LET US GIVE PLASTIC ITS DUE DURING COVID19 TIMES

In the past few years, there has been too much bashing of Plastic, in particular, single-use plastic or carry bags. You would often see Environmentalists /NGO’s /students with placards stating – ‘Say No to Plastics’, as if it is the only bad thing for our environment.
Overall knowledge of Plastic remains very low, be it of Environmentalist /NGO’s /students. All the products be it Plastics, Paper, Glass, Aluminium their have their inherent strength and limitations and those who protest ought to know these in totality.
Plastics are light, durable, versatile, with moisture/Oxygen barrier and impermeable to microbes. Owing to many of these features, it is and will continue to play a vital role in preventing the spread of contagious diseases, as it is currently doing in Covid-19 outburst. Its major application in bio-suits/masks/disposable gloves and containers, etc. in the current unprecedented times is proof of the same besides its cost-effectiveness.
I, like a few others; surely expect at least a few articles on the positive role played by the plastics. Many extensively utilized plastic products used by our Medical fraternity, have functioned not only as a protective shield but also as a lifesaving guard in these unprecedented times of Covid-19. Most of the Aprons/Suits are made of nonwoven Polypropylene with lamination and masks made of spun /melt bonded Polypropylene. Plastic Industry stands out to assist in all possible ways in combating the spread of Corona Virus. Uses of plastics in medical sectors are umpteen and unparalleled. Plastic finds its applications in products like syringes, IV bags, tubing, blood bags etc. for the reason that it maintains hygiene, has exceptional barrier properties, lightweight, etc. These attributes have made plastic irreplaceable in the medical Industry.
It is our habit of littering as consumers that has brought a bad name to the plastic industries. Though we have a huge proportion of the population which is under-educated, the so-called educated class is equally responsible for the littering situation, which now is a cause of concern worldwide. Discipline without education is better than education without discipline. With disciplined habits, avoidance of littering, awareness/implementation of segregation of plastic at source, an upgraded system of plastic recycling, there is an opportunity to save our natural resources, energy, and create more opportunities for skilled/unskilled people. A very effective Plastic waste management would have given further impetus to the downstream Industries & played as a saviour for its promotion.
During rains, most of the cities witness clogging of sewers and Plastic becomes the easy victim. Majority of our Politicians and Policymakers have limited knowledge about the applications of plastics. Govt. and the public at large feels that Paper and cloth due to its biodegradable nature are better substitutes to single-use plastic. Many are not aware of the much bigger environmental impact by the paper industry. The cotton crop is a major guzzler of water supply, similarly, production of glass, aluminium, textiles also require five times the amount of energy to manufacture and use more water in the process. Therefore, we need to take all aspects of alternative products into account.
We should all play our positive role in preserving our natural habitat by practising 3 R’s ie Reduce the trash as much as possible, Reuse the containers as much we could and later pass it on to those who can onward reuse it and Recycle as much as possible with better product design and innovative business models.
As per one UN report, waste management is a cheaper alternative to prohibiting plastics. Hence, it should be our endeavour to remove the qualms and educate our children and masses on some of the popularly wrong myths about Plastics. We need to emphasise the positive roles it plays in the conservation of natural habitats with far less consumption of energy, water & longer shelf life. It would be prudent to involve all the stakeholders, manufacturers, processors, FMCG, NGO’s, value chain partners and request the Govt. for a clear-cut policy framework on single-use plastic.
Let us have a holistic view and decide the right product after evaluating all its pros and cons on a long-term sustainable basis. As Ralph Waldo Emerson said “We did not inherit the Earth from our ancestors, we borrowed it from our children.

Happy reading. Thanks

Arun Rawal