The Menace of Single use Plastic: Hell! or Hoax?

Authors

  • Priyanka Thareja M. Technology (Structures), LA: QMS, EMS.
  • Priyavrat Thareja Ph.D., CSSBB, LA: QMS, EMS, Punjab Engineering College (PEC University of Technology), Chandigarh, Punjab, India. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8252-5614

Keywords:

SHEQ, 4R’s, Swachh Bharat, Plastic Pollution, Hazardous Waste Mis-management, Plastic in Food Chain

Abstract

Come 2nd October, 2019, the Jayanti of Swacch Bharat programme, the single use plastics are slated to be banned. But there is extensive skepticism that the plans are not going to succeed, without putting the society into extensive inconvenience. To avoid such a situation the government must expeditiously gear up to provide the alternatives, for which She has the opportunity to assess the imperatives and if necessary re-design the regulatory instrument(s) while estimating the time to ban and allied resources needed. Both the dominant applications and the limitations of alternatives have been compared and using tools like Force Field Analysis and Failure Mode Effect and Criticality Analysis (FMECA) the supremacy of plastics is evaluated if it were real or a hoax. It is argued that the provisions in the existing law or act just provide for requirements and not solutions. Some of the initiatives towards combating the various ills, across a few countries have been considered and it is argued that both a regulatory and a voluntary action need be launched, both by the industry and the individuals. The provisions in such a public private partnership utilizing both the ensembles of 4R’s and innovation may be necessary to combat the menace. The examples stated help us conclude that however small the initiatives may be, but the process of Change of behavior and for 4R’s has already started, may be it is modest, but thankfully it will further the drive for swachh Bharat. To achieve success it is proposed that these 4 R’s should be practiced vide a system based approach.

How to cite this article: Thareja P, Thareja P. The Menace of Single use Plastic: Hell! or Hoax? J Adv Res Mfg Mater Sci Met Engr 2019; 6(3&4): 29-40.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/2393.8315.201903

