plastic recyling final

8/8/2019 Plastic Recyling Final

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Plastic recycling is the process of recovering scrap or waste plastics and

reprocessing the material into useful products, sometimes completely

different in form from their original state. For instance, this could mean

melting down soft drink bottles and then casting them as plastic chairs

and tables. Typically a plastic is not recycled into the same type of

plastic, and products made from recycled plastics are often not

recyclable

When compared to other materials like glass and metal materials, plastic

polymers require greater processing to be recycled. Plastics have a

low entropy of mixing, which is due to the high molecular weight of their

large polymer chains. A macromolecule interacts with its environment

along its entire length, so its enthalpy of mixing is large compared to that of an organic molecule with a similar structure. Heating alone is not

enough to dissolve such a large molecule; because of this, plastics must

often be of nearly identical composition in order to mix efficiently.

When different types of plastics are melted together they tend to phase-

separate, like oil and water, and set in these layers. The phase

boundaries cause structural weakness in the resulting material, meaning

thatpolymer blends are only useful in limited applications.

Another barrier to recycling is the widespread use of dyes, fillers, andother additives in plastics. The polymer is generally too viscous to

economically remove fillers, and would be damaged by many of the

processes that could cheaply remove the added dyes. Additives are less

widely used in beverage containers and plastic bags, allowing them to be

recycled more frequently.

The use of biodegradable plastics is increasing. If some of these get

mixed in the other plastics for recycling, the reclaimed plastic is not

recyclable because the variance in properties and melt temperatures.

Before recycling, plastics are sorted according to their resin

identification code, a method of categorization of polymer types, which

was developed by the Society of the Plastics Industry in

1988. Polyethylene terephthalate, commonly referred to as PET, for

instance, has a resin code of 1. They are also often separated by colour.



The plastic recyclables are then shredded. These shredded fragments

then undergo processes to eliminate impurities like paper labels. This

material is melted and often extruded into the form of pellets which are

then used to manufacture other product

Thermal depolymerization.

Depolymerization

Thermal depolymerization

Another process involves the conversion of assorted polymers

into petroleum by a much less precise thermal

depolymerization process. Such a process would be able to accept almost

any polymer or mix of polymers, including thermoses materials such as

vulcanized rubber tires and the biopolymers in feathers and other

agricultural waste. Like natural petroleum, the chemicals produced can

be made into fuels as well as polymers. A pilot plant of this type exists

in Carthage, Missouri, USA, using turkey waste as input

material. Gasification is a similar process, but is not technically recyclingsince polymers are not likely to become the result.

MUMBAI : The All India Plastic Manufacturers' Association (AIPMA), a

leading apex body with 1,500 companies as members, has proposed to

recycle all of Mumbai's plastic waste provided the municipal

corporation makes land available for a 'demo plant'.

The organization, which met on Friday to present their demands to the

state government, said a memorandum of understanding has already

been signed by all stockholders, state, BMC, MPCB and the industry,

proposing a recycling unit on state land. As part of that charter,

the BMC was made responsible for providing land within city limits to



set up recycling centers. However, that promise was never kept, said

AIPMA members.

"The stakeholders, including the BMC, had agreed to construct recycling

centers in collaboration with the industry. But that promise is yet to be

kept. If this land is made available, we are ready to set up a plant at our

cost," said AIPMA president Mahindra Parmer.

Indian industry recycles nearly 16 lakh tones of plastic every year and

the figure is only growing. "Thin plastic bags littered can easily be sold

for a paltry amount and the industry is willing to recycle segregated

plastic if it gets infrastructure support from Maharashtra government,"said former AIPMA president Arvin Mehta, blaming citizens' littering

habits for adding to the plastic menace.

By making small changes in the way things are handled by authorities,

and setting up these centers, Mumbai can go a long way in sorting out

these issues, members said in their charter of demands.

It is estimated that more than 100 recycling units have shifted base out

of the city in the past couple of years due to rising land costs. "If only the

government had the right attitude towards the problem, these units

could have easily been retained within city limits, and hired on a contract

basis to recycle plastic waste," said Mehta.

