BENGALURU: Many city schools have started doing their bit to ensure healthy life for students and a safe environment. They have announced that students can no longer carry plastic tiffin box and water bottles to schools. Parents have been informed about it and they have been especially asked not to re-use soft drink bottles for a long time.
The decision has also gone down well with parents. Their only worry is that stainless steel boxes are a little heavy compared to plastic ones.
“I was really happy when the principal of my daugther’s school asked us to send only steel box for lunch, keeping the kids’ health in mind,” said Prathiba Praveen, who is sending her child to pre-nursery class at a city school.According to school authorities, one of the reasons for banning plastic boxes and bottles is the unhygienic condition of boxes which are difficult to clean.
“As most are working couples, maids do the dishes. In case of plastic boxes, food particles remain stuck around the rubber. We have even witnessed fungal formation around that rubber and the same happens with bottle caps,” said a principal of one of the ICSE schools.
Also if the parents pack hot food in the plastic boxes, there are chances of the plastic coat or a soft layer getting melted and spreading with food. “Plastic bottles should be changed regularly and while purchasing bottles, buyers should look for BPA-free plastic. We advise use of only steel bottles,” said a teacher with a private school.
B Gayethri Devi, principal, Little Flower Public School, said, “We have not yet made it compulsory but requested parents to send food in steel boxes. Steel is better than plastic as it can be washed easily and it is hygienic. Usage of plastic should be reduced and the latest initiative is a small contribution from our school to protect environment and also kids’ health.”
“This is really a good initiative. Few years back, we had conducted a research study on impacts of usage of plastic and ill-effects on kids health. The study revealed that many parents used to send water in used soft drink bottles. Following the report, most of our member schools had banned bringing such bottles,” said D Shashikumar, general secretary, Associated Managements of Private Schools in Karnataka.Some parents have urged steel tiffen box manufacturers to innovate and use cartoons, which will be attractive for kids.