References

1. Thareja P. Swachh Bharat’-Seeking a National 5-S Mandate. Quality World, 2014; 11(12): 18-23. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2562465 or http:// dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2562465.
2. (n.a) Accountability can reverse plastic pollution crisis, March 2019, https://smartwatermagazine.com/news/ wwf/accountability-can-reverse-plastic-pollution-crisis.
3. Alli-Oluwafuyi R. The Plastic Menace; Leading The Change, 2018. https://sustyvibes.com/the-plasticmenace-leading-the-change/.
4. Solheim. Erik foreword, UNEP. Single-Use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability. 2018. http:// www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/ singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf.
5. https://www.rb.com/responsibility/plastics-packagingand-waste/plastics/.
6. Wahlén CB. WWF Urges Accountability across Value Chain to Solve Plastic Crisis, 2019. https://sdg.iisd.org/ news/wwf-urges-accountability-across-value-chain-tosolve-plastic-crisis/.
7. Upadhyay A, Bhaskar S. Can India Eliminate Single-Use Plastics By 2022?, 2019. https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/ can-india-eliminate-single-use-plastics-2022-34906/.
8. Sambyal SS. What Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0 should be like? Down To Earth, 2019. https://www.downtoearth.
org.in/blog/waste/what-swachh-bharat-mission-2-0should-be-like-64825.
9. Javadekar P, Bureau ET. Government notifies Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. The Government has notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 that will now supersede the 2011 Rules. 2016. available http://economictimes.indiatimes. com/articleshow/51459885.cms?from=mdr&utm_ source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_ campaign=cppst.
10. Rialch M. Why the great Indian plastic ban is unrealistic. 2018. Kinder, https://kinder.world/articles/problems/ why-the-great-indian-plastic-ban-is-unrealistic-19115.
11. Dasgupta N, Bhardwaj M. Single-use plastic bags, cups, plates may be banned from October 2: Report, livemint. 2019 https://www.livemint.com/news/india/singleuse-plastic-bags-cups-plates-may-be-banned-fromoctober-2-report-1567048068955.html.
12. Plastic book.
13. Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Gazette of India, Part-II, Section-3, Subsection (i), New Delhi, the 18th March, 2016 http://storage.unitedwebnetwork.com/files/26/ d35969d83be871a54153b9d08bb8f383.pdf
14. Unfantastic Plastic-Review of the ACT Plastic Shopping Bag Ban, September 2018. https://www.envcomm.act. gov.au/investigations/unfantastic-plastic-review-of-theact-plastic-shopping-bag-ban,-august-2018
15. https://www.environment.act.gov.au/waste/plasticbag-ban/which-bags-are-banned-and-which-areallowed 16. Upadhyay S. Single-Use Plastic to be Banned in a Phased Manner. 2019. https://swachhindia.ndtv.com/ramvilas-paswan-single-use-plastic-to-be-banned-in-aphased-manner-38033/
17. Plastic Pollution Primer and Toolkit. https://160g7a3snajg2i1r662yjd5r-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/Plastic-Pollution-Primer-and-ActionToolkit.pdf
18. Clouse CJ. Big brands recruit small innovators in battle against single-use plastics. 2019. https://www.greenbiz. com/article/big-brands-recruit-small-innovators-battleagainst-single-use-plastics
19. Chaudhary PK. Minimum thickness of plastic carry bags increased from 40 to 50 microns, 2016. https:// timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/patna/Minimumthickness-of-plastic-carry-bags-increased-from-40-to50-microns/articleshow/51767685.cms
20. https://www.environment.act.gov.au/waste/plasticbag-ban/which-bags-are-banned-and-which-areallowed 21. Review of the Plastic Shopping Bags Ban 2014, Australian Capital Territory, Canberra, 2014. https:// www.environment.act.gov.au/__data/assets/ pdf_file/0017/602018/20140407-ESDD_BagBan_ Report_2014_Final.pdf
22. Casey Q. India’s Narendra Modi Vows to Ban All SingleUse Plastic by 2022, 2018. https://time.com/5302732/ india-ban-single-use-plastic/
23. Unep. Single-use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability. 2018. http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/ file/singleUsePlastic_sustainability.pdf
24. Narayan V. Single-use Plastic ban: Is this the solution to the menace? Research has shown that India is not the biggest generator of plastic refuse, but it does not recycle such waste efficiently, New Delhi. https://www. telegraphindia.com/india/single-use-plastic-ban-is-thisthe-solution-to-the-menace/cid/1704230
25. https://plasticoceans.org/the-facts/
26. Clouse, Carol J https://www.greenbiz.com/users/carolj-clouse
27. EARTH DAY Network, Top 20 Countries Ranked by Mass of Mismanaged Plastic Waste. 04/6/18 https://www. earthday.org/2018/04/06/top-20-countries-rankedby-mass-of-mismanaged-plastic-waste/
28. Thareja P. The Inclusiveness of Safety First in Quality Education. Thareja P. The Inclusiveness of Safety First in Quality Education. Quality World 2014; 11; (5&6): 22-27. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/ abstract=2502935 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ ssrn.2502935
29. Thareja P. Manufacturing Paradigms in 2010. Proceedings of National Conference on Emerging trends in Manufacturing Systems, JMIT, Radaur. 2005. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2190326 or http:// dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2190326
30. https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/ lastplasticstraw
31. Thareja P, Sharma DD, Mahapatra PB et al. Total Quality Management-A Developmental Perspective. Journal of Production Research & Management 2011; 1(1): 34-52.
32. Thareja P. A Total Quality Organisation Through People; (Part 9), Team-up To Total Transformation. FOUNDRY An Indian Journal For Progressive Metal Casters 2007; 19(3).
33. PPCB, Annual Reports of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 http://www.ppcb.gov.in/Attachments/ Plastic%20Waste/PWAnnexureF.pdf
34. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/51767685.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=cppst
35. Ahuja A, Bhaskar S. Ban On Plastic Carry Bags Goes For A Toss In Punjab, 75,000 Kg of Plastic Seized, National Nutrition Month 2019 Special, 2019. https:// swachhindia.ndtv.com/ban-on-plastic-carry-bags-goes
for-a-toss-in-punjab-75000-kg-of-plastic-seized-35092/
36. https://www.rb.com/responsibility/plastics-packagingand-waste/plastics/
37. Wahlén CB. WWF Urges Accountability Across Value Chain to Solve Plastic Crisis, March 2019. https://sdg. iisd.org/news/wwf-urges-accountability-across-valuechain-to-solve-plastic-crisis/
38. Thareja P. A Total Quality Organisation Through People; Part 6, Innovation Competencies FOUNDRY An Indian. Journal for Progressive Metal Casters 2006; 18(6): 49-56.
39. https://newplasticseconomy.org/projects/globalcommitment#whos-involved (how2recycle.info)
40. Thareja P, Mahapatra BP, Sharma DD. Metamorphosis in Teaching of ‘Materials’: A Case Study Aligning Manufacturing Requirements, Proceedings of National Conference on Advances in Materials and Manufacturing Technology, PEC Chandigarh, 2010.
41. Thareja P, Khushwaha M, Thareja M. Industry Responsive Metallurgical Engineering Education Quality Through TQM. Journal of Materials and Metalurgical Engineering 2014; 4(1): 13-22.

Published

2020-01-27

Most read articles by the same author(s)