Options for Plastic Waste Management. Recycling of plastics through environmentally sound manner :Recycling

of plastics should be carried in such a manner to minimizeThe pollution

level during the process and as a result to enhance theefficiency of the

process and conserve the energy. Plastics recycling



technologies have been historically divided into four general types -

primary, secondary, tertiary and quaternary.Primary recycling involves

processing of a waste/scrap into a product with characteristics similar to

those of original product. Secondary recycling involves processing of

waste/scrap plastics into materials that have characteristics different

from those of original plastics product. Tertiary recycling involves the

production of basic chemicals and fuels from plastics waste/scrap as

part of the municipal waste stream or as a segregated waste. Quaternary

recycling retrieves the energy content of waste/scrap plastics by

burning/incineration. This process is not in use in India. Steps Involved

in the Recycling Process Selection. The recyclers/reprocessors have to

select the waste /scrap which are suitable for recycling /reprocessingSegregation The plastics waste shall be segregated as per the codes 1-7

mentioned in the BiS guidelines (IS:14534:1998. Processing After

selection and segregation of the preconsumer waste

(factory waste ) shall be directly recycled .. The post consumer waste

(used plastic waste) shall be washed, shredded, agglomerated, extruded

and granulated .

Special Note: All medical plastics waste and packings of toxic contents

such as pesticides,Insecticides shall be segregated separately and may be

processed through Plasma Pyrolysis Technology (PPT). The Newly

Developed Pilot Plant (extruder, control panel & part of pollution

monitoring System. Performance of Built Roadsmade from Plastics

Waste: A study has been entrusted to evaluate the performance of

polymer coatedbuilt roads to Thiagarajar College of Engineering

Madurai. The specific task (objectives) of the study are given below :

¾ To measure the roughness of the pavement surface;¾ To measure the resistance offered by the pavement surface against

skidding of vehicles;

¾ To measure the pavement macro texture for the geometrical

deposition



¾ To assess the structural evaluation of flexible pavement for the

strength of the same;

¾ To measure the field density of the road;

¾ To study the gradation of the road;.

¾ To carry out different tests on recovered bitumen;

¾ To examine the condition of the road (Cracks, raveling, potholes,

rutting, corrugation edge break etc.).

Special Note:

Polymer blended bitumen shows higher softening point, lower

penetration point,

and better ductility. Polymer coated aggregate blended with Bitumen

showshigher Marshall value and better stripping value, hence the polymer

coated mix is

more suited for road laying than mixing of shredded plastics into

bitumen.

Mixing of Shredded Polymer on coarse aggregate Observations of the

Field Test ¾ The coating of plastic reduces the moisture absorption of

the aggregate. Normally 2% is the limit for absorption. Whereas the

polymer coated aggregate is having almost nil absorption. ¾ The

moisture absorption values are correlated with voids. The voids are

reduced in Polymer Coated Aggregate. Thus the quality of the aggregate

is improved. ¾ Moreover the removal of voids and the reduction of

moisture absorption results into prevention of stripping of bitumen. ¾

The polymer coating reduces the porosity of the aggregate and hence

result in improving soundness of the aggregate. Once the pores are

covered with plastics the possibility of entering the salt at the surface isprevented. ¾ The polymer coated aggregate is practically a plastic

laminated Aggregate, thus prevents wetting with water so there is no

stripping. Results of Field Test: The coating of plastics over aggregate

improves Impact, Los Angels Abrasion and Crushing Value with the

increase in the percentage of plastics. After the three phases of field



experiments, the following important conclusion have been drawn. ¾

The extracted bitumen showed almost near value for Marshall stability.

¾ The entire road was having good skid resistance and texture values.

¾ All the stretches in the roads are reasonably strong.

¾ The unevenness index values of these three sections are nearly 3000

mm/km, which indicates a good surface evenness.

¾ The plastic tar roads have not developed any potholes, rutting,

raveling or edge flaw, even though these roads are more than two years

of age.

¾ Polymer coated aggregate bitumen mix performs well compared to

polymer modified bitumen mix the mix. ¾ Foam plastics have better

binding values.Plastics Waste Disposal through Plasma Pyrolysis Technology (PPT)

Plasma Pyrolysis Technology (PPT)- An Introduction Plasma Pyrolysis is

a state of the art technology, which integrates the thermo-chemical

properties of plasma with the pyrolysis process. Theintense and versatile

heat generation capabilities of Plasma Pyrolysis technology enable it to

dispose of all types of plastic waste including polymeric, biomedical and

hazardous waste in a safe and reliable manner. Pyrolysis is the thermal

disintegration of carbonaceous material in oxygen-starved atmosphere.

When optimized, the most

likely compounds formed are methane, carbon monoxide, hydrogen

carbon dioxide and water molecules.

