July 20, 2019
State Govt looking into viable alternatives to plastic bags
Plastic is one of the major causes of pollution everywhere in the world. Overuse of plastic is an issue Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has been very concerned about. The State Government has already instituted various rules and regulations regarding the use and disposal of plastic bags.
Now the Municipal Affairs Department is experimenting with two substitutes as alternative materials for plastic bags, informed the principal secretary of the department. One of them is PLA (polylactic acid) and the other, starch-based bags. He said that the department will come up with a result in four to five months.
Meanwhile, the government and the various civic bodies are trying out various ways to dissuade citizens from using plastic. The Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) has just concluded a competition at the borough level to encourage efficient handling of solid waste management that also includes minimum use of plastic.
The KMC will soon hold a meeting with the association of all its markets to push for shunning the use of plastic bags and will also hold awareness campaigns involving school children.
Source: Millennium Post
