A group of women from Otteri in Vellore has threatened to dump diapers used for children in front of the Vellore Corporation as sanitary workers refuse to collect them from the day plastic ban was enforced in the state.
Vellore:
“Garbage collectors refuse to collect diapers and shampoo bottles though both of them are not banned. Diapers are even labelled recyclable.
Corporation workers stopped my daughter from dumping diapers in the garbage bin and threatened to fine her. They also did not explain us how to dispose them,” said Suguna (50), a housewife.
“Diapers are not banned as they can be recycled. While shampoo sachets are banned, shampoo bottles aren’t. As a result, the sale of the shampoo bottles has gone up,” said Senthil Kumar, a representative of a leading supermarket in the city.
While the Corporation Commissioner was away in Chennai for a meeting, officials said action would be taken after his return.
No clarity on banned plastics, says Collector
When asked about the problem, the Corporation Commissioner C Sivasubramaniam blamed it on the lack of clarity about the kind of plastics that have been banned and added that only the State government could clarify on the issue. He stated that the label on the products saying that they are recyclable can’t be trusted. “Who certified them as recyclable? The labels on the products cannot be trusted. Any manufacturer can claim that his product does not add to pollution. But, only the government can certify a product as recyclable,” he said. “Major garbage producers like Sripuram golden temple, VIT University and Christian Medical College and Hospital strictly follow waste management procedure. No waste comes out of these three institutions,” he added.