Garbage pile up at Gulmarg enrages environmental groups
Published by Mike Styles
July 29, 2009
Plastic water bottles and other waste being scattered below the gondola at the world’s highest major ski area, and it’s the subject of a worrying new report from environmental groups, SkiRebel.com has learned.
The Gulmarg ski area in India is facing a “tough battle” in dealing with non-biodegradable waste such as discarded plastic water bottles and packaging material according to the report. The waste lies scattered beneath the route of the gondola, the world’s third highest, reaching around 4,000m (13,000 ft).Environmentalist M.R.D. Kundangar is concerned that the surrounding ecosystem could be severely damaged.“Hazardous elements released from this waste matter over a period of time directly effect the local ecology, with the result that soon we may lose many sensitive varieties of medicinal plants,” Kundangar told local media.
Affarwat and its adjoining slopes have many hot-shot spots of very fragile bio-diversity and the hazardous waste is a direct threat to some of the rare medicinal and other plant species that grow here.”
There are no known plans to collect and remove the waste that has so far accumulated on the mountainside.Resort management, which blames the build up of waste under the gondola on the separate lift operating company, are now reported to be considering banning plastic bottles. The use of polythene bags is reportedly banned in Gulmarg, but the ban is not being enforced, according to visitors.An alternative to the bottle ban could see visitors charged a deposit on plastic bottles taken up in the gondola which will be refunded if the bottles are brought back for disposal at the bottom of the lift.
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Tuesday, 28 July 2009
Times of India
High tides wash ashore 640 tons of rubbish
Sukhada Tatke
28 July 2009
MUMBAI: The Arabian Sea has thrown back at the city what the city has been throwing into it for so long. During the three days last week when exceptionally high tides hit Mumbai’s coastline, leading to heartache and damage for some while proving to be a spectator sport for others, a variety of non-biodegradable waste also made its way from the sea into the city.
Data compiled by the BMC shows that the city got as much as 640 tons (6.4 lakh kg) of waste comprising plastic, polythene bags and thermocol from the sea. This is more than four times the average amount that is dumped on the coast in three days.
“We have contractors to clean up beaches and labourers usually work until 1 pm. This time, however, they had to work overtime. They were asked to collect the garbage immediately and make sure it didn’t stay on the road for too long,’’ additional municipal commissioner R A Rajeev said. “We found a lot of plastic, thermocol and polythene bags. We had to use as many as 107 heavy vehicles to ferry the waste,’’ he added.
The waste was taken to the Deonar dumping ground. The sea at Juhu and Dadar threw out the maximum amount of garbage (1.18 lakh kg and 3.35 lakh kg respectively). Madh and Manori gave out 37,000 kg and 23,000 kg, while Versova and its extension threw out 29,000 kg and 22,000 kg. People whose homes were destroyed by the tides also got the largest amount of rubbish. “It was not just the first day, when the tide was 5.05 metres tall, that we suffered.
The next two days, which saw 5.01-m and 4.94-m tides, left us completely shattered. We spent two days after that getting rid of the water and cleaning out the garbage,’’ 53-year-old Pratibhatai Parkar of the Geeta Nagar slum at Cuffe Parade said.
Environmentalists are not surprised. “It reflects very poorly on us socially. How will foreigners, lured here by the Incredible India tourism ads, feel when they are hit by a wave filled with offal and coackroaches on Marine Drive?’’ asked Mumbai Environmental Social Network (MESN) member Rishi Aggarwal. “Most of the rubbish makes its way into the sea through the nullahs, and it also reflects our appalling garbage-segregation performance,’’ he added. Francin Pinto, director of the NGO, Garbage Concern, pointed to the public’s lack of awareness. “The problem is that people are just not sensitised. And even if you take the initiative and try to sensitise them, those living in theslums are usually more responsive to learning than those in high-rises,’’ she said. “Slumdwellers at least understand that the waste they throw into gutters may come back to haunt them,’’ she added.
Sukhada Tatke
28 July 2009
MUMBAI: The Arabian Sea has thrown back at the city what the city has been throwing into it for so long. During the three days last week when exceptionally high tides hit Mumbai’s coastline, leading to heartache and damage for some while proving to be a spectator sport for others, a variety of non-biodegradable waste also made its way from the sea into the city.
Data compiled by the BMC shows that the city got as much as 640 tons (6.4 lakh kg) of waste comprising plastic, polythene bags and thermocol from the sea. This is more than four times the average amount that is dumped on the coast in three days.
“We have contractors to clean up beaches and labourers usually work until 1 pm. This time, however, they had to work overtime. They were asked to collect the garbage immediately and make sure it didn’t stay on the road for too long,’’ additional municipal commissioner R A Rajeev said. “We found a lot of plastic, thermocol and polythene bags. We had to use as many as 107 heavy vehicles to ferry the waste,’’ he added.
The waste was taken to the Deonar dumping ground. The sea at Juhu and Dadar threw out the maximum amount of garbage (1.18 lakh kg and 3.35 lakh kg respectively). Madh and Manori gave out 37,000 kg and 23,000 kg, while Versova and its extension threw out 29,000 kg and 22,000 kg. People whose homes were destroyed by the tides also got the largest amount of rubbish. “It was not just the first day, when the tide was 5.05 metres tall, that we suffered.
The next two days, which saw 5.01-m and 4.94-m tides, left us completely shattered. We spent two days after that getting rid of the water and cleaning out the garbage,’’ 53-year-old Pratibhatai Parkar of the Geeta Nagar slum at Cuffe Parade said.
Environmentalists are not surprised. “It reflects very poorly on us socially. How will foreigners, lured here by the Incredible India tourism ads, feel when they are hit by a wave filled with offal and coackroaches on Marine Drive?’’ asked Mumbai Environmental Social Network (MESN) member Rishi Aggarwal. “Most of the rubbish makes its way into the sea through the nullahs, and it also reflects our appalling garbage-segregation performance,’’ he added. Francin Pinto, director of the NGO, Garbage Concern, pointed to the public’s lack of awareness. “The problem is that people are just not sensitised. And even if you take the initiative and try to sensitise them, those living in theslums are usually more responsive to learning than those in high-rises,’’ she said. “Slumdwellers at least understand that the waste they throw into gutters may come back to haunt them,’’ she added.
