PLASTICS and the ENVIRONMENTPLASTICS and the ENVIRONMENTPLASTICS and the ENVIRONMENTPLASTICS and the ENVIRONMENT

• Key End Uses of Plastics

• Carry Bags - Why Plastics ?

• Plastic Bags –Common Misconceptions

• Alternatives to Plastic Bags and Environmental Burden

• Issues

• Solutions

• – Waste Management & Recycling

• Recommendation

Plastics

House wares AgriculturePackaging

Bulk Packaging

Automobiles Appliances Fibres & Filaments Infrastructure

Health Care

Plastics~ A Part of Everyday Life

Plastics

Plastics

PlasticsPlastics

SpacecraftsHousing

Materials solutions for better quality of life…

PRODUCTION OF PLASTICS

World

175 Mn Tons +

Per Capita ~ 25 Kgs

India

6 Mn Tons +

Per Capita ~ 6 Kgs

2008 Figure

Sector wise Applications of Plastics - India

• Packaging Constitutes about 50 % of use

3.4

1.0

0.3 0.7

0.1

1.0

6.2

2.5

1.0

0.8

0.2

1.8

Packaging

Infrastructure

Agriculture

Consumer

Goods

Health Care

Others

2008-09 2011-12

Figures inMMT

Plastics in Packaging

Replacing Traditional Materials

Due to Superior Properties

•Light Weight & Non-Breakability

•Safe & Hygienic – Inert and Chemical Resistance

•Excellent Barrier Properties - Enhancing Shelf-life

•Superior Impact Resistance

•Transparency as well as Opacity

•Lower Fuel Consumption and Product Loss During

Transportation

All These at Lesser Cost

3.1Plastic

7.1Paper

7.9Glass

13.9Steel

74.1Aluminum

Energy Requirement

KWH Kg-1

Material

Plastics in Packaging

Environmental Benefits

Plastics TOP GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSION SAVER

In 2005, Total Global Emissions was 46 GtCO2e

It could have been 51.2 Gt CO2e, but for the

savings by Chemical Industry

Savings by Chemical Industry 11%

PLASTICS SAVE GREEN HOUSE GAS EMISSIONSAND SAVES THE EARTH FROM GLOBAL WARMING

Among The Top 10 Green House Gas Emission Saving Sectors - 4 are Plastics

Insulation Materials Packaging Automobiles Piping

Source: McKinsey cLCA study for ICCA

GHG EMISSION SAVING BYPLASTICS PACKAGING

Total Saving ˜ 220 Mt CO2e Source: McKinsey cLCA study for ICCA

Alternatives to Plastics in

Packaging?

• Glass

• Jute

• Textile

• Paper

• Degradable Plastics

• Others

LET US MAKE A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

OF THE VARIOUS OPTIONS

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS OF

VARIOUS MATERIALS

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

7000

8000

9000

10000

Mg

-DIE

CA

ST

Al-

DIE

CA

ST

Zn

-DIE

CA

ST

ST

EE

L

AC

ET

AL

MO

D.P

PO

PA

-6

PA

-66

PE

T

PC

PM

MA

PP

AB

S

PV

C

PS

HD

PE

LD

PE

BTU

Metals Engineering Plastics Commodity Plastics

EFFICIENT PACKAGING

Cost of Packaging

Energy Consumption

Volume of Waste

Weight of Packaging

Without Plastics

With Plastics

Plastics - The Best Packaging Medium

Source: GVM, Germany-1987 / 91 (APME)

Alternate to Plastics Would Increase -

ENERGY SAVINGOne Lac Ltrs of Milk Packaging

Glass vs Plastic

Energy consumption in GJ for

Manufacture of Packaging Raw Materials,

Packaging and Transportation of Milk

Energy Saving – 86%Energy Recovery with Plastics Waste - 20 GJ

Source: LCA Study by IIT (Delhi)