Process Technology:

In Plasma Pyrolysis, firstly the plastics waste is fed into the

primary

chamber at 850.The waste material dissociates into carbon monoxide,hydrogen, methane, higher hydrocarbons etc. Induced draft fan drains

the paralysis gases as well as plastics waste into the secondary chamber

where these gases are combusted in the presence of excess air. The

inflammable gases are ignited with high voltage spark. The secondary

chamber temperature is maintained at 1050 C. The hydrocarbon, CO and



hydrogen are combusted into safe carbon dioxide and water. The process

conditions are maintained such

that it eliminates the possibility of formation of toxic dioxins and furans

molecules (in case of chlorinated waste). The conversion of organic

waste into non toxic gases (CO2, H2O) is more than 99% . The extreme

conditions of Plasma kill stable bacteria such as bacillus

stereo-thermophilus and bacillus subtilis immediately. Segregation of the

waste is not necessary, as the very high temperatures ensure treatment

of all types of waste without discrimination A study has been entrusted

to FCIPT ,Institute of Plasma Research (IPR) ,Gandhinagar to evaluate

the performance of PPT.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

The disposal of plastics waste is ever increasing problem and no holistic

approach could be developed. Considering the grave concern for

plastics waste management, an effective technology has been put forth.

To ascertain the performance of PPT, a Memorandum of

Understanding (MoU) has entered between the Institute of Plasma

Research, acting through its Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma

Technologies and Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of

Environment & Forests, Government of India., The objectives of the

study are reiterated below;¾ To conduct a performance study of the

Plasma Pyrolysis Technolon 15 kg/hr prototype demonstration system

developed by FCIPT/IPR

for proper disposal of plastics waste and also monitor parameters e.g

suspended particulate matter(SPM), carbon monoxide(CO),

hydrocarbon(HC) benzene, dioxins, furans etc. with regards to gaseousemissions. ¾ To conduct experiments on safe disposal of plastics waste

using higher capacity (approx. 50 kg/hr) plasma pyrolysis system as

developed by FCIPT. ¾ CPCB may set up prototype plasma pyrolysis

plant on demonstrationbasis (15 kg/hr waste disposal capacity) as

specific locations( hilly and



pilgrimage) identified by CPCB in consultation with States. Conversion

of Plastics Waste into liquid fuel. Another solution for disposal of

plastics waste has been consider by CPCB i.e conversion of plastics waste

into liquid fuel.

Process Technology

A Research-cum-Demonstrative Plant was set up at Nagpur for

conversion of waste plastics into liquid fuel oil. The process adopted is

based on random de-polymerization of waste plastics in presence of a

catalyst into liquid fuel. The entire process is undertaken in closed

reactor vessel followed by condensation, if required. Waste plastics

whileheating upto 270 to 300 C convert into liquid-vapor state, which is

collected in condensation chamber in the form of liquid fuel. The tarry

liquid waste is topped-down from the heating reactor vessel. The

organic gas is generated which is presently vented due to lack of storage

facility, however, the gas can be used in dual fuel diesel generator set for

generation of electricity.

The process includes following steps;

Collection & segregation of plastics waste-

Storing of Plastics waste

Shredding of wastes

Feeding into hopper

Flow of waste into heating vessel in presence of catalyst

Tapping of liquid

Vessels tarry wasteMovement of liquid-vapor into condenser

Tapping of liquid fuel (as a product) Environment Related Observations

¾ There are no liquid industrial effluents and no floor washing as waste

material is not washed.

¾ There is no organized stack and process emissions are let out.



¾ Odor of volatile organics has been experienced in the processing area

due to some leakages or lack of proper sealing

¾ Since, absolute conversion of liquid-vapor was possible into liquid,

some portion of gas (about 20%) is connected to the generator.

However, the process will be improved in full scale plant.

¾ PVC plastics waste is not used and if used, it was less than 1%. In case

PVC is used, the chlorine can be converted into hydrochloric acid as a

by-product.

¾ The charcoal (Charcoal is formed due to tapping of tarry

waste)generated during the process has been analyses and contain

heavy metals, poly aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) which appears to be

hazardous in nature. The source of metals in charcoal could be due topresence of additives in plastics and multilayer & laminated

plastics. ¾ Monitoring of process fugitive emissions in the work area as

well as

emissions from the engines/diesel generator sets, where this liquid fuel

is used, for various parameters such as CO, HCl, Styrene, Benzene,

VOCs is necessarily required. Recommendations of CPCB:

¾ As regard technology is concerned, the process could be adopted only

for converting post-consumer plastics waste into liquid fuel. The process

may work well with the selected plastics waste. For other category of

plastics waste, further research need to be carried out. The technology

needs to be established for demonstrating use of postconsumer plastics

to reduce menace of plastics waste disposal along with municipal solid

waste (MSW) ¾ There should be proper utilization of unconverted gas

and in no case such gaseous emission should be let out freely. ¾ As far as

possible, use of PVC waste should be avoided and in case it is used, it should be converted into hydrochloric acid and no emissions be let out.

