Madurai : Elimination of single use of plastic use by 2020 is perfectly fine, but a total ban on plastic will not be good either for the industry or for the common people. “Plastic is a poor man’s friend,” says Padma Shri Dr Rajagopalan Vasudevan, who uses plastic waste to build roads. He was addressing a media workshop organised by Fijeeha in city on Friday.

Dr Vasudevan, Professor at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, also known as Plastic Man of India, adds that there are many myths about various kinds of plastic. “All plastic is not bad. Such intense negativity in perception on plastic has not only affected the industry adversely but also the public discourse,” he said.

As per an estimate, the proposed ban, coming into force from January 1, 2019, will hit more than 5,000 plastic industries across Tamil Nadu, and an investment to the tune of Rs 3,000 crore will become idle. The annual loss to the state government through GST from these units has been pegged at Rs 18,000 crore. Fijeeha has launched an all-India campaign PLASTIC – Plastic – Targeted Information & Communication to create awareness and dispel myths on plastic.

Sanjay Kumar Gupta, an expert on Waste Management from Skat Consulting, Switzerland, pointed out that human behaviour gives the material such a bad name. He says, “Life without plastics is virtually impossible. There is obviously a perception that all plastic is the same, but it is only the disposable kind that harms the environment. But, the material itself is not to blame, rather, it is the way human beings deal with disposable plastic which becomes the real cause for concern.”

The dependency on items made from single-use plastic and the non-judicious use of the same has led to a waste problem of mammoth proportions. Globally, governments, citizen activists and environmental advocacy groups are figuring out ways to design interventions to reduce and control consumption of disposable plastic. Experts agree that the way ahead can only be through attitudinal changes. And, that is only possible through knowledge and information.

B Ravi, Director, Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology said, “This is not simply about plastic. It is the mindset of a generation which refuses to reuse. Plastic is a part of life.” He added, “Instead of allocating budgets on advertising to stop plastic use, it would be far more useful to use that money to create centres for collection of plastic bags.”

The current discourse has created a situation where all kinds of plastics are being viewed with suspicion, while the truth is to the contrary. There are significant gaps at the policy level also that requires attention. “While the dangers of single-use plastics must be addressed, we should remember that not all plastics are the same. Reusable, durable plastic can be a viable, lightweight, cost friendly alternative. While the industry is worried about the hit that the ban is likely to take, there have been instances where arbitrary decisions like banning plastic tiffin boxes and tumblers by schools have added to the confusion, ” added Dr Navneet Anand, president, Fijeeha.