1. Plastics Carry Bags Benefits, Issues, Realities & Solutions

2. CONTENTS CARRY BAGS - WHY PLASTICS ?
PLASTIC BAGS - COMMON MISCONCEPTIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL BURDEN FOR ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTIC CARRY BAGS
ISSUES
SOLUTIONS
– WASTE MANAGEMENT & RECYCLING
RECOMMENDATION

3. WHY PLASTICS ? Replacing Traditional Materials
…Due to Superior Properties
Safe & Hygienic – Inert and Chemical Resistance
Light Weight & Non-Breakability
Excellent Barrier Properties - Enhancing Shelf-life
Superior Impact Resistance
Transparency as well as Opacity
Lower Fuel Consumption and Product Loss during Transportation
All These… at Lesser Cost
Material
Energy Requirement
KWH Kg-1
Aluminum
74.1
Steel
13.9
Glass
7.9
Paper
7.1
Plastic
3.1
Scott, G and Gilead, D., editors, Degradable Polymers, Principles and Application, Chapman & Hall, London, 1995

4. PLASTICS
Global Consumption of plastics ~ 180 million tonnes (Per Capita ~ 28kg)
Indian Consumption of plastics ~6.5 million tonnes ( Per Capita ~ 6kg)
Plastic carry bag accounts for less than 1% of total plastic consumption.

5. ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

6. PLASTICS : TOP GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION SAVER
In 2005, Total Global Emissions was 46 GtCO2e
It could have been 51.2 Gt CO2e, but for the savings by Chemical Industry
Savings by Chemical Industry 11%
Among The Top 10 Green House Gas Emission Saving Sectors - 4 are Plastics
Piping
Insulation Materials
Packaging
Automobiles
Plastics save green house gas emissions
And save the earth from Global Warming
Source: McKinsey cLCA study for International Council of Chemical Association

7. GHG EMISSION SAVING BY PLASTICS PACKAGING
Total Saving ˜ 220 Mt CO2e
Plastics Carry Bags reduce GHG emission
Source: McKinsey cLCA study for International Council of Chemical Association

8. ALTERNATIVES TO PLASTICS CARRY BAGS?
Jute
Textile
Paper
Degradable Plastics
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS 

9. ENERGY SAVING: 1 LAC MT. OF ATTA PACKAGING
Jute Vs Plastic
Energy consumption in GJ for Manufacturing Raw Materials, Packaging and Transportation of Atta
Energy saving – 81%
Energy recovery with plastics waste-35 GJ
Source: LCA Study by IIT (Delhi)
The comparison holds good for Plastics Vs Jute Carry Bags

10. Environmental Burden in kg Excess Emission for jute Bags
Jute Bag Vs Plastic Bag
During production of raw
Material & bags
During transportation of the finished bags
Environmental Burden in kg
Jute Bag
Plastic Bag
Air Pollution CO
54.3
0.6
CO2
6610.2*
760*
SOx
134.8
5.2
Nox
68.1*
4.8*
CH4
39.5
3.2
HCL
5.3
Dust
67.6
1.4
Water Pollution
Suspended Solids
352.3
0.2
Chlorides
4535.5
0.1
Emission
Gm/km
Excess Emission for jute Bags
Plastic Bags
CO2
781* *
Taken as Basis CO
4.5
64.0 HC
1.1
15.6
NOx 8*
113.8*
Particulates
0.36
5.1
Total Regulated Tailpipe Emission
13.96
198.5
* High potential for Global Warming
**Values are for Packaging of One Lac MT of Atta
Source – Report by Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering, IIT - Delhi

11. AIR & WATER POLLUTION Polyethylene Vs Paper
Energy for ↑
Manufacture
Emissions →
Figures for 50, 000 carry bags
Source: Scott, G and Gilead, D., Editors, Degradable Polymers, Principles and Application, Chapman & Hall, London, 1995

12. PLASTIC & TEXTILE BAGS
Plastics manufacturing consumes 400 kwh/mt while composite textile mills consume 1310 kwh/mt
Textile contributes 30% SOx (second highest by any sector) and 23% NOx (highest by any sector)
Source : Warmer Bulletin, July 01
This gives a comparative analysis of environmental burden generated by paper, jute & textile bags which are not visible to naked eyes though, in comparison to plastic bags!