¾ The gaseous emissions may be tested in case the liquid fuel is used

for furnaces/ boilers and generator. ¾ In the processing area,

monitoring of VOCs should be carried out to check concentrations of

various hazardous air pollutants.



¾ Metal and organic concentration need to be checked in charcoal to

ascertain its hazardous nature. ¾ The fuel quality may be checked by the

concerned agency like Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), which may

certify the liquid fuel quality as per the specifications and suggest for its

best use. ¾ As far as prescription of environmental standards are

concerned, no standards to be prescribed for liquid effluents. For

gaseous emissions, the entire process is to be closed and no leakages are

expected. In working area, VOC standards could be worked out. No

gaseous effluents are expected to be let out and if any, these are to use in

generators. ¾ When PVC is used, complete conversion to HCl and no

emission of HCl vapors could be stipulated. Further, disposal of HCl may

also beensured. ¾ In case of use of unwashed/unsegregated post-consumer

plastics

waste ( as in the present case), the quality of fuel is expected to be

deteriorated as well process fugitive emissions may vary, therefore, it

needs to be evaluated and compared with clean waste before technology

approval. ¾ It is proposed to carry out detailed air quality monitoring

by SPCBs/PCCs of requisite parameters in work area Besides, emission

monitoring of DG sets/engines, in which this liquid fuel is used, shall also

be carried out to ascertain compliance of parameters prescribed by

SPCB/CPCB for DG sets.

Biodegradable Plastics

Generally plastics are non-biodegradable; the environmentally

degradable polyolefin films are defined as those materials that contain

degradation process of polyolefin article (bag/film/sheet) underconditions of composting. Often queries are raised regarding

biodegradability of plastics but clear-cut answer is not available about

the biodegradability of plastics. In view of above, CPCB has entrusted a

comprehensive study to Central Institute of Plastics Engineering and

Technology (CIPET) to establish the biodegradability and compost



ability (e.g. fragmentation rate, degradation rate and safety) of known

and unknown polymeric material available in India and abroad

.Microorganisms use the carbon substrate to extract chemical energy for

driving their life processes by aerobic oxidation of glucose and other

readily utilizable C-substrate .

The main objectives of the proposed study include the followings:

¾ To inventories/assess the manufacturing status of biodegradable

plastics in India particularly with reference to processing technologies

and the environmental issues etc.

¾ To establish the degradation rate (change in chemical structure,

decrease in mechanical strength, fragmentation or weight loss) of the

polymeric material or plastics material under laboratory scalecomposting conditions

¾ To find out self-life and its impact on environment (soil, water of

plastics w.r.t. colour/additives once it is disposed); ¾ Effect on

foodstuffs w.r.t. natural colour/additives.

Process Methodology:

To test the biodegrability following procedure has been adopted;

(a) Inventorisation of Manufacturing units of biodegradable

/degradable plastics & collection of sample fromIndustries/Hospitals/Hotels/Restaurants .

(b) Analysis of biodegradable/degradable films through ASTM

and international consensus standard on biobased content qand

biodegrability . The following ASTM specification has neen used in

present investigation .

ASTM D-5209; Standard Test method for determining the Aerobic

Biodegradation of plastic materials in presence of Municipal Sludge.

ASTM D-5338: Standard Test method for determining the Aerobic



Biodegradation of plastic materials under controlled composting

conditions.

ASTM D-6400: Specifications for Compostable Plastics

(c ) Disintegration

(d ) Safety

(e) Collection of D2W additives & analysis of its toxicity

Results of the lab study:

¾ The study is still going on. The test results of the films collected from

certain industries have the average biodegradation to the tune of 4.40%

6.66% & 40.35 % respectively.

¾ The test results of the sample from the hotels / Restaurants &

Hospitals showed biodegradation ranging from 8.46% to 29.97%respectively. ¾ The minimum percentage of biodegradation of a product

made from a single polymer ¾ should be 60% in 45 days span in the

present context & standards practiced world wide. ¾ In the present

study samples collected so far are not conforming to the requirement of

prescribed biodegradation level as per ASTM D -6400. (Clause 6.3.1)

¾ The toxicity level of master batch additives is under investigation

PLASTICS RECYCLING

Plastics cause serious environmental problems. Although they are not

intrinsically

dangerous, they take up a huge amount of space in landfills and they are

made from a nonrenewable resource, namely fossil fuels. For these

reasons it is important that, where

possible, plastics are recycled.