ENERGY SAVINGOne Lac MT. of Atta Packaging

Jute vs Plastic

Energy consumption in GJ for

Manufacturing Packaging Raw Materials,

Packaging and Transportation of Atta

Energy Saving – 81%Energy Recovery with Plastics Waste-35 GJ

Source: LCA Study by IIT (Delhi)

AIR & WATER POLLUTION BYPOLYETHYLENE & PAPER

Source: Fabbri, A in Scott, G and Gilead, D., editors, Degradable Polymers, Principles and Application, Chapman & hall, 1995, Chapt

29

67

9.9

28.1

6.8

10.8

1.53.8

16.4

0.56.8

0.5

107.8

0.2

43.1

0

50

100

150

En

vir

on

me

nta

l B

urd

en

on

C

om

mo

n S

ca

le

GJ SO2 Nox CH4 CO Dust COD BOD

Polyethylene

Paper

Energy formanufacture

The Environmental Burden During Transportation of The Finished Bags

The Values are for Packaging of One Lac MT of Atta.

* High potential for Global Warming

Environmental Burden During

Production of Raw Material & Bags

Source – Report by Centre for Polymer Science and Engineering, IIT - Delhi

PLASTIC AND TEXTILE BAGS

• Plastics manufacturing consumes 400 kwh/mt while composite textile

mills consume 1310 kwh/mt

• Textile contributes 30% SOx (Second Highest by Any Sector) and 23%

NOx (Highest by Any Sector)

Source : Warmer Bulletin, July 01

Consider the Enormous Environmental Burden Generated

by Paper, Jute & Textile Bags which are not visible to naked

eyes though, in comparison to Plastic Bags!

Plastics Bags / Carry Bags

• Add Convenience to Day-to-Day Life

• Increase Shelf-Life of Contents

• Essential for Packaging / Carrying of

Confectionery, Bakery Products

• Essential for Packaging / Carrying

Hygroscopic products like Sugar / Salt / Jaggery

• Convenient for Carrying Fish / Meat / Poultry and other Wet Food

Products – No other alternatives

PLASTIC CARRY BAGSSOME FACTS

• Plastic Carry Bags Generate 60 – 79% Less Green House

Gases than Paper Bags

• Plastic grocery bags consume 40% less energy during

production and generate 80% less solid waste after use

than paper bags.

• Paper sacks generate 70% more air pollutants and ~ 50

times more water pollutants than plastic bags do.

• It takes 91% less energy to recycle a kilogram of plastic

than a kilogram of paper.

A

….PLASTIC CARRY BAGS

• 150,000 Plastic Bags of

20 cm x 30 cm x 40 micron weighs

~ 600 kgs and needs

1 small Tempo for transportation

• Paper Bags of same size & number

weighs ~ 1500 kgs and needs

> 10 such Tempos for transportation -

due to higher volume and

Consuming more fuel and causing

more air pollution

Despite All These Positive Attributes …

Plastic Bags are Under Scanner

on Wrong Premises

Major Issues

• Health & Safety

• Toxicity

• Biodegradability

• Disposal & Waste management

HEALTH & SAFETY

POLYTHENE IS APPROVED SAFE MATERIAL FOR USE …

• IN CONTACT WITH FOOD, PHARMACEUTICALS AND

DRINKING WATER

• AS IMPLANTS WITHIN HUMAN BODY

• IN MEDICAL APPLICATIONS LIKE IV BOTTLE,

PACKAGING OF TABLETS

PLASTIC BAGS ARE GENERALLY MADE FROM

POLYETHYLENE

TOXICITY

MYTH:

PLASTICS ARE TERMED AS TOXIC AND INJURIOUS TO HEALTH

REALITY:

• PLASTICS ARE INERT MATERIALS AND DO NOT POSE ANY DANGER OF TOXICITY

• EMISSIONS DURING PROCESSING OF PLASTICS ARE WELL WITHIN REGULATORY NORMS (STUDY BY SIIR – DELHI)

