Plastics have become a necessary commodity in today’s world.

Everyone
knowingly or unknowingly uses plastic substances. Karki (2008) discusses
that plastic is used not only for making plastic bags but also for producing
products that cover parts of vehicles that need to be protected. Karki (2008)
reveals that plastics are synthetic substances that are the outcome of
chemical reactions. It is a non-biodegradable substance that takes more than
100 years to decompose. It poses a threat to humans and animals. Once
plastic materials are disposed off into the environment they end up in our
waters ways, beaches and larger water bodies, thus harming our aquatic life.
If plastic materials is burnt it releases toxic fumes into the atmosphere
causing air pollution. Over the years plastic has become a substitute for
packaging materials such as paper bags or cloth bags primarily due to its
low cost as well as the ease involved in the manufacturing process, weight
and availability
A plastic material is any of a wide range
of synthetic or semi-synthetic organic
solids that are moldable. Plastics are
typically organic polymers of high
molecular mass, but they often contain
other substances.
Plastic bottles

Plastic Utensils

Plastic Toys
  Plastics are non bio-degradeable.
 Plastics take 1000 years to degrade.
 Increased urbanization leads to more dumping of
plastics.
 Industrial & agricultural activity both dump lots of
plastics on land.
 The improper dumping of plastics pollute the land.
 The real impact of plastic bag litter is
felt on wildlife both in the marine
environment and in rural areas.

Plastic bags, once ingested, cannot be

digested or passed by an animal so it
stays in the gut. Plastic in an animal’s
gut can prevent food digestion and can lead
to a very slow and painful death.
• Turtles have also been rescued with plastic
bags lodged in their throat – and part of the
bag hanging out of their mouth.

A Bryde's whale dies after swallowing

6 square meters of plastic

Birds also get caught by plastics

 Cows are
adversely affected
by plastics
Use cloth
bags when
shopping
 Just say no to
straws
One of the easiest ways to keep plastic
out of the landfill is to refuse plastic
straws.

Reusable produce bags

Purchase some reusable produce bags
and help keep even more plastic out of
the landfill. However, avoid those bags
made from nylon or polyester because
they're also made from plastic. Opt for
cotton ones instead.
 Give up gum
Gum was originally made from tree sap called chicle, a natural rubber, but when
scientists created synthetic rubber, polyethylene and polyvinyl acetate began to
replace the natural rubber in most gum. Not only are you chewing on plastic, but
you may also be chewing on toxic plastic — polyvinyl acetate is manufactured
using vinyl acetate, a chemical shown to cause tumors in lab rats. While it is
possible to recycle your gum, it may be best to skip it — and its plastic packaging
— altogether.
Reuse containers
You can buy a variety of prepared foods in
glass jars instead of plastic ones, including
spaghetti sauce, peanut butter, salsa and
applesauce, just to name a few. Instead of
throwing these away or recycling them, reuse
the jars to store food or take them with you
when you’re buying bulk foods. If you have
plastic containers leftover from yogurt,
butter or other food, don’t throw them out.
Simply wash them and use them to store
food.

Buy boxes, not bottles

Buy laundry detergent and dish soap in
boxes instead of plastic bottles. Cardboard
can be more easily recycled and made into
more products than plastic.
 Bring your own container
Whether you're picking up takeout or bringing
home your restaurant leftovers, be prepared
with your own reusable containers. When you
place your order, ask if you can get the food
placed in your own container. Most
restaurants will have no problem with it.

Use matches
If you need to light a candle, build a
campfire or start a fire for any other
reason, opt for matches over disposable
plastic lighters. These cheap plastic
devices sit in landfills for years and have
even been found in dead birds' stomachs.
If you can't bear to part with your lighter,
pick up a refillable metal one to help cut
down on waste.
  Use of DEGRADABLE PLASTICS. The principal is to
incorporate into the plastic some chemical that is
photodegradable/biodegradable or chemically treatable.

 By adding starch, biodegradable plastics are generally

made. On burial such plastics are attacked by bacteria feeding
on starch, which breaks these down into tiny particles that
disappear harmlessly into the soil. Some common examples
of biodegradable plastics are the use of “NON-REMOVABLE”
suture materials in surgery or capsules for drugs, which
dissolve slowly in body fluids.
 The Ministry of Environment and
Forests has today notified the Plastic
Waste (Management and Handling)
Rules, 2011. It replaces the earlier
Recycled Plastics Manufacture and
Usage Rules,1999 (amended in 2003).
 Ban on use of plastic materials in sachets for
storing ,packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and
pan masala.
 No food stuffs will be allowed to be packet
in recycled plastics or compostable plastics.
 Recycled carry bags to have specific BIS
standards.
color to the prescription by the Bureau of
Indian Standards (BIS).
 Uniform thickness shall not be less than 40
microns in carry bags etc.
 Regulation of Standard Minimum Thickness
Standard Introduction of a phased
minimum thickness standard starting with 20
microns and moving to 30 microns. As the
experience of many countries has shown, such
a standard is the most effective way to deal
with very thin bags considering their high
vulnerability to littering, single-use character,
low price, and poor recycling feasibility.
Ban

Technology standard

Minimum Thickness
Standard of 20 microns
 PUNJAB
The Punjab Govt. has made a complete ban on use of Non-renewable
plastics. They have introduced Minimum Thickness of 30 microns and
Size 8x12 inch. Users of non-renewable plastics will have to pay fines ranging
from Rs 5000-50000.

HARYANA
The Haryana government announced hefty fines on plastic bags. These
include fines of up to Rs 50000 for manufacturers, Rs 2,500-5,000 for
shopkeepers handing out these bags and Rs 250-500 for buyers who
litter public places with them. The state had earlier banned plastic
bags of less than 30 micron thickness and 8X12inch size.
 After the observations, we suggest you not to
use non-recyclable and non-biodegradable
plastics as they have proved harmful and
injurious to animals as well as environment.
We should be focused on only 4R’s for use of
plastics.

REDUCE REUSE REFUSE RECYCLE

Name: Jasmine AGE : 30 yrs
Business: Grocer

1) How often do you use plastic bags when shopping?

a. Hardly ever
b. Never
● c. Always
d. Frequently
e. Sometimes
2) Are you aware about ban on plastic bags?
● a. Yes b. No

3) How much would you be willing to pay per plastic bag, in an attempt to limit the
amount of plastic bags dispersed by shops?
● a. Rs.1 per bag
b. Rs. 5 per bag
c. Rs 50 per bag
d. Rs 100 per bag
e. Nothing
4) Do you own any re-usable bags? If so, how many?
● a. I don't own any
b. One
c. Two
d. Three
e. Four +

5) How often do you use your re-usable bags(s)? (If answered a. to q3 leave this
question.)
a). Every time when shopping
b) Regularly
c) Once a week
●d) Sometimes
e) Once a month
f) Never

6) Do you support the use of fabric bags as opposed to plastic bags?

● a) Yes
b) No
c) Undecided
 6) How much would you say you know about the impact of
plastic bags on the environment?
a) I'm an expert!
● b) Quite a lot.
c) A little.
d) I'm pretty vague on the matter.
e) Impact? What impact?

7) Is your area badly affected by plastic bags and/or litter

lying around?
a) It's a total rubbish tip.
b) It's pretty bad.
● c) It's kind of average for Mandi Gobindgarh, I
suppose.
d) Not too bad.
e) Pretty good!
 We observe that most
of the people are not
aware of the ban being
imposed by various
govt. on use of non-
recyclable plastic
bags
and fines imposed by
them and are still
using
non-recyclable bags.