In recent years, dystopian footage circulating on the internet has clearly demonstrated how air pollution and waste threaten public health and quality of life. Now, officials in Hyderabad, India, have announced a plan to protect the city from becoming a casualty of unchecked pollution.
The Hyderabad Mail reported that the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation is proposing amendments to the GHMC Act of 1955 to help the city eliminate plastic waste.
As it stands, GHMC data shows that Hyderabad generates around 605 tons of plastic waste every day, with only 4% of it being recycled. That underwhelming recycling rate isn't a global outlier. In the U.S., for example, plastic recycling rates have dropped to as low as 5%.
Hyderabad incinerates another 42% of its plastic waste, while the rest ends up in landfills. Ultimately, both waste-disposal solutions contribute to harmful air pollution in the city.
GHMC hopes to tackle the root cause of all this waste — plastic itself. The civic body has proposed a total ban on all single-use plastics. That includes plastic utensils, cups, straws, ear buds, wrappers, and plastic bags thinner than 120 microns, among other things.
Elsewhere, plastic bag bans have received pushback because they can increase operating costs. Mom-and-pop stores trying to make ends meet can find the transition away from plastic particularly burdensome. Customer reviews regarding convenience have been mixed as well.
However, plastic bans are incredibly effective at reducing waste. And in cities with disposable bag fees, regularly shopping with reusable bags provides long-term savings.
GHMC's sanitation wing intends "ensure rigorous implementation of prohibition orders" with clear instructions to the public and "stringent action against violators under the amended law," per the Hyderabad Mail.
The government also plans to encourage manufacturers to produce paper and cloth alternatives to plastic. This, in turn, could increase public access to plastic-free solutions at an affordable price point, though the report didn't provide additional details about how this might play out.
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