13. PLASTICS BAGS / CARRY BAGS
Increase shelf-life of contents
Essential for packaging / carrying
of confectionery, bakery products
hygroscopic products like sugar / salt / jaggary
Convenient for carrying fish / meat / poultry and other wet food products – no other appropriate alternatives
Essential to carry commodities during rainy season
Add convenience to day-to-day life

14. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Plastic carry bags generate 60 % less GHG than uncomposted paper bags & 79% than composted paper bags
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

15. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy during production and generate 80% less solid waste after use.
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

16. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy during production and generate 80% less solid waste after use than paper bags.
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

17. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

18. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Paper bags generate 70% more air pollutants and ~ 50 times more water pollutants than plastic bags do.
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

19. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
Plastics and Paper both can be recycled. However it takes 91% less energy to recycle a kg of plastic than a kg of paper.
Source: ULS LCA Report, USA and other reports

20. PLASTIC & PAPER CARRY BAGS
150,000 plastic bags of
20 cm x 30 cm x 40 micron needs 1 small tempo for transportation
Paper bags of same size & number need ~ 10 such tempos for transportation - due to higher weight and volume Consuming more fuel and causing more air pollution

21. DESPITE ALL THESE POSITIVE ATTRIBUTES … PLASTIC BAGS ARE UNDER SCANNER

22. MAJOR ISSUES Health & safety Toxicity Biodegradability
Disposal & waste management

23. HEALTH & SAFETY Polythene is approved safe material for Use …
In contact with food, pharmaceuticals and drinking water
As implants within human body
In medical applications like IV bottle, Packaging of tablets
For Packaging of Liquid Milk
Plastic Carry Bags are generally made from Polyethylene

24. TOXICITY Issue: Plastics are termed as toxic and injurious to health
Fact:
Plastics are inert materials and do not pose any danger of toxicity
Emissions during processing of plastics are well within regulatory norms (study by SIIR – Delhi)
Additives used in plastics are approved as per BIS / FDA standards
Emissions at fire situation have similar or lesser implications in comparison to situation involving natural organic materials like wood, paper & cotton
Emissions during burning of paper and polyethylene are similar

25. BIODEGRADABILITY Issue:
Non-biodegradability property of plastics carry bags is termed as the major reason of waste management problem
Plastics are useful for its long life characteristics
Nothing decomposes substantially in modern landfills. It requires additional mechanical action for composting degradable waste
Indian Landfills does not practice Composting Activity

26. BIODEGRADABLE OR RECYCLABLE PLASTICS ?
Compostable plastics will degrade/compost only in composting conditions
The concept of Biodegradable Plastics will encourage littering
Spurious products cannot be detected in market place causing flooding of fake bags
A mixture of degradable and non-degradable plastics will disturb the plastics recycling activity
During decomposition stage biodegradable plastics emit CO2 and CH4 – both green house gases

27. BIODEGRADATION OR RECYCLING ?
Biodegradable Plastics have been developed
However these are required in applications where recycling is not possible or difficult
Developed countries – major manufacturers of BD Plastics – have not mandated use of Biodegradable Plastics Carry Bags in their countries
Reuse and Recycling is preferred
over degradation to encourage Resource Management

28. USE OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
Recommended applications of BD plastics:
Nursery Bags,
Mulch/Agricultural film,
One – time use Cutlery / Cups etc to be Carried in Ships / Remote areas
Lamination on jute – paper for Relevant Packaging Applications etc

29. DISPOSAL Issue: Plastics are blamed as the major cause of MSW problem
Facts:
According to studies plastics form about 5% of total MSW in
major Indian Metros
A recent study at Deonar dumping area (Mumbai) reveals
that ~ 90 % of plastics waste brought to the landfill are picked
up by rag pickers and sold to waste trades for recycling

30. PLASTICS IN MSW
NEERI study

31. ISSUE – INDIAN CONTEXT
WHILE ALL SOLID / THICK PLASTICS WASTE IS SYSTEMATICALLY PICKED UP BY THE WASTE COLLECTORS FOR RECYCLING, DISPOSAL OF THIN PLASTIC CARRY BAGS, SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WASTE AND MULTI-LAYER PACKETS, ABANDONED BY THE WASTE PICKERS, HAVE CREATED SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEM

