India8217;s polymer-man bemoans ban on plastic

Defending plastics is a man who has spent his life researching polymers and he asks for a patient hearing. The problem is not just the plastic but it is to do with the plastic users. 8220;What8217;s bad is unsafe ways of the plastic users, not the plastic,8221; Mashelkar reiterates. The ban would not mean anything unless the plastic users are taught to deal with plastic safely, says this eminent scientist.

He has a few things to say to the the municipal authorities. In other plastic using countries, the civic authorities collect and recycle plastic more systematically. 8220;They collect it, separate it, sometimes even generate energy,8221; he said. 8220;Blanket bans on this polythene won8217;t work,8221; Mashelkar opines. Everywhere else in the world plastic bags are used, he points out. 8220;In fact the use of more paper bags would mean more tree-felling,8221; Mashelkar warns. Considering this, polythene is definitely a more safer option, he adds.

On Sunday this Fellow of Royal Society was working hard convincing a gathering of Rotarians about plastics not being the sole cause of environmental problems. Dr Mashelkar asserted that linear low density polythene technology which makes the thin bags has been a vital technology. quot;Efforts are being made the world over to make plastic even more thinner with an augmented weight holding capacity,quot; he says.