The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Shopkeepers unaware of ban on thin plastic

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 17, 2011
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Shopkeepers unaware of ban on thin plastic

Staff Reporter

New rules prohibit manufacturers from producing plastic less than 40 micron thickness

BBMP to conduct awareness programmes in
the coming days
Civic body yet to fix price for carry bags with
40 micron thickness

— Photo: K. Gopinathan

Trash the bag:According to pollution board officials, traders and citizens should realise that they must stop using thin plastic bags.

BANGALORE: Ahmed Pasha, who owns a grocery store on Millers Road, is surprised when asked what he's going to do when he runs out of stock of thin plastic covers. “I'll just order more,” he says, oblivious to the fact that thin plastics, below thickness of 40 microns, has been banned.

At over a dozen shops surveyed by The Hindu, to gauge awareness levels among the key players, namely shopowners and customers who shop here, it turned out that there was no information on the ban. A handful who had read in the newspapers about some plan, however, had received no intimation from suppliers on any increase in thickness or price of the consignment. “In fact, I just got off the phone and have ordered two boxes. The prices have not increased.”

Up from a thickness limit of 20 microns, the recently notified Plastic Handling Rules 2011, mandates that manufacturers do not produce plastic below 40 microns in thickness. Further, the city corporation, the Bruhat Bangalore Mahanagara Palike is required to set a price for 40 micron carry bags, something that the civic body is yet to do.

However, a greater challenge remains tackling the issue of awareness. For over a decade now, the Central Rules have mandated that plastic thinner than 20 microns are not produced. However, most of us have used thin carry bags that we use, throw and are an all too familiar sight on the roads and in garbage heaps. “It is certainly a huge challenge. We need traders, and more importantly, citizens to realise that they must stop using these bags. The BBMP and the Board are planning to conduct many such awareness programmes in the coming days,” a key official from the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said.

Alternatives

Mary Svelvez, a resident of Fraser Town, said that the move was a good one. “If they enforce it, we will simply be forced to pay Rs. 2 or Rs. 3. This will inspire us to bring our own bags,” she said, Bring Your Own Bag, a strategy adopted by several environmentally conscious outlets, could become a norm with all shops, she said.

However, another option are paper bags. “Paper bags are more expensive and difficult to carry, so I am not sure how many people will warm up to the idea,” says a sceptical Mr. Pasha.

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