Sunday, 26 July 2009
Luibeg have decided to publish the recent articles relating to the debate between European Bioplastics and the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association as we believe it is most important that the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association and the users of the oxo-biodegradable technology receive as much support as possible.
We strongly endorse the statements made by the OPA and Symphony Environmental and seriously question the validy of the statements made by European Bioplastics, who as already stated, operate as a lobby for the Hydro biodegradable or "compostable" industry.
As far as India is concerned, Luibeg have discovered considerable confusion amongst manufacturers and also Official Government Agencies, who are now seriously looking at becoming involved with what is a very new area of technology in order to deal with the growing and urgent requirement to solve the plastic problems in that Country. There is absolutely no requirement for composting in India, as the infrastructure is just not available and would be far too complicated to introduce.
There are enough problems with waste management - some of these arguments have already been reported on this site. Having said this, the Authorities have been misled in to believing or thinking that the only legislation or Standards for which all bio-degradable (including oxo-biodegradable) plastics should be tested under, are those suitable only for composting/hydro biodegradable plastics.
Equally, India will always be a buyers' market at every level, from the buying of raw materials and production, through to the wholesaler and end user, there is quite frankly no room for any product which costs considerably more to manufacture and through misconception, will not solve any of the problems in that Country!
This raises the question:
who is responsible for feeding this misleading information, thus creating the confusion over testing standards in India?
We are very pleased to say that when the two technologies have been fully explained, the manufacturers and the Government Agencies immediately realize that the only technology to use, is the oxo-biodegradable technology. Once the full evidence has been put forward and studied, including all supporting test reports and endorsements, there is an immediate realization that the costly alternatives of hydro and other materials are not and never will be suitable for India.
There is a further misconception - some people believe that with a vast land area and massive population, India is an easy target to exploit!! They automatically think that India can grow substantial quantities of suitable crops to fuel the production of hydro plastics and at a very low cost by taking advatage of the vast numbers of low paid workers, thereby abusing the trust and honesty of a genuine and highly motivated Nation.
Anyone who sadly believes that this is in fact the moral route to go down, in order to extract substantial profits for the originators and promoters in the West, is very wrong indeed!!
A prominent Indian business-man recently said: "it is very clear that in the West, some people and organizations see India as a land of mud huts and elephants!" ... and "think that they can take advantage of this, only because of a distinct lack of understanding as a result of their ignorance of India, its citizens, history and culture"...."such people and organizations are not welcome here."
The hydro plastics technology and products will never succeed in India and we will strongly attack any attempt by this lobby/Industry to discredit the oxo-biodegradable technology.
We strongly endorse the statements made by the OPA and Symphony Environmental and seriously question the validy of the statements made by European Bioplastics, who as already stated, operate as a lobby for the Hydro biodegradable or "compostable" industry.
As far as India is concerned, Luibeg have discovered considerable confusion amongst manufacturers and also Official Government Agencies, who are now seriously looking at becoming involved with what is a very new area of technology in order to deal with the growing and urgent requirement to solve the plastic problems in that Country. There is absolutely no requirement for composting in India, as the infrastructure is just not available and would be far too complicated to introduce.
There are enough problems with waste management - some of these arguments have already been reported on this site. Having said this, the Authorities have been misled in to believing or thinking that the only legislation or Standards for which all bio-degradable (including oxo-biodegradable) plastics should be tested under, are those suitable only for composting/hydro biodegradable plastics.
Equally, India will always be a buyers' market at every level, from the buying of raw materials and production, through to the wholesaler and end user, there is quite frankly no room for any product which costs considerably more to manufacture and through misconception, will not solve any of the problems in that Country!
This raises the question:
who is responsible for feeding this misleading information, thus creating the confusion over testing standards in India?
We are very pleased to say that when the two technologies have been fully explained, the manufacturers and the Government Agencies immediately realize that the only technology to use, is the oxo-biodegradable technology. Once the full evidence has been put forward and studied, including all supporting test reports and endorsements, there is an immediate realization that the costly alternatives of hydro and other materials are not and never will be suitable for India.
There is a further misconception - some people believe that with a vast land area and massive population, India is an easy target to exploit!! They automatically think that India can grow substantial quantities of suitable crops to fuel the production of hydro plastics and at a very low cost by taking advatage of the vast numbers of low paid workers, thereby abusing the trust and honesty of a genuine and highly motivated Nation.
Anyone who sadly believes that this is in fact the moral route to go down, in order to extract substantial profits for the originators and promoters in the West, is very wrong indeed!!
A prominent Indian business-man recently said: "it is very clear that in the West, some people and organizations see India as a land of mud huts and elephants!" ... and "think that they can take advantage of this, only because of a distinct lack of understanding as a result of their ignorance of India, its citizens, history and culture"...."such people and organizations are not welcome here."
The hydro plastics technology and products will never succeed in India and we will strongly attack any attempt by this lobby/Industry to discredit the oxo-biodegradable technology.
Friday, 24 July 2009
from Plastopedia
Oxo-degradable producer hits back at European Bioplastics' attack
Symphony Environmental has responded sharply to yesterday's condemnation by European Bioplastics of oxo-degradable additives. It calls the European Bioplastics charges "both ill-founded and unjust" and points out that European Bioplastics is the lobby for hydro-biodegradable or “compostable” plastics and that its attack is based on commercial interest.
Far from oxo-biodegradable plastics not being verified by standard specifications, Symphony says they can be assessed for degradability, bio-degradability and non eco-toxicity by ASTM D6954-04. Claims that oxo-biodegradable plastics could encourage people to drop litter can equally be applied to hydro-biodegradable plastics, says Symphony – and "oxo-bio will harmlessly self-destruct if it gets into the open environment. Hydro-bio will not completely degrade unless someone collects it and puts it into a composting facility."
And the claim that fragments remain in the environment has been proven untrue: "after the oxo-bio additive has reduced the molecular-weight to 40,000 Daltons or less it is no longer a plastic, and biodegrades in the same way as leaves and straw."
European Bioplastics' reference to an attempt by the oxo-biodegradable industry to "water down the criteria of EN 13432" was not to enable oxo-biodegradable materials to meet the standard, says Symphony. Rather that European Bioplastics "fought to prevent the amendment of EN13432 because it has a commercial interest against a European Standard with tests appropriate to oxo-bio.
