Disposal of plastic wastes remain perennial problem

By CT reporter
MANGALORE : There was a time when the anti-plastic usage campaign was in full swing in the city of Mangalore. Now, everything has come to a stand still. The drive to minimise the use of plastics, particulary plastic bags, has not achieved the desired results as is evident from the near no reduction in the usage of plastic bags.
Today, it is very much common to see plastic wastss on road sides, in garbage bins and in drains. Mainly we see a plastic bag in the hands of almost every passerby.
Plastic bags have today virtually replaced handbags made from other materials. One reason for this is the absence of an alternate to these plastic bags.
Today, free flow of water in side drains has been mainly affected due to the plastic wastes dumped by some unmindful citizens. These plastic wastes turn toxic and those which remain undisposed for long also affect trees and plants. There have been instances when some plants have died due to the toxic wastes while others have failed to give yield.
Even some cattle gobble up plastic wastes in the garbage bins only to meet death or face health problem. The main resaon for the problem is that plastic is non-bio-degradable.
The crux of the problem is that plastic is available cheaply and so is also discarded carelessly. According to one report, nearly half a tonne of plastic is sold in the central market in the city everyday.Two plastic manufacturing units at Baikampady and two sales outlets in the city, on an average sell 10 tonnes of plastic bags to the market. This is enough to prove the extent to which plastic is used.
Probably, the usage of plastic bags may be reduced if the shopkeepers hang up a board asking customers to bring their own handbags. But, the traders on the other hand have the fear that their business may be affected if they fail to pack and give the products to the customers.
According to a few experts, the uasage of plastics can be minimised only if the government restricts the use of the same or else imposes a ban on its use.
In agriculture and waste management, these plastic wastes pose a major problem furthermore necessitating restrictive use of cheap plastic bags.