32. PLASTIC CARRY BAGS : GLOBAL MATRIX
No developed country in the world has any thickness restriction of Plastic Carry bags
No country in the world has mandated use of Biodegradable Plastics for any mass commodity product like Carry Bags
In California - USA, initial measures for banning of normal plastic bags in favour of biodegradable plastics / paper bags has been stricken down by the Superior Court asking for conducting LCA study on the products
France dropped its earlier proposal for banning of normal plastic bags in favour of Biodegradable Plastic Bags on the direction from EU Parliament

33. PLASTIC CARRY BAGS : GLOBAL MATRIX
Australia has plans to reduce the use of thin HDPE bags by 50% over a period of three years
Some developed countries levy tax on all packaging materials including plastic carry bags – to meet the cost of managing the waste
Many developing countries including China & India have thickness and size restrictions
Only Bangladesh and some African nations have imposed ban on plastic carry bags

34. PLASTIC CARRY BAGS : INDIAN RULES
IN THE STATES OF MAHARASHTRA, GOA, WEST BENGAL, MEGHALAYA, PUNJUB, HIMACHAL PRADESH, KERALA THE THICKNESS RULE VARIES FROM 30 TO 70 MICRONS
IN DELHI , CHANDIGARH AND J & K, PLASTICS CARRY BAGS ARE BANNED
ALL OTHER STATES FOLLOW MoEF RULE OF 20 MICRONS

35. SOLUTION TO DISPOSAL PROBLEM
Segregation at source – awareness among citizens against littering
Proper system for collection of segregated wastes for facilitating recycling
Incentives / encouragement for recycling
Upgradation of the existing mechanical recycling technology
Encouragement for alternate methods of recycling / recovery of energy

36. WASTE MANAGEMENT: CASE STUDY

38. SEGREGATION OF WASTE AT SOURCE
‘A’ – WARD
MUMBAI
Rag pickers with van
Loading of dry waste in Municipality van
Dry waste being carried for loading into Municipality van
Municipality van with dry waste on way to segregation area
Dry waste at housing colonies

39. SEGREGATION OF WASTE AT SOURCE
‘A’ – WARD
MUMBAI
Segregation of dry waste
Storing of segregation dry waste in secured place
Segregation of dry waste being weighed and sold to recyclers / traders
Packing of segregated dry waste

40. There is wealth in Waste
DRY WASTE SEGREGATION DATA
MUMBAI WARDS – A, D, F(N), M (E & W), S & T
A comparative assessment of the segregation activities in select Mumbai Wards
BMC provides dry waste collection vans and secured segregation area free of cost
There is wealth in Waste

41. CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

42. CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

43. CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

44. NON-CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING AND RECOVERY
Co-processing in Cement Kilns / Energy Recovery
Conversion to Fuel
Construction of Asphalt Road
Conversion to Basic Chemical

45. FUEL FROM WASTE PLASTICS
Invention by Indian Scientist
Dr. Alka Zadgaonkar
Raisoni College of Engineering, Nagpur

46. SCIENTIFIC SOLUTION TO PLASTICS WASTE DISPOSAL WITH RECOVERY OF ENERGY
ACC Plant at Kymore - MP
CALORIFIC VALUES (MJ / KG) : Plastics ~ 45
: Coal ~ 29
All types of plastics waste – laminated, mixed & uncleaned, can be co-processed in Cement Kiln in partial replacement of coal
CPCB HAS APPROVED THE PROCESS

47. PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION
ASPHALT PLANT OF BMC, WORLI, MUMBAI
Prof. V S AGHASE ROAD DADAR, MUMBAI

48. PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Vidyasagar Street – Kalyani, West Bengal

49. PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION
Bawana, Delhi

50. RECOMMENDATIONS
IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGING WASTE RULE SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVAILING IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MANAGEMENT & HANDLING) RULE, 2000 OF MoEF, GOVT OF INDIA
UNIFORM PLASTIC CARRY BAG THICKNESS RULE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY AND PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF THE SAME

51. RECOMMENDATIONS ENCOURAGEMENT AND INCENTIVES FOR RECYCLING
ACTIVITY AS PER RECOMMENDATION IN THE SUPREME
COURT COMMITTEE REPORT ON SWM IN CLASS I CITIES OF
INDIA – 1999
MANDATING CO-PROCESSING OF PLASTICS WASTE IN ALL
CEMENT KILNS IN THE COUNTRY

52. AWARENESS MESSAGE TO ALL CITIZENS