"Composting is not the same as biodegradation in the environment - it is an artificial process operated according to a much shorter timescale than the processes of nature. Therefore, standards such as EN13432, ISO 17088, and their American (ASTM D6400) and Australian (AS 4736-2006) equivalents, designed for compostable plastic, cannot be used for plastic which is designed to biodegrade if it gets into the environment. The hydrobio industry has consistently lobbied for standards and legislation which give its product an artificial advantage, and has consistently blocked proposals for change."
Symphony concludes: "Composting of organic waste makes sense, but compostable plastic does not. It is up to 400 per cent more expensive than ordinary plastic. It is thicker and heavier and requires more trucks to transport it. If buried in landfill, compostable plastic will emit methane (a greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than CO2) in anaerobic conditions. It is definitely not a 'green' alternative."
Source: britishplastics.co.uk
Symphony Environmental has responded sharply to yesterday's condemnation by European Bioplastics of oxo-degradable additives. It calls the European Bioplastics charges "both ill-founded and unjust" and points out that European Bioplastics is the lobby for hydro-biodegradable or “compostable” plastics and that its attack is based on commercial interest.
Far from oxo-biodegradable plastics not being verified by standard specifications, Symphony says they can be assessed for degradability, bio-degradability and non eco-toxicity by ASTM D6954-04. Claims that oxo-biodegradable plastics could encourage people to drop litter can equally be applied to hydro-biodegradable plastics, says Symphony – and "oxo-bio will harmlessly self-destruct if it gets into the open environment. Hydro-bio will not completely degrade unless someone collects it and puts it into a composting facility."
And the claim that fragments remain in the environment has been proven untrue: "after the oxo-bio additive has reduced the molecular-weight to 40,000 Daltons or less it is no longer a plastic, and biodegrades in the same way as leaves and straw."
European Bioplastics' reference to an attempt by the oxo-biodegradable industry to "water down the criteria of EN 13432" was not to enable oxo-biodegradable materials to meet the standard, says Symphony. Rather that European Bioplastics "fought to prevent the amendment of EN13432 because it has a commercial interest against a European Standard with tests appropriate to oxo-bio.
"Composting is not the same as biodegradation in the environment - it is an artificial process operated according to a much shorter timescale than the processes of nature. Therefore, standards such as EN13432, ISO 17088, and their American (ASTM D6400) and Australian (AS 4736-2006) equivalents, designed for compostable plastic, cannot be used for plastic which is designed to biodegrade if it gets into the environment. The hydrobio industry has consistently lobbied for standards and legislation which give its product an artificial advantage, and has consistently blocked proposals for change."
Symphony concludes: "Composting of organic waste makes sense, but compostable plastic does not. It is up to 400 per cent more expensive than ordinary plastic. It is thicker and heavier and requires more trucks to transport it. If buried in landfill, compostable plastic will emit methane (a greenhouse gas 23 times more powerful than CO2) in anaerobic conditions. It is definitely not a 'green' alternative."
Source: britishplastics.co.uk
Thursday, 23 July 2009
from: Food Production Daily .com
Bioplastic bodies trade blows as row breaks out
By Rory Harrington, 23-Jul-2009
A war of words has broken out within the bioplastics packaging industry with two trade bodies levelling a series of negative allegations about the different sectors.
The controversy was ignited yesterday after industry association European Bioplastics (EB) publicly denounced claims made by the oxo-biodegradeable (OB) industry as “misleading” and “free of substance”.
The Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OBPA) hit back by saying its products were superior and EB had gone on the attack in a bid to protect its market share.
EB issued a position paper distancing itself from the OB sector, saying there were “serious concerns amongst many plastics, composting and waste management experts that these products do not meet their claimed environmental promises”.
The oxo-biodegradation industry says its plastics “self-destruct” or biodegrade when they are exposed to UV irradiation or heat because substances such as cobalt, nickel and zinc are added to conventional plastics at the time of manufacture. These reduce the molecular weight of the material over a pre-determined period and they fragment – allowing them to be consumed by bacteria and fungi.
But EB challenged these claims because it says at present they cannot be verified with reference to international standards. The organisation said OB products did not biodegrade but only fragment into invisible pieces, saying “this is not generally considered as a feasible manner of solving the problem of plastic waste”.
"Bioplastics are still a relatively young industry", said Andy Sweetman, Chairman of the Board of European Bioplastics. "Inherent implications made on the environmental suitability of our products are subject to close scrutiny by all kinds of stakeholders. It is, therefore, vital that claims on biodegradability or compostability are backed by internationally accepted standards.”
He added that it was vital that the public not be confused by claims on biodegradability and compostability resulting from differing methods.
"If certain products that claim to be biodegradable or compostable are proven not to fulfill acknowledged standards, this is liable to impact negatively on our own members’ products, even though they do fully comply", Sweetman said.
He added it was vital its own compostability mark, known as the seedling, not be associated with any oxo-biodegradable product as they did not comply with recognized European standards. This is why EB had successfully fought against attempts by the OB industry to “water down” EN 13432, said Sweetman.
EB also raised concerns that a public misperception of OB products could encourage more littering and interfere with organic and recycling schemes.
But the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OBPA) dismissed EB arguments saying its products were tested for degradability, biodegradability and non-eco toxicity against criteria laid down in American Standard ASTM D6954-04. Authorities in France had published a standard for OB products, while the UK was in the process of developing one, it added.
The OB body also rejected charges of trying to dilute European standards.
“EP fought to prevent the amendment of EN13432 because they have a commercial interest against a European Standard with tests appropriate to oxo-bio,” an OBPA spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com.
It added that composting was not the same as biodegradation in the environment as it was an artificial process operated according to a much shorter timescale than the processes of nature.
“Therefore, Standards such as EN13432, ISO 17088, and their American (ASTM D6400) and Australian (AS 4736-2006) equivalents, designed for compostable plastic, cannot be used for plastic which is designed to biodegrade if it gets into the environment,” added the spokesman. “The hydrobiodegradable industry has consistently lobbied for standards and legislation which give its product an artificial advantage, and has consistently blocked proposals for change.”