The recycling of plastics is carried out in a five step process.Step 1- Plastics collection

This is done through roadside collections, special recycling bins and

directly from

industries that use a lot of plastic.

Step 2 - Manual sorting



At this stage nails and stones are removed, and the plastic is sorted into

three types: PET,

HDPE and 'other'.

Step 3 - Chipping

The sorted plastic is cut into small pieces ready to be melted down.

Step 4 - Washing

This stage removes contaminants such as paper labels, dirt and

remnants of the product

originally contained in the plastic.

Step 5 - Polluting

The plastic is then melted down and extruded into small pellets ready for

reuse.Some recycled plastic is then used in applications similar to those for

which virgin plastic

is used. The remaining plastic is made into a variety of objects such as

drainage mats and

hard board.

THE RECYCLING PROCESS

Step 1 - Plastics collection

Plastics for recycling come from two main sources: post consumer

plastics and post industrial plastics. Post consumer plastics are those

which have already been used by people. These are the plastics collected

in plastics recycling bins and at domestic roadside collections. Post

industrial plastics, on the other hand, are rejects from industry

offcuts, damaged batches etc. These plastics are collected either directlyfrom the industry or collected by the local council, squashed into bales

and sold to a recycler.

Step 2 - Manual Sorting In theory, every type of plastic can be recycled.

In practise in New Zealand only codes 1 (PET) and 2 (HDPE) are

recycled. The incoming plastic is manually sorted into these two codes



and 'other', and the three separate streams sent off to be chipped. It is

particularly important that all PVC is removed from the PET stream as

the more sophisticated sorting used later on cannot differentiate

between these two types of plastic. Any rocks, nails, metal.

Step 3 - Chipping

Each sorted stream of plastic is then sent separately to a chipper. This is

a cylinder of blades

somewhat like an old-fashioned lawnmower in a vessel with a 10 mm

grill floor. The blades

cut the material until it is small enough to fall through the grill.

Step 4 - Washing

The chips are then washed to remove glue, paper labels, dirt and anyremnants of the product they once contained. Both the "other" stream

and the PET stream are washed at around 90C for at least twelve

minutes, while the HDPE (which has a much lower melting point) must

be washed below 40C to prevent discolouration.

The wash solution consists of an alkaline detergent in water, which

removes dirt and grease and degrades protein. The detergent used is an

alkaline, cationic detergent (i.e. an alkaline solution containing a cationic

surfactant). Dishwashing detergents are usually anionic, because glass,

china etc. usually build up a negative surface charge. This means that

positively charged dirt particles are attracted to them, so an anionic

detergent is needed to remove the dirt. If a cationic surfactant were used

it not only would be incapable of removing the dirt, but it would itself

stick to the surface to be cleaned, making it greasy.

However, plastics aquire a positive surface charge, meaning that a

cationic detergent isneeded to clean them. Cationic surfactants are much less common than

anionic ones, but

they are used for shampoos and for fabric softeners. Surfactants are

explained in more detail in the article on soaps and detergents. During

washing the agitator in the wash tank acts as an abrasive, grinding off the



of food. In general, the pelletized plastic is sold by the recycling company

to other

companies for molding into a wide variety of products. Some of it is used

locally and the

remainder is exported to Asia and the United States. PET is often made

into fibers to make

carpet and clothing, while the "other" stream is usually used to make a

wood substitute. Two

products that are made on site by New Zealand Recycling Ltd. are:

A hardboard substitute made from HDPE. Most of the HDPE received

is from milk

bottles, but a small proportion is made from containers that have heldstrong-smelling

substances such as toilet cleaners. The perfume remains in the plastic, so

they are

unsuitable for normal re-use. However, NZR has recently developed a

board made of

this plastic sandwiched between two layers of LDPE. These will be used

industrially

as a cheap, durable and recyclable hardboard substitute.

FLOMAT is an American product which is used instead of scoria as a

drainage

material. The mats consist of a series of fabric pockets filled with

chipped plastic

from the "other" stream. Water drains down through the plastic to a

drainage pipe

attached to the base of the mat. So long as well-washed plastic is used(so that the

mat contents do not rot) these are a very long-lasting and space efficient

alternative to

scoria draining behind retaining walls etc.

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATIONS



As stated above, plastic recycling prevents damage to the environment

via excessive

landfilling and use of non-renewable resources. The process is also

largely environmentally safe, with the only effluent being from the

washwater. This is recycled in the plant as much as possible to minimize

water use and when it is finished with it is still sufficiently clean to be

dumped into the sewers.

