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