|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Thursday, 12 August 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Features | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
|
'Ban polythene shopping bags' By Thillainathan Sathaananthan,Dept. of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Eastern University Sri Lanka The use of polythene has become a part of everyday life for the people. Market mechanism drives people to use polythene because it is cheap and easily available. Again it is "tough, water proof and easy to carry and store". People go to the market empty-handed and return home with a number of polythene bags containing shopping goods. Polyethylene (better known as 'Polythene' was discovered in 1933. The experimentation that led to the discovery involved experiments where a mixture of ethylene and benzaldehyde was heated to Celsius degrees 170, the pressure was raised to 1,700 atmospheres and the two substances would combine together and form a polymer of ethylene. There are some factories of plastic materials in Sri Lanka which produce polythene bags. These factories produce a million of polythene bags daily and a million of them are thrown everyday as waste on the streets, in the drains or on the water bodies leading to serious environmental hazards. Adverse effect on environment and public health due to indiscriminate use of polythene is colossal. Polythene bags cause blockage in the drainage/sewer system of the cities causing water logging, germination of bacterial and waterborne diseases and spread of mosquitoes. There are more than 80 diseases caused by water borne germs. Burning of polythene bags produce hydrogen cyanide and other poisonous gases that pollutes air and affect the health of the people. Polythene has harmful effect on soil, water and air. International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) found that polythene bags, by preventing sunlight exposure of the soil, destroy the beneficial bacteria causing loss of soil fertility. Processing and reprocessing of polythene substances cause air pollution. The environmentally conscious people of the country have been waiting for a long time for action to limit the use of polythene bags. A significant victory was obtained as the government has banned production, use and marketing of polythene in Sri Lanka (Public Administration Circular No. 13/2003 dated 17.12.2003). Batticaloa Municipal Council played a very vital role towards the success of eliminating this kind of environmental hazards from the country. Other local leaders should come forward to limit polythene use in their respective areas and encourage the use of traditional bags that do not cause environmental hazards. The Batticaloa Municipal Council has started a vigorous drive to implement the blanket ban on the use of polythene bags. The Municipal Council of Batticaloa first announced the ban in Batticaloa Market. The Commissioner of the Municipal Council of Batticaloa S. Navaneethan said, the ban had started showing results. Some shopkeepers had already disposed of their stocks and started using paper bags. "We are aware of its hazards but the Government should book the wholesale dealers first," said a shopkeeper. "We are trying to create awareness among the masses to shun the use of polythene through seminars. Our main target is on market, where the use of polythene is comparatively high. After seizing the polythene bags, we destroy them. So far, we have achieved thirty percent control over the use of polythene in the market. People are also responding positively," said S. Navaneethan. The ban was already in force and those found involved with polythene in the trade would be dealt with severely, S. Navaneethan said. The people agreed that the government's decision to ban polythene bags was a good and needed one, to protect the environment of the Country. Although they had long known that polythene bags were harmful, they had not stopped the use until they were compelled. Knowledge about the hazards caused by polythene bags was quite high among people particularly to the environment. But the knowledge of specific effects to health (like cancer from black polythene bags) and to individuals was low. There are some difficulties in stopping polythene bag use. Some shopkeepers said that a few shoppers refuse to buy goods from them anymore and look elsewhere for someone who will give them a polythene bag. Shoppers also said that it is difficult to carry fish and certain dry goods like rice and dhal. It is also difficult to wrap items and to store in the refrigerator. They said they face problems when they want to buy something while on another mission and they do not happen to have a bag with them. "It is impossible to take a bag with you to the office," explained one man. The men explain that now when they leave home, they must stop and think, "Where am I going? Will I buy anything?" However, the general consensus was that it is simply a matter of breaking a habit, and that the difficulty will only last a few days. People need to be encouraged to think of positive solutions to the problems they encounter in changing their shopping habits. The Government of Sri Lanka should be commended for its excellent decision to address the many environmental problems associated with polythene bag use. In addition to being a much needed policy, it is also one with a great deal of public support. NGOs and the media could contribute to the likelihood of the policy being successful by highlighting the advantages of the ban, educating the general populace about the advantages of the ban and about ways of overcoming the difficulties. With the support of the media and NGOs, the nationwide ban is likely to be both tremendously popular, and tremendously successful. It is important to ensure that the business interests of a few polythene bag manufacturers are not allowed to derail a measure so important to public health. "The difficulty will last a few days, but it will be good for the future." |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