• ADDITIVES USED IN PLASTICS ARE APPROVED AS PER BIS / FDA STANDARDS

• EMISSIONS AT FIRE SITUATION HAVE SIMILAR OR LESSER IMPLICATIONS IN COMPARISON TO SITUATION INVOLVING NATURAL ORGANIC MATERIALS LIKE WOOD & COTTON

• EMISSIONS DURING BURNING OF PAPER AND POLYETHYLENE ARE SIMILAR

BIODEGRADABILITY

NON-BIODEGRADABILITY PROPERTY OF PLASTICS IS TERMED AS THE MAJOR REASON OF WASTE MANAGEMENT PROBLEM

• PLASTICS ARE USEFUL FOR ITS LONG LIFE

CHARACTERISTICS

• TIN, ALUMINIUM, GLASS ALSO ARE NOT BIODEGRADABLE

• BIODEGRADABLE / COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED. HOWEVER THESE ARE REQUIRED FOR SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS WHERE RECYCLING IS NOT POSSIBLE OR DIFFICULT

BIODEGRADABILITY / COMPOSTING

OR

RECYCLING ?

• COMPOSTABLE PLASTICS WILL DEGRADE/COMPOST ONLY IN COMPOSTING CONDITIONS.

• THESE MATERIALS MAY LEAD TO INCREASE IN PLASTICS WASTE AND LITTER IF PEOPLE ASSUME WRONLY THAT DISCARDED PLASTICS WILL SIMPLY DISAPPEAR

• A MIXTURE OF DEGRADABLE AND NON-DEGRADABLE PLASTICS WILL DISTURB THE PLASTICS RECYCLING PROCESS

• DURING DICOMPOSITIN STAGE BIODGREDABLE PLASTICS EMIT CO2 AND METHANE – BOTH GREEN HOUSE GASES

REUSE AND RECYCLING IS PREFERRED OVER DEGRADATION TO AVOID LOSS OF RESOURCE

USE OF BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS

DUE TO ALL THESE REASONS USE OF BD PLASTICS

WORLD OVER IS LIMITED ONLY TO SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS – NOT FOR MASS USE

• WORLD PRODUCTION < 0.5 Mn TONS COMPARED TO

> 175 Mn TONS OF NORMAL PLASTICS

RECOMMENDED APPLICATIONS OF BD PLASTICS:

• NURSERY BAGS,

• MULCH/AGRICULTURAL FILM,

• ONE – TIME USE CUTLERY / CUPS ETC TO BE CARRIED IN SHIPS /

REMOTE AREAS

• LAMINATION ON JUTE – PAPER etc

DISPOSAL

ISSUE:

PLASTICS ARE BLAMED AS THE MAJOR CAUSE OF SOLID WASTE PROBLEM

REALITY:

• ACCORDING TO STUDIES PLASTICS FORM ABOUT

5% OF TOTAL MSW IN MAJOR INDIAN METROS

• A RECENT STUDY AT DEONAR DUMPING AREA (MUMBAI) REVEALS

THAT ~ 85 % OF PLASTICS WASTE BROUGHT TO THE

LANDFILL ARE PICKED UP BY RAG PICKERS AND SOLD TO

WASTE TRADES FOR RECYCLING

PLASTICS WASTE IN MSW

NEERI STUDY - 2005

REAL ISSUE – INDIAN CONTEXT

WHILE ALL SOLID / THICK PLASTICS WASTE IS

SYSTEMATICALLY PICKED UP BY THE WASTE

COLLECTORS FOR RECYCLING, DISPOSAL OF THIN

PLASTIC CARRY BAGS, SINGLE-USE PLASTIC WASTE

AND MULTI-LAYER PACKETS, ABANDONED BY THE

WASTE PICKERS, HAVE CREATED SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT PROBLEM

