Popular farmers' markets in India are taking steps to reduce their plastic waste.
Produce markets in the NTR District of Andhra Pradesh, India, are skipping plastic bags in favor of biodegradable jute cloth alternatives, The Hindu reported.
India's Rythu Bazaars are government-operated markets where farmers sell their produce directly to consumers. The district Collector advised local officials to take action against vendors who use and sell plastic bags.
Increased enforcement of plastic bag bans is likely to reduce litter in Indian communities and waterways. Research has shown that plastic bag bans in the U.S. were associated with decreased shoreline litter, suggesting that government efforts to reduce plastic waste are effective at protecting people and wildlife.
Plus, the switch to jute cloth made from natural fibers will reduce people's exposure to microplastics from disposable bags. Other initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste from the farmers' markets have included the distribution of hundreds of cloth bags for free.
Bans on the distribution of single-use plastics have successfully cut down on waste in regions all over the world, from Europe to Panama.
Some single-use plastic bans have been met with criticism due to the comparatively high cost of alternatives. However, many areas have seen gradual, long-term changes in people's attitudes toward plastic waste.
For example, The New York Times reported that one vegetable seller in India thought she would go out of business when her state banned plastic bags because she could not afford to provide her customers with cloth alternatives.
Three years later, though, most of her customers had started bringing their own.
The plastic bag ban is part of a wider initiative to ensure markets operate as smoothly and fairly as possible. Vendors are also required to certify that they are farmers and to clearly display the prices of their goods.
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"Strict action will be initiated against the estate officers concerned if outsiders are found selling vegetables in the stalls allotted to farmers," Collector G. Lakshmisha told The Hindu.
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