Regarding concerns that its products could lead to more litter, it said there was no evidence to suggest this would happen.
OBPA concluded: “Composting of organic waste makes sense, but compostable plastic does not. It is up to 400% more expensive than ordinary plastic; it is thicker and heavier and requires more trucks to transport it. If buried in landfill, compostable plastic will emit methane.”
By Rory Harrington, 23-Jul-2009
A war of words has broken out within the bioplastics packaging industry with two trade bodies levelling a series of negative allegations about the different sectors.
The controversy was ignited yesterday after industry association European Bioplastics (EB) publicly denounced claims made by the oxo-biodegradeable (OB) industry as “misleading” and “free of substance”.
The Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OBPA) hit back by saying its products were superior and EB had gone on the attack in a bid to protect its market share.
EB issued a position paper distancing itself from the OB sector, saying there were “serious concerns amongst many plastics, composting and waste management experts that these products do not meet their claimed environmental promises”.
The oxo-biodegradation industry says its plastics “self-destruct” or biodegrade when they are exposed to UV irradiation or heat because substances such as cobalt, nickel and zinc are added to conventional plastics at the time of manufacture. These reduce the molecular weight of the material over a pre-determined period and they fragment – allowing them to be consumed by bacteria and fungi.
But EB challenged these claims because it says at present they cannot be verified with reference to international standards. The organisation said OB products did not biodegrade but only fragment into invisible pieces, saying “this is not generally considered as a feasible manner of solving the problem of plastic waste”.
"Bioplastics are still a relatively young industry", said Andy Sweetman, Chairman of the Board of European Bioplastics. "Inherent implications made on the environmental suitability of our products are subject to close scrutiny by all kinds of stakeholders. It is, therefore, vital that claims on biodegradability or compostability are backed by internationally accepted standards.”
He added that it was vital that the public not be confused by claims on biodegradability and compostability resulting from differing methods.
"If certain products that claim to be biodegradable or compostable are proven not to fulfill acknowledged standards, this is liable to impact negatively on our own members’ products, even though they do fully comply", Sweetman said.
He added it was vital its own compostability mark, known as the seedling, not be associated with any oxo-biodegradable product as they did not comply with recognized European standards. This is why EB had successfully fought against attempts by the OB industry to “water down” EN 13432, said Sweetman.
EB also raised concerns that a public misperception of OB products could encourage more littering and interfere with organic and recycling schemes.
But the Oxo-Biodegradable Plastics Association (OBPA) dismissed EB arguments saying its products were tested for degradability, biodegradability and non-eco toxicity against criteria laid down in American Standard ASTM D6954-04. Authorities in France had published a standard for OB products, while the UK was in the process of developing one, it added.
The OB body also rejected charges of trying to dilute European standards.
“EP fought to prevent the amendment of EN13432 because they have a commercial interest against a European Standard with tests appropriate to oxo-bio,” an OBPA spokesman told FoodProductionDaily.com.
It added that composting was not the same as biodegradation in the environment as it was an artificial process operated according to a much shorter timescale than the processes of nature.
“Therefore, Standards such as EN13432, ISO 17088, and their American (ASTM D6400) and Australian (AS 4736-2006) equivalents, designed for compostable plastic, cannot be used for plastic which is designed to biodegrade if it gets into the environment,” added the spokesman. “The hydrobiodegradable industry has consistently lobbied for standards and legislation which give its product an artificial advantage, and has consistently blocked proposals for change.”
Regarding concerns that its products could lead to more litter, it said there was no evidence to suggest this would happen.
OBPA concluded: “Composting of organic waste makes sense, but compostable plastic does not. It is up to 400% more expensive than ordinary plastic; it is thicker and heavier and requires more trucks to transport it. If buried in landfill, compostable plastic will emit methane.”
The Independent comments
Andrew Buncombe: Politicians try talking a lot of rubbish again
Delhi Notebook
Thursday, 23 July 2009
There's a nice old-fashioned barney going on between local and national politicians in the Indian capital, and its all about plastic bags – or rather how to get rid of them. There was a time, in the Kodachrome-tinted era of yesteryear, when people in India carried cloth or jute bags to the market to take home their shopping.
Then of course, came the plastic bag: convenient, easy but all too simply discarded. The result? The piles of rubbish and mess people in India are too aware of. So earlier this year, following in the forward-thinking footsteps of officials in the Himalayan states, the Delhi authorities decided to ban plastic bags and threaten shopkeepers with hefty fines if they still provided them. Overnight, my local vegetable store put up a government sign warning there would be no more bags. Of course, bags were still available and the government has not handed out a single fine, but there appears to be an effort by people to cut down on plastic and to bring their shopping bags from home. (I went out and bought a smart new jute bag for 30p).
Now, the federal environment minister has told people to keep using plastic bags. Speaking in parliament, Jairmam Ramesh claimed banning plastic bags would lead to deforestation in India because trees were cut down to produce more paper ones. "Most states have banned plastic bags because municipal bodies had failed to deal with them," the minister said with curious logic, seemingly blind to the idea that the ban is the city's way of dealing with them.
Local government and green activists are not amused. "Mr Ramesh is not worthy of being an environment minister. I can't believe what he said," said Iqbal Malik, founder of the non-governmental group Vatavaran. "He doesn't care for the environment."
Delhi Notebook
Thursday, 23 July 2009
There's a nice old-fashioned barney going on between local and national politicians in the Indian capital, and its all about plastic bags – or rather how to get rid of them. There was a time, in the Kodachrome-tinted era of yesteryear, when people in India carried cloth or jute bags to the market to take home their shopping.
Then of course, came the plastic bag: convenient, easy but all too simply discarded. The result? The piles of rubbish and mess people in India are too aware of. So earlier this year, following in the forward-thinking footsteps of officials in the Himalayan states, the Delhi authorities decided to ban plastic bags and threaten shopkeepers with hefty fines if they still provided them. Overnight, my local vegetable store put up a government sign warning there would be no more bags. Of course, bags were still available and the government has not handed out a single fine, but there appears to be an effort by people to cut down on plastic and to bring their shopping bags from home. (I went out and bought a smart new jute bag for 30p).