UNIFORM CARRYBAG THICKNESS RULE IS TO

BE PROPERLY IMPLEMENTED THROUOUT

THE COUNTRY

PLASTIC CARRY BAGS

GLOBAL MATRIX

• NO DEVELOPED COUNTRY IN THE WORLD HAS ANY THICKNESS

RESTRICTION

• AUSTRALIA HAS PLANS TO REDUCE THE USE OF THIN HDPE BAGS

BY 50% OVER A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS

• ALL DEVELOPED COUNTRIES LEVY TAX ON PLASTIC CARRY BAGS

AND ALSO ON ALL OTHER PACKAGING MATERIALS – TO MEET

THE COST OF MANAGING THE WASTE

• MANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES INCLUDING CHINA & INDIA HAVE

THICKNESS AND SIZE RESTRICTIONS

• ONLY BANGLADESH AND SOME AFRICAN NATIONS HAVE IMPOSED

BAN ON PLASTIC CARRY BAGS

SOLUTION TO DISPOSAL PROBLEM

• SEGREGATION AT SOURCE

• PROPER SYSTEM FOR COLLECTION OF SEGREGATED WASTES FOR FORWARDING TO RECYCLERS

• INCENTIVES / ENCOURAGEMENT FOR RECYCLING

• UPGRADATION OF THE EXISTING MECHANICAL RECYCLING TECHNOLOGY

• ENCOURAGEMENT FOR ALTERNATE METHODS OF RECYCLING / RECOVERY OF ENERGY

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Rag pickers with van Loading of dry waste in

Municipality van

Dry waste being carried

for loading into

Municipality van

Dry waste at housing

colonies

Municipality van with

dry waste on way to

segregation area

SEGREGATION OF WASTE AT SOURCE

‘A’ – WARD

Mumbai

Segregation of dry waste

Packing of segregated

dry waste

Storing of segregation dry

waste in secured place

Segregation of dry waste being

weighed and sold to recyclers /

traders

SEGREGATION OF WASTE AT SOURCE

‘A’ – WARD

Mumbai

DRY Waste Management Projects In Select Mumbai Wards

A comparative Assessment of

the Segregation Activities in

Select Mumbai Wards for the last

3 / 4 years Proves

THERE IS WEALTH IN WASTE

DRY WASTE SEGREGATION DATA

MUMBAI WARDS – A, D, F(N), M (E & W), S & T

CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

NON-CONVENTIONAL RECYCLING

AND RECOVERY

– Co-processing in Cement Kilns / Energy

Recovery

– Conversion to Fuel

– Construction of Asphalt Road

– Conversion to Basic Chemical

FUEL FROM WASTE PLASTICSInvention by Indian Scientist – Dr. Alka Zadgaonkar

Scientific Solution to Plastics WasteDisposal With Recovery of Energy

ACC Plant at Kymore - MP

ALL TYPES OF PLASTICS WASTE – LAMINATED, MIXED

& UNCLEANED, CAN BE CO-PROCESSED IN CEMENT

KILN IN PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF COAL

Calorific Values (MJ / Kg) : Plastics ~ 45

: Coal ~ 29

PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Prof. V S Aghase Road – Dadar, Mumbai

PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Prof. V S Aghase Road Dadar, Mumbai

PLASTICS WASTE IN ROAD CONSTRUCTION

Vidyasagar Street – Kalyani, West Bengal

RECOMMENDATIONS

• IMPLEMENTATION OF COMPREHENSIVE PACKAGING WASTE RULE SIMILAR TO THOSE PREVAILING IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES

• PROPER IMPLEMENTATION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE (MANAGEMENT & HANDLING) RULE, 2000 of MoEF, GOVT of INDIA

• UNIFORM PLASTIC CARRY BAG THICKNESS RULE IN THE ENTIRE COUNTRY

• ENCOURAGEMENT AND INCENTIVES FOR RECYCLING ACTIVITY

• MANDATION FOR CO-PROCESSING OF PLASTICS WASTE IN ALL CEMENT KILNS IN THE COUNTRY

• CREATION OF MASS AWARENESS AGAINST LITTERING