Plastic bags

Every year, around 500 billion(500,000,000,000) plastic bags are used

worldwide. So many that over one million bagsare being every minute and they're damagingour environment. India's plastics consumptionis one of the highest in the world. Yet, preciouslittle has been done to recycle, re-use and

dispose of plastic waste. Plastic bags aredifficult and costly to recycle and most end upon landfill sites where they take around 300years to photo degrade. They break down into

tiny toxic particles that contaminate the soiland waterways and enter the food chain whenanimals accidentally ingest them. But the

problems surrounding waste plastic bags startslong before they photo degrade.

Our planet is becoming increasingly contaminated by our unnecessary useof plastic carry bags. Big black bin liners, plastic carrier bags carryingadvertising logos, clear sandwich bags, vegetable bags and a variety of other

forms used to carry our daily food items and other items are all polluting ourenvironment. Just take a look around you. Plastic bags can be seen hangingfrom the branches of trees, flying in the air on windy days, settled amongst

bushes and floating on rivers. They clog up gutters and drains causing waterand sewage to overflow



and become the breeding grounds of germs and bacteria that cause diseases.

Animals and sea creatures are hurt and killed every day by discarded plasticbags - a dead turtle with a plastic bag hanging from its mouth isn't a

pleasant sight but mistaking plastic bags for food is commonplace amongst marine animals. Plastic clogs their intestines and leads to slow starvation.Others become entangled in plastic bags and drown. Because plastic bagstake hundreds of years to break down, every year our seas become 'home'

to more and more bags that find their way there through our sewers andwaterways. Given India's poor garbage collection facilities, tons of plastic

bags litter the roads, preventing rainwater from seeping into the ground.Hundreds of cows die in New Delhi alone every year when they choke on

plastic bags while trying to eat vegetable waste stuffed in the garbage.

Ban on Plastic bags Several countries have already banned their use and more will

doubtless follow. Several Indian states such as Maharastra, Dehli, Punjab,

Rajasthan, Himanchal Pradesh, Goa etc. banned their use. Mumbai's

storm water drainage choking with accumulated plastics waste, making

the floods unmanageable, is an old story. 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. The ministry has also asked State

Governments to register all plastics manufacturing unit, so that these can

be regulated. However, the implementation of the order has been tardy,

evident from the large number of polythene bags strewn in every major

town and city.

The UAE Ministry of Environment and Water with its recent

announcement banning plastic bags completely by 2013. Jute is one of

the strongest natural plant fibers which is durable and re-usable. It is a

100 % natural material that consumes carbon dioxide and releasesoxygen into the atmosphere. Fabrics made of jute fibers are therefore

carbon dioxide neutral and are naturally decomposable.

The alternative to plastic bags are paper bags, jute bags and cloth bags.

Paper, Jute and Cloth are eco-friendly. Jute bags are most suitable



substitute then paper and cloth, because it is cheaper then cloth and

reusable. Though paper bags are cheaper then jute bags but less durable.

The West Bengal Government, which has decided to ban plastic bags in

Kolkata and other prominent towns and cities in the State, intends to

make use of jute bags mandatory through suitable legislation

Various States have increased the minimum thickness of plastic carry

bags to even higher limits of 40, 50, or

70 microns. These States/ UTs are: Goa (40 micron), Himachal Pradesh (

70 micron; HP Cabinet decided to ban plastics in the entire State with

effect from 15.08.2009), Maharashtra (50 micron), Meghalaya ( 40

micron), Punjab (30 micron), Chandigarh (30 micron), West Bengal (40

micron ), Kerala (30 micron).

(a) The Government of Delhi issued a notification dated 21st November

2008 titled the Delhi Degradable Plastic Bag ( Manufacturing, Sale and

Usage )and Garbage (Control) (Amendment ) Act, 2008 Section 11(b0 of

this notification stipulates that no person shall manufacture, stock,

distribute or sell plastic begs made of virgin of recycled, degradable or

non degradable plastic bags which are less than 40 microns in

thickness. Another notification issued on 7th January 2009 under thepowers delegated to Government of Delhi by the Central Government

under Section -5 of the Environment (Protection ) Act, 1986, which

prohibits the use, sale and storage off all kinds of plastic bags in Five Star

and Four Star Hotels, Hospitals with 100 more beds except the use of

plastic bags as pres cribbed under Bio-medical Waste (management and

handling) Rules,

seats, all fruits and vegetable outlets selling different consumer products

including fruits and vegetables.

(b) West Bengal Pollution Control Board has banned manufacture, sale

and use of plastic carry bags in ecologically fragile areas via the entire

Sunderban areas, Hilly areas of Darjeeling distinct, Sub-division,

CRZ areas (Digha, Sagar, and Bakkhali etc.), Forest areas and in different



heritage and tourist site.

