by
Rajesh Mehta
Some
plastics (the alkylphenols
in PVC, polystyrene and phthalates)
can be biologically active
and have the ability to disrupt
hormone cycles.
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Most plastics today
come from petrochemicals. Crude oil
is cracked in the presence of a finely
divided catalyst. This allows the
production of many different hydrocarbons
that can then be recombined to produce
a whole range of other materials,
including alcohols, detergents, synthetic
rubber, gylcerin, fertilizers, sulphur,
solvents and the feedstocks for the
manufacture of drugs, nylon, plastics,
paints, polyesters, food additives
and supplements, explosives, dyes
and insulating materials.
Chemicals
are added to PVC to make it soft
and flexible. Laboratory studies
show that some of these chemicals
are linked to cancer and kidney
damage and may interfere with the
reproductive system and development.
In addition, testing by the governments
of Denmark and the Netherlands
concludes that children can ingest
hazardous chemicals from PVC toys
during normal use - sometimes at
unacceptable levels!
Bans
on phthalates in soft PVC toys have
taken effect in Austria, France, Greece,
Mexico, Norway and Sweden. In addition,
Denmark, Finland, Germany and Italy
are in the process of implementing
bans. Recommendations for withdrawal
of vinyl toys have also been made by
the Belgian, Danish, Dutch, German,
Filipino, US and Canadian health authorities.
But more needs to be done, Hasbro,
Playskool, Warner Bros and Disney are
just a few of the companies that still
make and sell PVC toys, although some
of these are taking limited action
to phase out phthalates from teething
toys.
STOP
Polybags And Plastic Cups -
Save the Environment
What Is
Wrong With Polybags?
Choked
Drains: Light
polybags settle in the drains.
They choke gully pits. Cause
backflow and waterlogging. They
get into storm water pumps and
damage them. Polybag induced
waterlogging triggers off landslides
in the mountains.
Choked
Soil:
Millions of polybags settle in the
soil. They are non-porous and non-biodegradable.
They obstruct free flow of water
and air. Thus they choke the soil
and suffocate plant roots. Toxic
chemical additives leach into the
soil. Soil quality degrades.
Animal Deaths:
Cows foraging dustbins eat polybags
and die. Ingested polybags block
their intestines. Toxins released
from polybags also harm animals that
eat those. Polybag also harms marine
animals through ingestion.
Food Hazards:
Chemicals used to manufacture polybags
can leach out into food products
stored in them and thereby reach
our systems. The two commonly used
dyes in plastics are lead - a known
neurotoxin and cadmium - a nephrotoxin.
Other additives used are toxic as
well.
Mosquito
Breeding: Stray polybags
act as receptacles of water, ufficient
enough for mosquito breeding.
Limited
Recyclability: Plastic
recycling is linear, not cyclic
- i.e. plastics degrade on recycling.
Thus more and more fresh plastic
is required creating more and more
waste at the end of the line. Besides,
stray polybags, thin and dirty
as they are, are not lucrative
enough for the ragpickers to collect.
Polluting
Industry: Manufacture
of polybags, mainly done in small
moulding shops, with no environmental
standard involve hazardous aterials
and emit obnoxious gases posing
serious problems first for the
workers and then for the neighbourhood.
Disposal
Hazards: If disposed through
landfills, polybags continue to
pollute soil for many years. If
burnt they emit hazardous gases
that pollute the air.
Enough
said...! We hope we got the message
across.
Shoppers love it but environmentalists
say the
plastic shopping bag must go. Him Vikas
needs to see the return of bio-degradable
packaging material like jute, cloth
and paper bags. In
India, the states of Himachal Pradesh
and Sikkim have already banned plastic
bags and fine shopkeepers if any are
found on their premises. This we feel
is a great step towards environmental
reform in the State. |
