Local collection centres needed for proper implementation of plastic ban: Expert

The government needs to set up plastic collection centres in localities and encourage all stakeholders to develop a model of a circular economy to effectively implement the single-use plastic ban, a polymer scientist said on Sunday.

The government needs to set up plastic collection centres in localities and encourage all stakeholders to develop a model of a ''circular'' economy to effectively implement the single-use plastic ban, a polymer scientist said on Sunday. He also stressed on recycling plastic material to achieve the ''clean and green'' objective. Urban local bodies should launch campaigns to encourage 'kabadiwallas' (scrap dealers) to purchase plastics and such packaged materials from houses, like they collect used newspapers, eminent polymer expert Dr Vijay G Habbu said.

''A survey conducted by an organisation last year found that a ragpicker gets Rs 18-25 for a kg of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles. The collection of plastic waste should be made lucrative for scrap dealers and households. ''Urban local bodies need to improve their waste collection systems so that wastes segregated by citizens are not mixed while dumping in the collection trucks,'' Habbu, the adjunct professor of the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai told PTI over the phone.

He emphasised on the recycling of plastics and promoting a ''circular economy''.

''For instance, PET is a widely available material and recyclable. A pet bottle is viable as a multi-use item. We must promote the circular economy,'' he said.

The circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.

The Centre has banned the use of 'single-use plastic' from July 1. The scientist said the central government has come out with a list of 19 banned items including earbuds with plastic sticks, candy and ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron and stirrers.

The professor, however, asserted that enforcement of the ban on some of these items would be a challenge as the alternative materials to those are not ''effective''.

''Some of these are items that have been entrenched in our everyday life as they have a direct utility. For example, disposable plastic cutlery and crockery. The enforcement for other items such as thermocol decoration, plastics sticks for balloons, ice-creams is easy to implement,'' he observed.

Habbu said paper seems to be the alternative for most of the banned items.

''Apart from the use of paper as an alternative, wooden sticks can be used for plastic sticks for candies, ice cream, and balloons but this may lead to increased cutting of trees, and enhance the risk of introducing unhygienic items,'' he added.