(c) Action has been initiated for public awareness (trainings,

workshops) for plastic waste management such

as proper disposal of plastic bottles, banning of plastic carry bags, use of

cloth/jute bags etc.

(d) Colored Plastic carry bags have been banned in Himachal Pradesh.

Use of plastic carry begs have been

banned in some districts in Mizoram /West Bengal

(e) Jammu and Kashmir has also banned polythene carry bags under

Non Bio- Degradable Material (Management, Handling and Disposal) Act,

2007 with effect from 11.5.2009.

(f) Government of Himachal Pradesh has taken a cabinet decision forcomplete bad of plastics in Himachal

Pradesh under the HP Non-Biodegradable Garbage Control Act, 1995

effective from 15th August 2009.

How does the usage of plastic bags affect the environment?

Answer



Basically plastic bags are not biodegradable. Plastic bags thrown out aswaste on lands do not decompose and remain as such for a long time.

This blocks the rain water getting percolated into land and insteadmakes to run on the surface of land causing erosion of soil, carrying

various pollutants to nearby water bodies resulting in pollution of water.Erosion of soil in hilly areas makes the roots of trees exposed thereby

trees loose their strength to survive. Further erosion of soil causeswashing off vegetation nutrients available in the soil. As percolation of rain water into land is prevented by plastic bags, recharge of groundwater is also affected. If plastic bags are burnt, they emit hazardous gases

causing air pollution. At times, cattles happen to swallow thrown out plastic bags while they are grazing making them affected by digestionproblems causing death. Besides these ill effects of plastic bags, lot of

energy is being used in manufacturing plastic bags and chemicaleffluents are coming out and mixed with domestic sewage which is quitenot feasible for treating or recycling with an affordable cost. Thus plasticbags are largely affecting environment in many ways.

Environmental Pollution: The Harmful Effects of Plastic Bags

Every once in a while the government here passes out an order banningshop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their

purchases, with little lasting effect. Plastic bags are very popular withboth retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong,lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food aswell as other goods. Even though they are one of the modern

conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, they areresponsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up theprecious resources of the earth.

About a hundred billion plastic bags are used each year in the US alone.And then, when one considers the huge economies and populations of India, China, Europe, and other parts of the world, the numbers can be

staggering. The problem is further exacerbated by the developed

countries shipping off their plastic waste to developing countries like

India.



Here are some of the harmful effects of plastic bags:

Plastic bags litter the landscape. Once they are used, most plastic bagsgo into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year more and more plastic bags are

ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plasticbags find their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And,

if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes.

Plastic bags kill animals. About 100,000 animals such as dolphins,turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many

animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die.And worse, the ingested plastic bag remains intact even after the deathand decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape

where another victim may ingest it.

Plastic bags are non-biodegradable. And one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags is that they are non-biodegradable.

The decomposition of plastic bags takes about 1000 years.

Petroleum is required to produce plastic bags. As it is, petroleumproducts are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since

we have been using this non-renewable resource increasingly. Petroleumis vital for our modern way of life. It is necessary for our energyrequirements for our factories, transport, heating, lighting, and so on.

Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if thesupply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to practically thewhole world grinding to a halt. Surely, this precious resource should not be wasted on producing plastic bags, should it?

So, what can be done about the Use of Plastic Bags?

Single-use plastic bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life that it

seems as if we simply cannot do without them. However, if we have thewill, we can start reducing their use in small ways.



y A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping.You can keep the bag with the cahier, and then put your purchases

into it instead of the usual plastic bag.y Recycling the plastic bags you already have is another good idea.

These can come into use for various purposes, like holding yourgarbage, instead of purchasing new ones.

While governments may be working out ways to lessen the impact of

plastic bags on the environment, however, each of us should shoulder

some of the responsibility for this problem, which ultimately harms us.

Plastic bags are killing us

Aug. 10, 2007 | OAKLAND, Calif. -- On a foggy Tuesday morning, kids out of school for summer break are learning to sail on the waters of LakeMerritt. A great egret hunts for fish, while dozens of cormorants perch,

drying their wings. But we're not here to bird-watch or go boating. Twicea week volunteers with the Lake Merritt Institute gather on these shores



of the nation's oldest national wildlife refuge to fish trash out of thewater, and one of their prime targets is plastic bags. Armed with gloves

and nets with long handles, like the kind you'd use to fish leaves out of abackyard swimming pool, we take to the shores to seek our watery prey.

