Financial Times

Worries over plastics and the environment
By Robert Ingall
It’s a tricky one but try to imagine life without plastic or polythene? Not an easy thing to do as practically everything we use incorporates the product somewhere.

So imagine the furore when media reports appeared recently accrediting responsible ministers as saying there was going to be a ban on polythene, with some reports including plastics as well. Part of the justification was that the commonly-used bags blocked drains and were also a haven for mosquito breeding (whereas there was no mention about used coconut shells!).

As it transpired the truth wasn’t anywhere as drastic but the Ceylon National Chamber of Industries (CNCI) still felt the need to hold a media gathering to put forward their position. It seems what is being looked at is polythene that measures 20 microns and less, being banned (where a micron is one millionth of a metre, and most plastic bags are between 30-40 microns).

A. K. Ratnarajah, Deputy Chairman of CNCI, admitted that there was a problem with plastic and polythene refuse, but the problem was with the public doing the dumping and inadequate garbage collection. He also reminded the audience that it was plastic bags that most people had the tendency to just casually discard. “One of the main culprits is lunch packs, as the polythene wrapping is just ripped off and thrown away,” added Upali Samarasinghe, CNCI Secretary-General. If the 20-micron rule came in, such polythene would be gone, “but senior-level talks must happen as there are a lot of people employed in the polythene sector,” he added.

It was also pointed out that there were at least 16 recycling plants in Sri Lanka but more work was needed to educate the people about recycling and the relevant departments about collection points. Mr. Ratnarajah said such moves were encouraged in numerous countries worldwide, “so why not here?” He added that it was said that in India plastic gets recycled on average 13 times, as well as being used to surface roads. Anwar Dole, Group Director, PolyPack SECCO and CEI Plastics, also admitted there was a problem, but said the law makers and the industry should sit down to discuss ways to improve the situation rather than coming out with “bold” statements. When the news reports were published, the CNCI wrote to the relevant ministries to get clarification on the matter, but, as Nimal Perera, Chamber Chairman, said, “We are yet to get a reply.” Mr. Ratnarajah said that one of the more worrying side-effects of the reports were stories that some of the 400-odd plastic companies had been refused bank loans due to the ban rumour.

“The polythene sector is a huge part of the Rs 3.7 billion plastics export market especially shirt wrapping,” Mr. Dole said, adding that a ban on specific micron sizes was fine, but not a wholesale one. “A polythene ban was tried in Bombay, but it just didn’t work, leading to the laws being changed to bags and wrappings of 50 microns and below,” he said.

It looks for the time being that the plastic bag is safe, but the public should be better educated about disposal and recycling. So next time you go shopping; think twice before just throwing the bags away. Why not reuse them? Such action can only help clean up the environment.

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