monitor such too. But according to experts it is now cheaper for major
nitty-gritties?” said Sanjay Upadhyay, a senior Delhi-based manufacturers to use new plastic. A report from S&P
environment lawyer. Maharashtra and 15 other States have Global Platts, a commodity market specialist, revealed
banned certain single-use plastic and enforced monetary
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compared with newly made plastic.
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LPSRVHG E\ 6WDWHV IRU ÁRXWLQJ DQWL SODVWLF UXOHV µ VDLG According to the analysts this trend is driven in part by
CK Mishra, Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests the growing demand to include recycled plastics in new
(MoEF). MoEF has categorically stated that there will be products. Meanwhile, new plastic is becoming cheaper to
no ban, but a country-wide campaign against plastic use PDNH GXH WR D ÁRRG RI SHWURFKHPLFDOV SURGXFWLRQ IURP WKH
will be conducted. “That decision (banning) has to be US driven by the shale gas boom. They have warned that
OHIW WR WKH 6WDWHV ZH ZLOO MXVW ÁDJ RII D GULYH WR UHGXFH this could cost sustainable manufacturers across Europe an
plastic use in a campaign mode by encouraging citizens to H[WUD P D \HDU $OWKRXJK PDQ\ ODUJHU PDQXIDFWXUHUV
FROOHFW DQG UHF\FOH LW µ 0LVKUD VDLG :KLOH 6WDWHV KDYH would struggle to switch their machinery back to virgin
implemented some measure or the other against plastics plastics, smaller manufacturers may be forced to turn their
use, the impact has been limited in most places due to backs on recycled plastic to keep costs down. In a blow
poor enforcement, according to the All India Plastics to the war on plastic this could mean the makers of clear
Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA). plastic bottles and fruit punnets stoke demand for new
fossil-fuel based plastic rather than reusing old recycled
Himachal Pradesh has banned non-biodegradable plastic bottles. Makers of plastic packaging are under pressure to
bags and disposable plastic products. As the enforcement use more recycled plastic to reduce the scourge of plastic
has been consistent, it has seen a decrease in plastic pollution in the oceans. Coca-Cola’s European business
pollution. On the other hand, in Karnataka, plastic bags plans to cut the amount of virgin plastic used in its soft
are still commonly used despite a ban. Punjab has banned
single-use plastic carry bags and containers and Haryana GULQN ERWWOHV WR ZLWKLQ WKH QH[W WZR \HDUV DQG ZLOO
change the colour of its Sprite bottles from green to clear
has banned plastic bags. Kerala has banned the use of
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banned bags less than 40 microns, but implementation The UK is planning to tax companies which don’t use at
is patchy. OHDVW UHF\FOHG SODVWLF LQ WKHLU SURGXFWV EXW XQWLO WKHQ
it may be cheaper for companies to demand more new
Sikkim bans plastic wrappers, bags and disposable plastic to make their packaging. Alongside a tax on virgin
styrofoam; they can be sighted in some shops while the plastic use, experts are calling for the UK government
majority have switched to paper bags. Delhi has banned to support plans to increase the amount of recycled
all kinds of disposable plastic but the ban has not been plastic in the market. This could mean incentives for new
taken seriously. Maharashtra has banned plastic carry recycling plants, improving recycling facilities at a local
bags lesser than 50 microns, PET bottles smaller than
200 ml and disposable and decoration items made of FRXQFLO OHYHO RU LPSRUWLQJ UHF\FOHG SODVWLF ÁDNHV IURP
Latin America.
plastic. Other States that have joined the bandwagon are
Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Hopefully India is able to take a cue to solve the problem.

Plastics News October 2019 30