Plastics are lightweight, versatile and durable but in spite of their ubiquitous presence and critical role in many of our technological advancements – from automobiles and computers to replacement heart valves – they are now seen as a challenge to animals, marine life and future generations of humans. Recent reports of plastics and microplastics pollution in every remote corner of the oceans has raised public awareness of the challenges posed by our increased use of synthetic plastics.
Some cities and regions of India have banned these ultra-thin bags – which are made of polyethylene, a non-biodegradable petrochemical product – and metropolitan areas and both some state and the national governments are focused on the difficult task of enforcing the bans. They should be Stressed on the need to recycle plastic produced in the country rather than banning it in order to prevent environmental pollution. In smaller cities of india and on national highways, plastic bags were everywhere. So to deal with it recycling of plastic waste in done. Plastic recycling includes taking any type of plastic, sorting it into different polymers and then chipping it and then melting it down into pellets. After this stage, it can then be used to make items of any sort such as plastic chairs and tables. Soft plastics are also recycled such as polyethylene film and bags.
The race to cities generates workers for the informal plastic waste industry. There are millions of workers involved in informal industry like plastic recycling. There are entire communities involved in plastic waste and everyone has a specialty .Some have contacts with hospitals or casinos to bring plastic waste into slums for processing .Some groups have access to vehicles and can take the materials to junk shops that store the waste in the same way a wheat farmer stores the wheat,waiting for better pricing. The street picker-based recycling economy, along with the various bans, have ensured India’s continued efforts in battling plastic pollution.
On other hand,in the city of Pune in western India, a group of marginalized women are at the forefront of a campaign to clean their city. Pune is home to India’s first wholly self-owned cooperative of self-employed waste pickers – what could be called Pune city’s all-women cleaning army. Through an agreement with the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC), more than 3,000 women workers provide door-to-door waste collection services to over 600,000 homes in the city, recycling more than 50,000 tonnes of waste a year. There are social benefits as well. Over 1.2 million people – roughly one third of Pune’s population – live in the city’s slums, where there are little or no waste management services. SWaCH is one of the first initiatives in India to extend door-to-door collection of garbage to these impoverished areas. Pune was among the first municipalities in the country to authorize waste pickers and itinerant waste buyers to collect recyclables by endorsing their photo-identity cards. In turn, the cards afford them respectability and a sense of identity.
Over the years, several mechanisms have been adopted to recycle and reuse plastic in innovative ways. One such trend has been the conversion of plastic waste to fuel and making it usable for both domestic and industrial purpose. Countries like Japan, Germany and the United States have already implemented the plastic to fuel conversion process with much success. These three have also been successful in creating business models out of the conversion process, resulting in the conversion model becoming a profitable business one. Though India still has a long way to go in terms of adopting plastic to fuel . Among states in india, Goa has been instrumental in converting plastic waste into fuel.
When it comes to recycling, there is actually some good news. India has one of the highest PET recycling rates in the world. According to one report, India recycles or reuses over 90 percent of all the PET that’s manufactured in the country. The waste pickers in India are the largest driving force behind recycling, given that they are the ones sorting through trash and pulling out recyclable materials. Improvements are being made, and some cities across India are beginning to build sustainable recycling plastic programs.
Recycling is essential as well as beneficial in india. Recycling also helps to reduce global warming and reduce air pollution by reducing the industrial production of new goods. It reduces greenhouse gas emissions and thus reduces global warming and air pollution. Recycling help us attain numerous environmental achievements. It does not only give us a better environment to live in but also generates jobs for millions of people. It helps us save energy and natural resources. It is the duty of every individual to encourage and use recycled goods. We should use recycled products in our everyday life.