All we
need to do is to CARRY OUR OWN BAG, to make Darjeeling Hills
Plastic Bag Free as part of the global challenge International Plastic Bag Free
Day, 3 July (www.plasticbagfreeday.org).
This global challenge is pertinent to us too, "In India 4 million tonnes of
plastic is used annually; with plastic or polythene bags being a major part.
The toxic constituents and non-biodegradable nature of plastic bags make it
visibly one of the most serious concerns for the environment." (http://toxicslink.org). In
India, approximately 12 million tonnes of plastic products are consumed every
year, according to trade bodies. Nearly 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is
generated per day in the country of which 6,000 tonnes does not even get
collected.(Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 (Environment Ministry)).
Plastic
bags in most instances are a single use product with an extremely short usage
time. Internationally, on an average a plastic bag is used for just 25 minutes.
Their flimsy nature, lack of segregation and storage at source and physical
characteristics make it the least collected waste by the informal recycling
industry in India. It ends up contaminating water and soil, the air when it
burns, thus affecting our health. It also contributes to landslides.
“There are some
environmental problems that are hard to solve, that involve complex economic
and social trade offs. The problem of disposable plastic bags is not one of
these. It’s simple – just get rid of them. We don’t need them and they aren’t
worth the massive problems they cause. There are easy replacements that are
better for public health, the environment and the economy.” Annie Leonard The
Story of Stuffwww.storyofstuff.org
Darjeeling has in the
past banned plastic bags. “The lesson learnt from it is that 'Ban' is
just one part of the larger solution and in isolation is not as effective as it
was thought to be. A congruence of community awareness and initiatives makes
the ban successful as has been the experience in Darjeeling, Sikkim and Delhi.
"Plastic ban - Who Cares
New Delhi, 23 December 2014”. (http://toxicslink.org).
Post ban has seen a bigger threat that comes from non-woven PP (polypropelene)
bags, that have flooded the market. These bags are essentially plastic bags,
even though they look like cloth bags. They have the same ill-effects as the
other plastic bags. The Delhi High Court's
Judgment delivered on: 28.08.2009 is explicit " non-woven bags comprise of
98.3% polypropylene. Therefore, the conclusion is simple that the end product
is nothing but plastic. Since the products manufactured by the petitioner are
admittedly bags, they would fall within the expression “plastic bags”."
On the occasion of
International Plastic Bag Free we look forward for your commitment and
stewardship in the movement to make Darjeeling Hills, plastic bag free.
Take the lead and share
more details from our social media posts: https://www.facebook.com/Darjeeling-Prerna
The movement is being
taken forward under the banner of Zero Waste Himalaya, a platform of
individuals, Government Organisations, Non-Government Organisations, Faith
Based Organisations promoting zero waste principles of waste management in
Bhutan, India and Nepal. In Darjeeling Hills the organisations involved are DLR
Prerna, WWF India, ATREE, FTF - Mirik, NEPA, Mirik. The group has actively
worked with local self government institutions, community groups, educational
institutions, faith based organisations and media in promoting zero waste
practices in the transboundary landscape.
