Did you know that plastic takes up to 500 years to degrade? Or
that a red plastic bottle and a green one can’t be recycled
together? Find out more… No series on waste management can
afford to ignore the issue of plastic. Plastic is ubiquitous in
our lives. It is used in construction material, for accessories
and electronic gadgets, and more obviously for storage and cheap
packaging. Since plastic is cheap and versatile, its abuse
presents a serious environmental menace. It is derived from
petrochemicals, so is inherently unsustainable. It degrades
slowly (taking up to 500 years) and in the process releases
persistent organic pollutants that can be ingested by organisms
in the biosphere, contaminating not just the atmosphere but also
the food chain. The MOEF released plastic waste management rules
in 2011, giving us a basic framework to examine the plastic that
enters our lives. Some of the salient points are: • Plastic
carry bags should not be distributed free • Manufacturers should
indicate the thickness of