Now, the federal environment minister has told people to keep using plastic bags. Speaking in parliament, Jairmam Ramesh claimed banning plastic bags would lead to deforestation in India because trees were cut down to produce more paper ones. "Most states have banned plastic bags because municipal bodies had failed to deal with them," the minister said with curious logic, seemingly blind to the idea that the ban is the city's way of dealing with them.
Local government and green activists are not amused. "Mr Ramesh is not worthy of being an environment minister. I can't believe what he said," said Iqbal Malik, founder of the non-governmental group Vatavaran. "He doesn't care for the environment."
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Another Blog Reports
From www.icis.com/blogs/india-chemicals/
We may finally be seeing some balance in the debate on plastic bags and pollution. Rather than being swayed by NGOs to introduce a blanket ban on plastic bags, Jairam Ramesh, the new environment minister, is pushing for greater recycling, better waste management and the use of biodegradable plastics.
Scenes such as [this] certainly don't help the cause of the plastics industry.
Photo by Dwanjabi
A closer look at the picture shows that most of the bags are below 20 microns. The industry is all for banning these bags which litter the streets and clog the drains, but in the words of one industry insider - there is a lot of politics involved in banning these type of bags.
So you either have local governments, such as the one in Delhi, introducing a blanket ban or others that prefer to turn a blind eye to this problem.
The difficulty in implementing a ban that restricts use of all plastic bags does not appear to worry the Delhi government. Its stand was recently upheld by the Delhi High Court which dismissed a petition by the All India Plastics Manufacturers Association on this issue. Delhi has banned the use of plastic bags in shopping malls, five star hotels, restaurants, dairies and fruit and vegetable outlets.
Replacing plastics with jute or paper is not the answer as these alternatives have their limitations and can be environmentally unfriendly in their own way. Recycling is probably the best way forward.
And Conserve India is showing how this can be done fashionably. This non-profit organisation recycles polyethylene bags (hand picked from the streets of Delhi) into evening bags, totes and other fashion accessories.
It was in 2002 that Anita Ahuja of Conserve India got the idea of recycling bags. It took a year to develop the technology and simple end-products. Today, the organisation, which has created income generation opportunities for many of Delhi's rag pickers, deals not only with thin gauge plastic bags but also with other types of plastics and exports most of its production.
Ahuja explains that she is not for or against a ban on plastics in Delhi. "It is a global problem," she emphasises. She makes another valid point. Today, even the poorest of poor use common plastic bags in their homes. In some case, these bags, stitched together, double up as temporary roofs. The government should not be taking away what a poor man finds useful. There is plenty of other plastic packaging waste generated by rich households which the government is welcome to ban.
Saturday, 18 July 2009
Times of India
Plastic ban: 21 challans issued
Neha Lalchandani, TNN 18 July 2009,NEW DELHI:
Implementation of the plastic bag ban in the city has resulted in 21 challans being issued in the last one week. The Delhi Pollution
Control Committee (DPCC) will take the offenders in court by next week. A recent statement by environment minister Jairam Ramesh against a total ban on plastic bags appears to have propelled the Delhi government into implementing the ban seriously in the capital.
Six months after the ban was notified, the government issued its first challans on July 11. Of the 21 challans, 20 have been issued by DPCC while one was issued by an SDM. Reports from other agencies like MCD, NDMC and the health department are yet to come in. "Of the 20 challans issued by DPCC, 16 were issued in Rajouri Garden and South Extension. On Friday, four more were issued in Model Town,'' said a DPCC official.
According to sources, the department will file complaints against the offenders in designated courts by either Monday or Tuesday. "Since this is just the start of the drive, all challans issued till now will be taken to court collectively. Offenders will be charged under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and stand to be slapped with a penalty of a maximum of Rs 1 lakh or 5 years imprisonment,'' said the official. The mode of punishment for offenders, however, can prove to be a long drawn out affair.
Neha Lalchandani, TNN 18 July 2009,NEW DELHI:
Implementation of the plastic bag ban in the city has resulted in 21 challans being issued in the last one week. The Delhi Pollution
Control Committee (DPCC) will take the offenders in court by next week. A recent statement by environment minister Jairam Ramesh against a total ban on plastic bags appears to have propelled the Delhi government into implementing the ban seriously in the capital.
Six months after the ban was notified, the government issued its first challans on July 11. Of the 21 challans, 20 have been issued by DPCC while one was issued by an SDM. Reports from other agencies like MCD, NDMC and the health department are yet to come in. "Of the 20 challans issued by DPCC, 16 were issued in Rajouri Garden and South Extension. On Friday, four more were issued in Model Town,'' said a DPCC official.
According to sources, the department will file complaints against the offenders in designated courts by either Monday or Tuesday. "Since this is just the start of the drive, all challans issued till now will be taken to court collectively. Offenders will be charged under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 and stand to be slapped with a penalty of a maximum of Rs 1 lakh or 5 years imprisonment,'' said the official. The mode of punishment for offenders, however, can prove to be a long drawn out affair.
Sunday, 12 July 2009
From Breaking News 24/7
WASHINGTON - In a new microbiological study of reusable shopping bags, scientists have warned of the risks that unclean reusable bags can have on human health.The study was commissioned and funded by the Environment and Plastics Industry Council (EPIC), a Canadian industry group which promotes responsible use and recovery of plastic resources.EPIC is a committee of the Canadian Plastics Industry Association.
The 15-page study releases the findings of two independent testing laboratories, showing that unclean reusable bags can pose a public health risk due to high levels of mold, bacteria and yeast present in the samples.In an Earth911 poll, 50 percent of readers said their favorite way to go green was shopping with a reusable bag.
Sixty four percent of the tested reusable bags were contaminated with some level of bacteria and nearly 30 percent had bacterial counts higher than what is considered safe for drinking water.Forty percent of the bags contained the presence of yeast or mold.Some of the sampled bags contained unsafe levels of coliforms and fecal intestinal bacteria.Possible sources of contamination may include improperly wrapped meats, spilled liquids or perishable food items and using the bag for non-food-related purposes, such as trips to the gym or as a diaper bag.
Though results of the study may cause alarm, proper care of the bags and responsible use will likely eliminate the studies concerns.As is with anything reusable and washable, the bags should be washed and cared for between uses to decrease the likelihood of bacterial contamination.
