KOCHI: Though Kerala had imposed a ban on single-use plastic as far back as 2020, it is still being widely used. Though manufacturers in Kerala had stopped making single-use plastic, still huge consignments coming from outside the state posed a major hurdle in implementing/enforcing the ban. With the Centre now set to ban manufacture and use of single-use plastic, environmentalists hope that Kerala can finally get rid of the polluting materials.
Banned single-use plastic items including spoons, straws, glasses, plates and polythene bags are still seen circulating everywhere. Rather than just banning them, eco-friendly alternatives should also be encouraged by the government, opine environmentalists.
“The ban on single-use plastic by the Centre would be a great step in encouraging those who are voluntarily involved in sustainable development. Even the state government is encouraging start-ups. We ourselves make affordable items including cloth carry bags, cutlery and straws that are made of corn and cassava starch. They are hundred per cent compostable and environment-friendly,” said Ravikrishnan K, owner of Biomart.
“There is an increased trend of banning single-use plastic worldwide. However, just banning them is not the solution to fight plastic pollution. We need to stop production and import of unnecessary plastic and encourage people to use more eco-friendly alternatives. Banning plastic bags often comes with fears of people shifting to worse alternatives. Evidence from previous plastic bag restrictions shows that although the ban does reduce use of plastic, it sometimes leads to more environmental harm, if customers switch to other materials with larger resource footprints,” said Soumitro Chakraborty, CEO, Fiinovation, a CSR consultancy.
According to environment experts, it is the single-use nature of products that is more problematic for the planet, more so than the material they are made of. “The more any product is reused, the lower will be its environmental impact and the same is the case with single-use plastic,” said Soumitro.
Eco-friendly items needed
Encourage use of alternatives for banned single-use plastics
Awareness campaigns and drives should be conducted within communities regarding the ill-effects of using plastic and switching to eco-friendly items.
Reuse and recycling of plastic should be encouraged
Corporates should come forward and join hands with government in promoting the eco-friendly items