Plastic bag retailers in Krishnagiri downed shutters on Wednesday, launching an indefinite strike against the ban on single-use plastics in the State.
The town’s plastic retailers are also irked by the ban.
According to Sharad Kumar, who handles his father’s plastic retail business that includes plastic tumblers, plastic covers and other items, the ban has not addressed solid waste management.
“Countries like China import plastic waste for recycling into other products. We are only asking that the government invest in solid waste management instead of banning plastics.”
The ban will be ineffective because it does not address chocolate wrappers, biscuit packets that come with less than 10 micron inner packaging, and other items by large corporates. But, smaller cottage units that were dependent on smaller plastic wrappings will be hit, says Mr. Kumar.
The town has few plastics manufacturers, but a large number of retailers, who claim to be affected by the ban.
“We don’t know what other associations are demanding. We retailers in Krishnagiri town demand that the focus should be on solid waste segregation and not a blanket ban. When the 50-micron rule was announced for plastics, we stopped manufacturing or trading in less than 50 micron plastics. But, it continued in circulation because it was manufactured inside various lanes without scrutiny,” he says.
On Wednesday, just as the monthly purchases for household provisions commenced, a number of consumers, who had forgotten to carry their own bags, were seen requesting for the polypropylene bags that were in use until last week.
The ubiquitous polypropylene bags with the partial feel of a light cloth bag and seen by many as an alternative to plastic bags, would elicit a spot fine of ₹10,000, says Paul Vincent, proprietor of Paulsons departmental store, the largest in town.
“The officials said it has a mix of nylon, and therefore is not biodegradable. We had put up posters urging customers to get their own bags since November. Customers were made aware of the ban, thanks to the visual media,” says Mr. Vincent.
Cups, table covers, plates, tumblers, straws, flags and water pouches are among the banned plastic items, according to the pamphlets distributed by the Krishnagiri municipality.
Widespread confusion
However, there appears to be significant confusion on the parameters that attract the ban. “Black garbage bags are allowed for sale. Similarly, milk and curd packaged in plastic packets are permitted.”
While water packets are banned, there is no clarity on water bottles, especially the smaller 500ml bottles, says a restaurant manager.
According to Babu, manager of Mangalam, a popular restaurant, a considerable number of customers were turned away on New Year’s Day because they had not carried their own bags or food carriers for takeaway orders.
“Customers assumed we would provide them with alternatives. Quite a few orders were not taken because customers had no bags.”