According to Dr. Richard Summerbell, research director at Toronto-based Sporometrics, an environmental microbiology laboratory that evaluated the study results, recommends that one should treat the reusable bags like a kitchen cutting board, which is also exposed to food and can become a source of harmful microorganisms.
Luibeg comment:
The recent study commissioned by EPIC highlights a major problem with using reusable shopping bags or "bags for life". The risks attached to using these bags in a country such as India can only be exacerbated due to the climatic condtions and other factors.
The current argument in Delhi between the Hon. Minister for Environment and Forests (Central Government) who advocates that biodegradable plastics should be adopted and used and the Chief Minister (Delhi) including various environmentalists who demand that all plastic bags should be banned continues to rage. Luibeg strongly support the argument put forward by Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Minister for Environment. We do not believe that Mrs. Dikshit, the Chief Minister, has considered the long term problems of introducing a total ban on plastic bags and promoting reusable bags or even paper bags - recycled or otherwise.
We would like firstly to state that we are working closely with a number of reusable (jute) bag manufacturers to develop a disposable d2w bag liner which can be produced economically. This liner will go a long way to solving the problems raised in the EPIC Report. This will allow the reusable jute or cotton bag to be used in harmony with oxo-biodegradable plastic as a protection.
As for using paper bags - either new or recycled: have the Chief Minister and the environmentalists given consideration to the fact that the process of manufacturing paper cuases 70% more atmospheric pollution than the manufacture of plastic bags?
That paper bags use 300% more energy to produce them and consume large amounts of water in the manufacturing process, and when they degrade they emit methane and carbon dioxide. A stack of 1000 new plastic bags would be around 2 inches high, whereas a stack of 1000 new or recycled paper bags would be around 2 feet high!
In transporting paper bags, one should also remember that it would take at least 7 times the number of vehicles used to transport the same number of plastic bags - greatly adding to traffic pollution and increasing fuel consumption.
In considering the alternatives - oxo-biodegradable plastics: it should be remembered that less than 4% of oil is made into plastic and this is derived from a bi-product which would otherwise be burned off. A European study (Gesfellschaft fur umfrassende Analysen GmbH . Austria 2004) concluded that without the current use of plastics in packaging in Western Europe, an additional annual energy requirement of 101.3 million barrels of oil would be required. And as a result, an additional 42.9 million tonnes of Co2 would be produced.
The equivalent to the Co2 emitted by 12.3 million cars per year! This applies to India as well. And so the Government bans the plastic bag and as a result, puts thousands of people out of work in an Industry which contributes significantly to the GDP.What happens to all the other plastic products and applications which are manufactured?
For example: the food packaging - used in every aspect of retail packaging; the garment wrapping; the magazine wrapping; the shrink wrap and pallet wrap; the thermo moulded cutlery, boxes and trays; the pouches used for milk, water and edible oils; the woven sacks used for bulk commodities, such as cement, fertilizer, sugar, rice....the mulching film used to increase crop yields. Are they all to be banned as well??
With all due respect to the environmentalist and to the Chief Minister, we have to all face the fact that plastic will not go away and is here to stay. We should be looking towards the future and to the generations who will inherit our decisions of today. We need to work with the solutions which are constructive and not destructive!
The solution is here, it is safe and fully tested, and it is being introduced around the World (in over 70 Countries) including India - d2w oxo-biodegradable plastics. All of the above products can be and are being manufactured using d2w additives. Equally, all of these products have been successfully manufactured in India.
The banning of plastic does not solve the problem, it does not deal with the current waste plastic pollution. A greater understanding of how the oxo-biodegradable plastic works is required and then perhaps the lawmakers and environmentalists will begin to seriously appreciate the benefits of using this technology. A technology which is environmentally safe, contains no heavy metals, emits no methane, can be used with virgin and recycled polymers and will create total degradation of almost all plastics.
The process is simple: there is little if any increase to the manufacturing cost and a producer does not have to incur capital expenditure with new machinery or technology; he/they use their existing machinery and follow the normal extrusion process.
The degradation process is simple: the polyolefin consists of long entangled molecular chains. The catalytic effect of d2w additives break these chains by creating free radicles. The free radicles combine with the available oxygen atoms and create hydro peroxides, which are the precursor to total bio-degradation. The resulting chains are consumed by micro organisms leaving harmless residues of Co2, H2o and biomass.(MS-SYMPHONY)
How can a genuine environmentalist argue against this?
The 15-page study releases the findings of two independent testing laboratories, showing that unclean reusable bags can pose a public health risk due to high levels of mold, bacteria and yeast present in the samples.In an Earth911 poll, 50 percent of readers said their favorite way to go green was shopping with a reusable bag.
Sixty four percent of the tested reusable bags were contaminated with some level of bacteria and nearly 30 percent had bacterial counts higher than what is considered safe for drinking water.Forty percent of the bags contained the presence of yeast or mold.Some of the sampled bags contained unsafe levels of coliforms and fecal intestinal bacteria.Possible sources of contamination may include improperly wrapped meats, spilled liquids or perishable food items and using the bag for non-food-related purposes, such as trips to the gym or as a diaper bag.
Though results of the study may cause alarm, proper care of the bags and responsible use will likely eliminate the studies concerns.As is with anything reusable and washable, the bags should be washed and cared for between uses to decrease the likelihood of bacterial contamination.
According to Dr. Richard Summerbell, research director at Toronto-based Sporometrics, an environmental microbiology laboratory that evaluated the study results, recommends that one should treat the reusable bags like a kitchen cutting board, which is also exposed to food and can become a source of harmful microorganisms.
Luibeg comment:
The recent study commissioned by EPIC highlights a major problem with using reusable shopping bags or "bags for life". The risks attached to using these bags in a country such as India can only be exacerbated due to the climatic condtions and other factors.
The current argument in Delhi between the Hon. Minister for Environment and Forests (Central Government) who advocates that biodegradable plastics should be adopted and used and the Chief Minister (Delhi) including various environmentalists who demand that all plastic bags should be banned continues to rage. Luibeg strongly support the argument put forward by Mr. Jairam Ramesh, the Minister for Environment. We do not believe that Mrs. Dikshit, the Chief Minister, has considered the long term problems of introducing a total ban on plastic bags and promoting reusable bags or even paper bags - recycled or otherwise.
