1 thousand machines closed making plastic bags, bags are still used

Ahmedabad, 3 July 2020
July 3, 2020 is World Plastic Bag Prohibition Day. Plastic bags are still used in Gujarat. Despite the ban. Consumption of 50 ppm plastic is banned in Gujarat. The ban on single-use plastic products, stick bags, cups, plates, small bottles, plastic straws, and certain types of packing plastics has been in place since October 2, 2019. Strict measures are being taken under the Beat Plastic Pollution Campaign. Production units are being shut down. Out of more than 2000 SME units of Gujarat Plastic Manufacturers Association in Gujarat, 50 percent have been shut down. The state produces plastic worth Rs 10,000 crore.

The largest market share for plastic bags and pouch manufacturing was 56.7% of plastic bags. The Gujarat Pollution Control Board has ordered to stop the production of plastic bags thinner than 50 microns in the state after polythene bags thinner than 50 microns. Violation of the law is punishable by up to 5 years in jail or a fine of Rs 1 lakh or both fine and punishment.

Plastic bags with or without handles, non-woven bags, plastic shopping bags, etc. are prohibited. There is no system for plastic waste management. It causes a large amount of plastic waste.

Polyethylene was invented in 1898
Plastic was invented in 1862 by Alexander Parks of England. Polyethylene was invented in 1898. But its mass production became possible from 1939. Plastics make up 8% of the world’s mineral oil. The amount of plastic thrown into the earth each year is enough to kill four eggs. A plastic bag can lift 2,000 times its weight.

An estimated ban on the use of 6 plastic products has prevented only 5 to 10 of the 14 million tonnes consumed during the year in India.

E-Commerce and Mall Baba Ramdev, De Mart
40% of plastic is used in e-commerce. Cheap smartphone companies and e-commerce companies such as Amazon.com Inc, Walmart Inc’s, Flipkart send their products in plastic packs.
The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation also raided various stores of Baba Ramdave’s Patanjali. He seized 20 kg of plastic from Patanjali’s stores and imposed a fine of Rs 1.25 lakh. D-Mart and National Handloom in Ranip, Patanjali’s Incometax, Vadaj, RTO, Maninagar station, Anandnagar and Isanpur were raided.
A huge fine was imposed for seizing 20 kg of banned plastic from D-Mart and 4 kg from National Handloom.
10 kg bags were seized from 80 shops on the road from Ahmedabad Chanakyapuri to Sayona City and fined. D-Mart and National Handloom charge Rs. Four to five charges are levied, on which a 21 micron bag was printed as it was a 30 to 40 micron bag. In addition to this, a vending machine was to be set up for disposal of plastic bottles and aluminum cans. In which 16 to 50 paisa was to be given for each bottle.

Still sold on lorries
Despite the ban on the use of plastic bags in the vegetable market-fruit market, it is used today. The city’s lari-galla is allowed to fill the item. There are 4 lakh lari, galla in Gujarat where plastic bags are given openly.

1 crore water pouches
In Gujarat, 1 crore water pouches, 50 lakh packaging of Panamsala, 150 lakh plastic cups were used daily. Now it has dropped by 50 per cent. However, a total of 7,000 tons of plastic waste is being generated in Gujarat.
Ahmedabad used to consume 10 lakh water pouches, 5 lakh plastic wrappers and 15 lakh plastic cups daily for packing panmasala. In Ahmedabad, 700 tons of plastic is used every day.
The global market for plastic bags and pouches reached nearly .9 18.9 billion in 2016. The market is projected to reach about 2020 2020 billion by 2022.

Bioplastics
Makes bio-plastic carry bags from agricultural products. The company has 4 manufacturing plants in Delhi NCR. Pankaj Jain makes bio-plastic carry bags from starch extracted from agricultural products like potatoes and maize. Navkar Group started a plant to make bioplastic bags from starch at a cost of Rs 4.5 crore. Biodegradable bags are twice as expensive as 50 micron bags. The raw materials are imported from Australia, Sri Lanka, China, USA and Thailand. Starch extraction plants are expensive. Starch (raw material) is imported from abroad at a price of Rs. 280 per kg. On which 18% GST has to be paid more. One kilogram of starch can make 250 to 300 carrybags with half a kilogram. Out of this 170 carrybags of one kg can be made, while 60 nangs of 5 kg can be made.