Ban plastic burning in residential zone govt. high school, veppampattu,

1. Ban Plastic Burning in
Residential Zones!
Government High School, Veppampattu
Tiruvallur, Tamilnadu
“Every action against nature will result in a broken promise to the future generation”

2. Present Condition
▪ Majority of the litters contains plastic,
phthalates mixed PVC, rubber articles, etc
▪ Absence of structured civic maintenance in
rural areas
▪ Root cause-in the name of modernisation
everything wrapped with plastic material and
lack of awareness among the people

3. Burning litter in residential zone
is a burning issue!
▪ People burn the litter irrespective of the type (majority
of them are polythene, phthalates mixed PVC and
plastic articles which contain hydrogen and carbon –
produce heat, highly toxic dioxin – which contributes to
Global warming and also causes many ecological
disturbances, Dioxin is linked with cancer, affect both
immune and reproductive systems)
▪ Most vulnerable-children and the aged
▪ Immediate effect-difficulty in breathing due to
inflammation of lungs -bronchitis
▪ Affect family economic growth due to frequent illness
of family members

5. Brainstorming for strategy to
tackle the issue
▪ Understood the issue with the help of mentor
▪ Pupils listed the possible ways to reduce the severity of
the problem
Strategy
▪ Reducing generation of plastic in villages for that we
decided to introduce alternative articles such as cotton
and news paper bags to replace polythene bags
▪ Creating awareness on ill effects of plastic burning in
residential areas
▪ Conducting public meeting with civic experts

6. Activities Carried Out
▪ Gone through PPT prepared by IITM student and
interacted with Prof. Susy Varughese, Dept. of
Chemical engineering IITM to understand the issue
▪ Learned news paper bag making – made 525 bags
– each 50 bags were distributed to 8 grocery shops
and a temple for carrying pooja material – taught
how to make paper bag to 14 shops for self
sustainability – 25kg old English news paper were
distributed to shops for initiating bag making –
taught to local girl children too

7. Awareness Rally
▪ 4km distance including 3 habitations with 483 households were
covered by 22 students including members from “Sparrow
conservation” team to help us
▪ 8 houses spotted with burning and explained the issue at the
time of rally
▪ Many agreed to stop burning practice after our intervention

8. Gram Sabha held on 2nd Oct, 2012
▪ Participated in the meeting to emphasis the issue
and given alternative solutions to reduce plastic
usage in Panchayat
▪ Panchayat admin came forward to pass the
resolution against burning plastic litter in our limit
and highlighted the matter in leading regional
daily
▪ Around 108 people were presented including
elected members, official from SSA who
appreciated the initiative

9. In School Assembly
▪ Principal and teachers appreciated the work
carried out by our team during vacation
▪ Oath against burning plastic was taken by 355 high
school and 188 elementary pupils
▪ 100 Cotton Bags were distributed to students of
both High and elementary schools (Fund were
mobilized from local well wishers)

10. Slogan writing for rally on 25 Sep
Watching PPT on ill effects of
Burning litters on 19 Sep. 2012
Leader of Women SHG flag off The rally in progress.
the rally on 28 Sep

11. Addressing participants in Gram Resolution against plastic burning Published in
Sabha on 2 Oct 2012 in Gram sabha on 2 Oct 2012 regional daily on
4 Oct 2012

12. 400 Paper Bags were Distributed to 8 Grocery shops
Handing over 70 Cotton bags
30 Cotton bag distribution at
to our Principal on 4 Oct 2012
Primary school on 3 Oct 2012

13. Slogans against plastic burning
1. Stop choking my backyard - Say no to plastics.
2. What is your way? No plastics on my way.
3. We create revolution. Good bye plastic pollution.
4. Think New. Plastics adieu.
5. No burning plastics in my home, not on my planet boss!
6. Don't colonize my home, boycott the rule of plastics
7. Ozone hole becoming bigger and bigger due to uncontrolled burning in everywhere
8. Paving ways to new ailments
9. Became addict to plastics
10. Dioxin comes out of PVC burning and victimize the innocent passive smokers
11. Day by day increase of temperature by uncontrolled burning

14. Changes
Resolution in Gram sabha against burning plastic litter
483 households got awareness about ill effects of litter burning
14 shops learned and using paper bags – they were happy to learn to
manage the ban on polythene carry bag use in district
Received call from IITM environmental club (Prakrithi) for teaching
paper bags to their residents
Our team members consisting of 8 people, are now thoroughly
enlightened on this issue and have pledged not to commit this
mistake ever.
Link to view video about our activities
http://youtu.be/4L8KHqoNSYk

15. Acknowledgment
Many Thanks to following resource persons for their great help in Execution of the project
▪ Prof. Susy Varughese, Dept. of Chemical Engineering – knowledge sharing
http://www.iitm.ac.in/component/faculty/69/susy/
▪ Ms. Nirupama, 2nd year M.A. Integrated studies, Dept. of HSS, IITM – knowledge sharing
▪ Dr. Suguna, Veterinary physician, Melakondaiyar, Tiruvallur for donating old News papers
▪ Mr. Nizam & Mubaraq local residents for donating Jute rope for paper bags and stitching 100
cotton bags at free of cost
▪ Principal for encouraging us to implement the project
▪ Thanks to web for teaching how to make news paper bag
▪ Sparrow conservation team for joining us to conduct rally
▪ Parents of the teammates for great encouragement
▪ Local donors for cotton bag making
▪ Thanks to mentor Mr. L. Natana Sabapathy