We would like firstly to state that we are working closely with a number of reusable (jute) bag manufacturers to develop a disposable d2w bag liner which can be produced economically. This liner will go a long way to solving the problems raised in the EPIC Report. This will allow the reusable jute or cotton bag to be used in harmony with oxo-biodegradable plastic as a protection.
As for using paper bags - either new or recycled: have the Chief Minister and the environmentalists given consideration to the fact that the process of manufacturing paper cuases 70% more atmospheric pollution than the manufacture of plastic bags?
That paper bags use 300% more energy to produce them and consume large amounts of water in the manufacturing process, and when they degrade they emit methane and carbon dioxide. A stack of 1000 new plastic bags would be around 2 inches high, whereas a stack of 1000 new or recycled paper bags would be around 2 feet high!
In transporting paper bags, one should also remember that it would take at least 7 times the number of vehicles used to transport the same number of plastic bags - greatly adding to traffic pollution and increasing fuel consumption.
In considering the alternatives - oxo-biodegradable plastics: it should be remembered that less than 4% of oil is made into plastic and this is derived from a bi-product which would otherwise be burned off. A European study (Gesfellschaft fur umfrassende Analysen GmbH . Austria 2004) concluded that without the current use of plastics in packaging in Western Europe, an additional annual energy requirement of 101.3 million barrels of oil would be required. And as a result, an additional 42.9 million tonnes of Co2 would be produced.
The equivalent to the Co2 emitted by 12.3 million cars per year! This applies to India as well. And so the Government bans the plastic bag and as a result, puts thousands of people out of work in an Industry which contributes significantly to the GDP.What happens to all the other plastic products and applications which are manufactured?
For example: the food packaging - used in every aspect of retail packaging; the garment wrapping; the magazine wrapping; the shrink wrap and pallet wrap; the thermo moulded cutlery, boxes and trays; the pouches used for milk, water and edible oils; the woven sacks used for bulk commodities, such as cement, fertilizer, sugar, rice....the mulching film used to increase crop yields. Are they all to be banned as well??
With all due respect to the environmentalist and to the Chief Minister, we have to all face the fact that plastic will not go away and is here to stay. We should be looking towards the future and to the generations who will inherit our decisions of today. We need to work with the solutions which are constructive and not destructive!
The solution is here, it is safe and fully tested, and it is being introduced around the World (in over 70 Countries) including India - d2w oxo-biodegradable plastics. All of the above products can be and are being manufactured using d2w additives. Equally, all of these products have been successfully manufactured in India.
The banning of plastic does not solve the problem, it does not deal with the current waste plastic pollution. A greater understanding of how the oxo-biodegradable plastic works is required and then perhaps the lawmakers and environmentalists will begin to seriously appreciate the benefits of using this technology. A technology which is environmentally safe, contains no heavy metals, emits no methane, can be used with virgin and recycled polymers and will create total degradation of almost all plastics.
The process is simple: there is little if any increase to the manufacturing cost and a producer does not have to incur capital expenditure with new machinery or technology; he/they use their existing machinery and follow the normal extrusion process.
The degradation process is simple: the polyolefin consists of long entangled molecular chains. The catalytic effect of d2w additives break these chains by creating free radicles. The free radicles combine with the available oxygen atoms and create hydro peroxides, which are the precursor to total bio-degradation. The resulting chains are consumed by micro organisms leaving harmless residues of Co2, H2o and biomass.(MS-SYMPHONY)
How can a genuine environmentalist argue against this?
The debate continues
Indian Express
12 July 09
Darjeeling to ban plastic altogether
Kolkata: The recent landslides in the Darjeeling hills that took over 20 lives have forced the local administration to take stern action against the use of plastics in the area. According to local officials, plastic bags in the soil played an important role in causing large-scale landslides in the hills ....
Sunday , 28 Jun '09
Dear Sirs,
There is an alternative to banning plastic, which is not the solution for the short or long term. OXO-BIODEGRADABLE d2w plastic will solve this problem. Manufacturers can use d2w additives to create totally degradable plastic with pre-defined degradation periods of 3-6 months up to 3 years depending on the end use of the product. The material is now widely used in India and is imported through a Company - Luibeg International in Chennai who have an exclusive distribution license to import the products. The beauty of the additive is that manufacturers will not have to change existing machinery or extrusion facilities.
See http://luibeg.blogspot.com The additives are all fully tested and certified and provide the total solution to plastic waste and pollution. Banning plastic manufacture only adds to the problem by closing down business and making people unemployed and yet, the plastic will always be there. Degrade the plastic and everyone will be happy.
12 July 09
Darjeeling to ban plastic altogether
Kolkata: The recent landslides in the Darjeeling hills that took over 20 lives have forced the local administration to take stern action against the use of plastics in the area. According to local officials, plastic bags in the soil played an important role in causing large-scale landslides in the hills ....
Reply from Luibeg:
(delayed publication)
Sunday , 28 Jun '09
Dear Sirs,
There is an alternative to banning plastic, which is not the solution for the short or long term. OXO-BIODEGRADABLE d2w plastic will solve this problem. Manufacturers can use d2w additives to create totally degradable plastic with pre-defined degradation periods of 3-6 months up to 3 years depending on the end use of the product. The material is now widely used in India and is imported through a Company - Luibeg International in Chennai who have an exclusive distribution license to import the products. The beauty of the additive is that manufacturers will not have to change existing machinery or extrusion facilities.
See http://luibeg.blogspot.com The additives are all fully tested and certified and provide the total solution to plastic waste and pollution. Banning plastic manufacture only adds to the problem by closing down business and making people unemployed and yet, the plastic will always be there. Degrade the plastic and everyone will be happy.
Saturday, 11 July 2009
Pros and Cons
Various claims and counterclaims are being made in the media. here is the latest:-
The Hindu
News update service
Sat 11 July
"Centre and Delhi Govt. differ on use of plastic bags.
New Delhi (PTI) The Centre and the Delhi Government seem to be heading for a confrontation on the issue of use of plastic bags with the city authorities determined to enforce the ban on them imposed six months ago.
The Centre is not in favour of a blanket ban on the bags.
