The damage done because of plastics is almost intractable and has gone beyond the threshold, says Ved Krishna
Plastics came into our lives 70 years back and it will take another 430 years to disintegrate. The journey of plastic since the last 70 years has been a remarkable one, it has made life much easier and solved a lot of issues. But all along this way, we did not give much importance to what is going to happen to it post its usage. The damage is intractable and has gone beyond the threshold. It is shocking to think that every bit of plastic we once used is still there somewhere. It is not only in our landfills today but it has also become a part of our water streams, animal life, marine life and even our DNAs.
Toxic chemicals leach out of plastic and are found in the blood and tissue of nearly each one of us. Exposure to them is linked to cancers, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments. It gravely affects our respiratory, nervous and reproductive systems. High concentration of plastic especially in PET bottles, food wrappers and even in plates have been found harming multiple organs in animals and marine creatures as well. We are steeped in this material — microplastics from the air we breathe to both the tap and bottled water we drink, the food we eat, and the clothing we wear.
The Indian society is going through a change in mindset today wherein, they are becoming more and more aware of health issues and prefer leading a healthy lifestyle. The educated and urbanised Indians specially do not shy away from making informed decisions. With the right sensitisation among masses, biodegradable packaging will witness a growing demand in the coming future. With plastic getting banned in states like Maharashtra, Sikkim, Jammu and Kashmir, Chennai to name a few, compostable products is the way forward in the country. Using cheap plastic or melamine today increases our chances of spending a lot more on medical expenses.
There has been a lot of innovations in terms of alternatives to eliminate single use plastics — products like bagasse tableware, areca nut palm moulded products, bamboo toothbrushes, jute bags, paper and metal straws, bamboo ear buds etc. If you look at the price comparison, yes they are a bit more expensive as compared to the plastic that has been floating around, but having said that the expenses that are incurred in terms of taking care of the plastic lying in the landfills and incineration is much higher than the damage that it does to the planet and the community.
Creating compostable packaging that is an alternate to single use plastics is the need of the hour. With the advent of science and technology, a lot of products which are alternative to plastic and helpful for the environment have been introduced in the country. Be in the form of compostable bags, tableware products, bamboo tooth brushes etc. These products are aimed at leaving the planet cleaner and initiatives like these encourage us towards getting bolder and taking further steps towards the goal.
Equal support from citizens and the government organisations is needed to end this menace of single-use plastics together.
