Do not throw away banned plastics in bins\, urges Corporation

Chenna

Do not throw away banned plastics in bins, urges Corporation

Lack of awareness: Plastic covers are finding their way to bins despite the ban. A scene at T. Nagar. Ramya

Lack of awareness: Plastic covers are finding their way to bins despite the ban. A scene at T. Nagar. Ramya   | Photo Credit: Ramya Kannan

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Residents advised to hand them over to conservancy workers on Wednesdays

The Greater Chennai Corporation has urged people not to throw away any of the 14 banned plastic items, including plastic carry bags, cups and plates, in bins. Instead, they have been advised to collect and hand them over to their local conservancy worker on Wednesdays.

“The current ban does not permit people of the State to use any of the 14 items. But if you get a plastic pack containing vegetables or fruits from a supermarket, you should ensure that the plastic is properly disposed of. The best way is to hand it over to conservancy workers on Wednesdays, which is something we launched on October 2, 2017,” explained a senior Corporation official.

The civic body has now asked conservancy workers to take this message to residents so that such waste can be properly channelised. Since last Wednesday, it has been seizing around 8-9 tonnes of banned plastic items everyday. “We are planning to either shred and use them for road laying or send them to cement kilns for co-processing,” the official explained.

‘Educate residents’

Conservancy workers said plastic and food waste had come down in localities having more commercial establishments. “We see that many commercial establishments are following the rules and now residents need to be educated. They, in turn, should educate their household and tell them not to throw dry waste but to keep them separately so that conservancy workers can take them,” explained a worker.

T. Nagar resident V. S. Jayaraman said plastic carry bags were still being used by several commercial establishments since they were not able to arrange for alternatives. “The Corporation has not taken up awareness programmes in our ward yet. People are not sure about what is banned and what is not,” he added.

Transition period

Exnora International founder M.B. Nirmal, who welcomed the ban, said during such bans, there was always a transition period, but good planning could have helped prevent these issues. “There is a shortage of alternatives. The government can start units for making bio-degradable bags or at least help plastic manufacturers convert to these eco-friendly materials. Residents on their part should ensure minimum use of plastics, and maximum reuse as well as safe disposal,” he explained.

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