Disfavouring use of paper bags as an alternative to plastic as it would lead to cutting of trees, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, said "recycling of plastic, if carried out as per approved procedures and guidelines, may not be an environmental or health hazard."
However, officials in the Delhi Government said they were determined to rid the city from plastic bags and enforcement of the ban on these bags would continue as Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has already spoken to the minister.
The Chief Minister has conveyed to him that the city government was determined to carry on with its drive against the use of plastic bags, the officials said.
The Delhi government in January had imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in hotels, hospitals and by small shopkeepers after a Delhi High Court order asking it to take immediate steps to ban plastic bags in shopping and marketing centres in the city.
Subsequently, the Delhi government issued directions to officials at district level to enforce the ban.
As per the Environment Protection Act, 1,986 violators could face imprisonment of five years and fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. "
-------------------------------------------
Luibeg comment:
Certain bio-degradable processes are indeed very costly to use and also to introduce, however this simply does not apply to the oxo-biodegradable process and especially d2w which has been carefully designed to ensure that the manufacturer does not have to incur any capital outlay with the purchase of new machinery, or in changing the extrusion process.
Unlike other oxo-bio processes where the application rates can vary up to 10%, d2w has only a 1% application rate. The end product and thickness of the film does not matter, the rate does not change. Thus making d2w the preferred additive for manufacturers to use - especially in India, where pricing of the entire manufacturing process is a very sensitive issue and of paramount importance.
Luibeg have worked extremely hard to ensure that the Indian manufacturer will not be hindered by substantial add-on costs in any aspect of using the d2w technology and we are the only Company who can supply a comprehensive range of additives to cover almost every form of plastic which is manufactured in the Indian market place.
The Hindu
News update service
Sat 11 July
"Centre and Delhi Govt. differ on use of plastic bags.
New Delhi (PTI) The Centre and the Delhi Government seem to be heading for a confrontation on the issue of use of plastic bags with the city authorities determined to enforce the ban on them imposed six months ago.
The Centre is not in favour of a blanket ban on the bags.
Disfavouring use of paper bags as an alternative to plastic as it would lead to cutting of trees, Union Minister Jairam Ramesh, while replying to a question in the Lok Sabha, said "recycling of plastic, if carried out as per approved procedures and guidelines, may not be an environmental or health hazard."
However, officials in the Delhi Government said they were determined to rid the city from plastic bags and enforcement of the ban on these bags would continue as Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has already spoken to the minister.
The Chief Minister has conveyed to him that the city government was determined to carry on with its drive against the use of plastic bags, the officials said.
The Delhi government in January had imposed a ban on the use of plastic bags in hotels, hospitals and by small shopkeepers after a Delhi High Court order asking it to take immediate steps to ban plastic bags in shopping and marketing centres in the city.
Subsequently, the Delhi government issued directions to officials at district level to enforce the ban.
As per the Environment Protection Act, 1,986 violators could face imprisonment of five years and fine of up to Rs 1 lakh. "
-------------------------------------------
Luibeg comment:
Certain bio-degradable processes are indeed very costly to use and also to introduce, however this simply does not apply to the oxo-biodegradable process and especially d2w which has been carefully designed to ensure that the manufacturer does not have to incur any capital outlay with the purchase of new machinery, or in changing the extrusion process.
Unlike other oxo-bio processes where the application rates can vary up to 10%, d2w has only a 1% application rate. The end product and thickness of the film does not matter, the rate does not change. Thus making d2w the preferred additive for manufacturers to use - especially in India, where pricing of the entire manufacturing process is a very sensitive issue and of paramount importance.
Luibeg have worked extremely hard to ensure that the Indian manufacturer will not be hindered by substantial add-on costs in any aspect of using the d2w technology and we are the only Company who can supply a comprehensive range of additives to cover almost every form of plastic which is manufactured in the Indian market place.
Friday, 10 July 2009
Symphony Distributors Conference 2009
D2W international dealers at Symphony International conference 2009
Picture courtesy of Symphony Environmental Ltd
Sunday, 5 July 2009
Times of India
'Make biodegradable plastic bag production mandatory'
29 Jun 2009, 2022 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: Toxic plastic bags may become a thing of the past if the Centre approves a proposal to make the production of eco-friendly biodegradable
'green' bags mandatory in the country.
The country's pollution control watchdog, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has submitted a draft proposal to the Environment Ministry seeking mandatory manufacturing of bio-degradable bags prescribing to the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) across the country.
Last year, the BIS had notified IS/ISO:17088:2008 for biodegradable plastic films for the manufacturers in the country. "However, being voluntary in nature, BIS standards are rarely adopted by the manufacturers. Hence, the Environment Ministry needs to issue a notification banning ordinary plastic bags and promoting biodegradable plastic bags," a senior official from CPCB said.
The move has come in the wake of a Delhi High Court order which had suggested promotion of biodegradable bags while asking the state government to ban plastic bags in shopping malls, public places and hotels besides hospitals. The official said that the draft proposal has been discussed in length in the environment ministry in May in view of the environmental hazards being caused by the commonly used plastic. "We hope it gets approved soon," he said.
29 Jun 2009, 2022 hrs IST, PTI
NEW DELHI: Toxic plastic bags may become a thing of the past if the Centre approves a proposal to make the production of eco-friendly biodegradable
'green' bags mandatory in the country.
The country's pollution control watchdog, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), has submitted a draft proposal to the Environment Ministry seeking mandatory manufacturing of bio-degradable bags prescribing to the standards set by the Bureau of Indian Standard (BIS) across the country.
Last year, the BIS had notified IS/ISO:17088:2008 for biodegradable plastic films for the manufacturers in the country. "However, being voluntary in nature, BIS standards are rarely adopted by the manufacturers. Hence, the Environment Ministry needs to issue a notification banning ordinary plastic bags and promoting biodegradable plastic bags," a senior official from CPCB said.
The move has come in the wake of a Delhi High Court order which had suggested promotion of biodegradable bags while asking the state government to ban plastic bags in shopping malls, public places and hotels besides hospitals. The official said that the draft proposal has been discussed in length in the environment ministry in May in view of the environmental hazards being caused by the commonly used plastic. "We hope it gets approved soon," he said.
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