Problems caused by polythene and why it is difficult to remove them completely
Polythene is one of the biggest sources of environmental pollution around the world. And it should be a cause of concern for everyone as it is a non biodegradable substance and cannot be broken down by the microbes into simpler products. It can only be degraded after the sunlight has acted upon it for about 300 years or more. Burning polythene also releases poisonous gases like dioxin etc in the atmosphere which increases the air pollution level.
Frequent use of the polythene has destroyed the environment so much that its menace can be felt even at the village level. Cattles are known to die after it has ingested it. Such death by ingestion of polythene is more frequent among the stray animals which depend on the garbage sites for their food. When it enters their body, the animal would slowly starve to death as it is not digestible.
The huge piles of polythene littered around the areas where garbage is thrown are not only an eyesore but it also becomes a good breeding ground for the pests and other pathogens which spread various diseases. Also when people carelessly throw away the polythene near the drainage system, it clogs the drains and prevents the waste water from flowing, creating problems. The stagnant water thus formed also becomes a breeding place for pathogens like mosquitoes. Another big problem of polythene is that being made of light material they are often blown away by wind to nearby places.
So, looking at the grave situation, the state Governments of most of the states in India has passed various laws to ban its manufacture, sale and use in their respective states. But in actual practice, in spite of the prohibition people still continue to sell and use the polythene. The reason being that no other alternative that has come up could provide as much convenience as the polythene does.
Why polythene are so popular:
One of the reasons for its popularity is that it is very cheap and easily available: At present most of the shopkeepers and vendors provide polythene to their customers whenever they purchase any item from the shop. If by chance, the shopkeeper does not provide it, then the customers can easily buy from any nearby shop. And due to the easy availability the customers generally do not make a conscious effort to carry some carry bag from home.
Another reason for its popularity is that it is convenient for carrying any type of material i.e. both solid and liquid. It is particularly convenient when we buy things from the food vendors. Suppose on your way, if you notice a vendor selling paani puri/ golgappa or may be samosa with some tangy chutney and you wish to enjoy it at the comfort of your home, you can easily take it in polythene. It will not be practicable to carry the chutney, the gravy or for that matter any oily food items in some paper bag.
Being cheap people also do not hesitate to discard it after using only once or so. Besides, it is also strong enough to carry loads like vegetables etc.
How to reduce the harmful effects of polythene:
As it would be a difficult task to effectively prohibit the use of polythene unless a better alternative is provided the focus at present should be to minimize its harmful affect on the environment. Though the scientists have come up with biodegradable polythene, it is still at an early stage and is yet to become popular. Meanwhile the consumers could make a lot of difference to the environment by taking up certain simple steps such as:
Consumers should remember to take their own carry bags every time they go to the market. The shopkeepers and vendors should also avoid providing polythene for every purchased article. Though in big cities, the shopkeepers have already started the practice of providing paper bags for the items purchased, people in small towns and villages are yet to take up such practice. So, they should also be actively involved in using paper bags and newspapers as substitutes wherever practicable.
Instead of buying new polythene for trash collections, people can reuse the ones they have collected so far when buying things.
Another very important step that can be taken up is keeping it separate from other biodegradable waste. When we bring things in polythene, we should not simply throw it away with the other waste or destroy it. Instead we can collect it properly and send it to the recycling unit or if there is no recycling unit nearby then it can be given to the people who need it frequently such as the shopkeepers in your locality.
Such reuse of polythene can minimize the impacts from the polythene problem.
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