Dr. Richard Bailey, executive director of the institute, is most concerned

about the bags that get waterlogged and sink to the bottom. "We have alot of animals that live on the bottom: shrimp, shellfish, sponges," he

says. "It's like you're eating at your dinner table and somebody comes

along and throws a plastic tarp over your dinner table and you."

This morning, a turtle feeds serenely next to a half submerged Walgreensbag. The bag looks ghostly, ethereal even, floating, as if in some kind of

purgatory suspended between its briefly useful past and its none-too-promising future. A bright blue bags floats just out of reach, while a duck cruises by. Here's a Ziploc bag, there a Safeway bag. In a couple of hours,I fish more than two dozen plastic bags out of the lake with my net, along

with cigarette butts, candy wrappers and a soccer ball. As we work,numerous passersby on the popular trail that circles the urban lake

shout their thanks, which is an undeniable boost. Yet I can't help being

struck that our efforts represent a tiny drop in the ocean. If there's one

thing we know about these plastic bags, it's that there are billions and

billions more where they came from.

The plastic bag is an icon of convenience culture, by some estimates thesingle most ubiquitous consumer item on Earth, numbering in thetrillions. They're made from petroleum or natural gas with all the

attendant environmental impacts of harvesting fossil fuels. One recent study found that the inks and colorants used on some bags contain lead,a toxin. Every year, Americans throw away some 100 billion plastic bags

after they've been used to transport a prescription home from the

drugstore or a quart of milk from the grocery store. It's equivalent todumping nearly 12 million barrels of oil.

Only 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide -- about 2 percent in the U.S. -- and the rest, when discarded, can persist for centuries. Theycan spend eternity in landfills, but that's not always the case. "They're so



aerodynamic that even when they're properly disposed of in a trash canthey can still blow away and become litter," says Mark Murray, executive

director of Californians Against Waste. It's as litter that plastic bags havethe most baleful effect. And we're not talking about your everyday

eyesore.

Once aloft, stray bags cartwheel down city streets, alight in trees, billowfrom fences like flags, clog storm drains, wash into rivers and bays and

even end up in the ocean, washed out to sea. Bits of plastic bags have

been found in the nests of albatrosses in the remote Midway Islands.

Floating bags can look all too much like tasty jellyfish to hungry marinecritters. According to the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation,more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles

die every year from eating or getting entangled in plastic. Theconservation group estimates that 50 percent of all marine litter is someform of plastic. There are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in everysquare mile of ocean, according to the United Nations Environment

Programme. In the Northern Pacific Gyre, a great vortex of oceancurrents, there's now a swirling mass of plastic trash about 1,000 milesoff the coast of California, which spans an area that's twice the size of

Texas, including fragments of plastic bags. There's six times as muchplastic as biomass, including plankton and jellyfish, in the gyre. "It's anendless stream of incessant plastic particles everywhere you look," saysDr. Marcus Eriksen, director of education and research for the Algalita

Marine Research Foundation, which studies plastics in the marineenvironment. "Fifty or 60 years ago, there was no plastic out there."

Following the lead of countries like Ireland, Bangladesh, South Africa,

Thailand and Taiwan, some U.S. cities are striking back against what theysee as an expensive, wasteful and unnecessary mess. This year, SanFrancisco and Oakland outlawed the use of plastic bags in large grocery

stores and pharmacies, permitting only paper bags with at least 40percent recycled content or otherwise compostable bags. The bans havenot taken effect yet, but already the city of Oakland is being sued by anassociation of plastic bag manufacturers calling itself the Coalition to

Support Plastic Bag Recycling. Meanwhile, other communities across thecountry, including Santa Monica, Calif., New Haven, Conn., Annapolis,



Md., and Portland, Ore., are considering taking drastic legislative actionagainst the bags. In Ireland, a now 22-cent tax on plastic bags has slashed

their use by more than 90 percent since 2002. In flood-proneBangladesh, where plastic bags choked drainage systems, the bags have

been banned since 2002.

The problem with plastic bags isn't just where they end up, it's that theynever seem to end. "All the plastic that has been made is still around in

smaller and smaller pieces," says Stephanie Barger, executive director of

the Earth Resource Foundation, which has undertaken a Campaign

Against the Plastic Plague. Plastic doesn't biodegrade. That means unlessthey've been incinerated -- a noxious proposition -- every plastic bagyou've ever used in your entire life, including all those bags that the

newspaper arrives in on your doorstep, even on cloudless days whenthere isn't a sliver of a chance of rain, still exists in some form, evenfragmented bits, and will exist long after you're dead.

plastic recyling final

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