It's about Plastic , How it is imbalancing our life & Planet, & How we can make our planet green by taking small initiatives

1. Say No To Plastic Campaign & it’s Impact In Delhi Priya kumbhat Fortune Institute of International business

2. Plastic Definition-Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs. Durable & Non Durable plastics – Durable – plastic products with a useful life of 3 years or more , e.g automobiles, electronics. Non Durables - plastic products with a useful life less than 3 years ; e.g trash bags , packaging etc.

3. Ill Effects Of Plastic A plastic bag chokes Drains & Sewers. Plastic bags contaminate food products wrapped in them. Plastic Bags harm Aquatic life by dumping them into sea via drains & sewage pipes. Plastic bags are swallowed by cattle causing diseases & deaths. As a result , microscopic particle can enter in our Food Chain. 22% of plastic last for a week to three months. 18% are the items that are discarded immediately after use. 60% plastic can actually be considered as environment friendly as it saves our forest and many other resources of the earth. The other form of plastics which are meant for 1 time use , is the cause of concern.

4. Why its difficult to ban !! Plastic is easy to store. Easy to handle. Easily available. Cheapest packaging material.- India is price sensitive country, wherever we find cheap price we go for that product. Habitual using patterns, from so many years we are using plastic bags without even knowing the damage caused by it to us.

5. Background to ban on plastic Every year, around 500 billion (500,000,000,000) plastic bags are used worldwide. So many that over one million bags are being used every minute and they're damaging our environment India's plastics consumption is one of the highest in the world. Plastic bags are difficult and costly to recycle and most end up on landfill sites where they take around 300 years to photo degrade Environmentalists say more than 10mn plastic bags a day are used in the Delhi every day (http://theviewspaper.net/the-plastic-ban-in-new-delhi-is-it-effective/) Per Capita Consumption of Plastic in INDIA-6kg (Source-http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/plastic-consumption-to-double-by-2011/345971/))

6. Recycling plastic a costly affair !! The harsh economics behind plastic bag recycling it cost $4000 to process and recycle one tones of plastic bags, which can hen be sold on commodities market for $32. Less than 1% of plastic bags are recycled.

7. Initiative taken by Government Several Indian states such as Maharashtra, Delhi, Punjab, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Goa , West Bengal etc. banned the use of plastic bags. The Environment Ministry has banned manufacture and use of plastics carry bags less than 8 inches X 12 inches in size 20 micron in width Various States have increased the minimum thickness of plastic carry bags to even higher limits of 40, 50, or 70 microns

8. Ban in Delhi The Delhi Plastic Bag (Manufacture, Sales and Usage) and Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control)Act, 2000 is being implemented in Delhi since 2 October 2001. The implementation of this Act is undertaken by Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Section 5 - Provision for placement of receptacles and places for deposit of garbage Section 3 - Prohibition of manufacture, sale, etc. or recycled plastic bags for food The Supreme Court on January 29, 2010 refused to lift the ban on the use on plastic and polythene bags. (Rule violation will result to Rs100,000 fine & 5 years Imprisonment)

9. Some quick effects of Ban !! The health department of the New Delhi Municipal Council (NDMC), has started 'Say no to Plastic Bags' drive. They have seized a large chunk of plastic bags from shopkeepers The civic agency has also issued circulars to restaurants and other places, forbidding the use of plastic bags.

10. Some quick effects of Ban !! A Delhi city court slapped footwear major Bata Shoe Stores with a fine of Rs 1 lakh for using plastic bags on April 2010 (Delhi Pollution Control Committee to utilize the penalty money to distribute biodegradable bags among small shopkeepers to create awareness about eco-friendly steps) Ho’ble Supreme court has directed Union Govt to reply whether a ban on paan masala and gutka packets (which chokes drainage systems) should be imposed.

11. Effects in various segments Started using paper and cloth bags Started using paper bags / charging customer for jute/ cloth bag/ encourage customer to bring his own bag Separate dustbins are placed to dispose off non bio degradable and bio degradable waste. Reusing plastic trays Take away bags made of paper They serve fries and soft drinks in cardboard or thick paper

12. Effects on Corporate Segment Tata-Usage of Paper Cups for tea, coffee serving. Jute Bags for employees usage. Paper Bags at Mobile stores. HCL - initiative taken by the company to dispose of any e-waste in a 100% environment friendly manner. In order to facilitate this we have engaged all our HCL Touch centres to collect any e-waste the customer wishes to dispose off.

13. Government and Citizen together… A plastic bag collection drive-cum-competition was launched under which 5000 kgs. Of used plastic bags of less than 20 micron thickness were collected. For public awareness, the huge pile of collected plastic bags was given the shape of a Dinosaur and kept at Nehru Park. In 125 colonies programme on waste management has been initiated as a pilot project for segregation of waste at source level itself into biodegradable & non-biodegradable and its further recycling (http://delhigovt.nic.in/newdelhi/bhagi.asp)

14. Improvement in Waste Management Delhi government has signed agreements with three private companies for collection, segregation, transportation and disposal of municipal solid waste in six zones. Separate collection bins (dust bins) are being installed for bio degradable and non biodegradable waste at many prominent places in the city. Compactor loaders are being used for the transportation of the waste. Containerized mechanical loading and unloading is done which avoids multiple handling, reduces spillage, ensures hygienic environment around the WSD’s and also reduces environmental and health risks.

15. Improvement in Waste management.. Moreover separate vehicles are used for biodegradable(green) and non-biodegradable waste(blue). Waste disposal awareness drive - Government agencies are conducting Slum programs, Street play’s, School assembly sessions and student rallies, Posters & banner displays, awareness programs for household segregation at source level, training of operational staff etc.

17. Yet there is a long way to go … Increase in Public awareness- There should be increase in Public Awareness so that people will be knowing the side effects of Plastic usage, will minimize plastic usage Introduce low cost alternatives-The strength of plastic is it’s the Cheapest material available, so Government should do partnership with Private companies to find out a low cost alternative to plastics.

18. Yet there is a long way to go … Tax imposition on plastics Bags – By tax impositions the usage of plastic bags will decrease automatically many countries who has taken such initiatives are- Europe, Washington D.C, New YORK (part of USA), Asian. (source- http://www.lwvmn.org/Page.aspx?pid=756). Educating children at schools- Children are the backbone of any country, at the younger stage if we will educate them about the ill effects of plastics and their alternatives , plastic usage will be discouraged.

19. Towards a cleaner and Greener Delhi Thank you http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ci9PC8s-r2Q&feature=related