Poly-ethene carry bags are the biggest nuisance amongst all the plastic waste. Each year, millions of plastic bags end up deteriorating the environment due to their improper disposal. Plastic bags being resistant to bacterial degradation are although a commercial success but inevitably become a major threat to the environment.
Environmental Concerns:
A plastic bag takes an average of one thousand years to decompose completely. In the meanwhile, it breaks into small pieces which remain embedded in the soil. The recent Indian enactment – Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 – specifies that the minimum thickness of plastic bags should be of 40 microns as opposed to the previous 20 microns specified by the Plastics Manufacture, Sale and Usage Rules, 1999. This is primarily because the thickness of the bag determines the strength of the bag to break into smaller pieces. The thinner the bag is the higher is the probability of its breakdown and mixing with the soil which seriously deteriorates the soil and marine fauna.
| Environmental Concerns |
| Deteriorates the flora and fauna of both the river bodies and the landProduction of bags requires a large amount of energy which is derived from depleting natural resources.Clogs sewage system and causes serious environmental disruption |
Another important problem is that plastic bags are lightweight and often get caught in the wind. They entangle with the trees and cover the leaves and branches interfering with their photosynthetic processes. On ground, they block drains and sewers. Blockage in the drainage system by plastic was the primary cause for the 2005 floods in Mumbai which killed thousands. Severe floods have also affected countries like Bangladesh and Manila due to the clogging of plastic bags in the drainage system. Plastic bags were banned in Mumbai and Bangladesh after these floods….Readmore