Myths about Plastics

Point: Plastic bags choke drains in monsoons resulting in floods. Counter Point: The root cause of chaked drains is dumping of all types of waste by the public into open sewers and drains. Plastic bags form a minuscule percentage of the dumped waste. Point: Plastics/Plastic bags are harmful to plants and the soil Counter Point: "Saving The Planet With Plastics". Plastics are vital elements in the high-yield farming that can make rooms on the globe for both people and wildlife. Far from being an insult to the environment, plastics can do a great deal of environment good through agriculture. Plastics, too can save wild life by raising crop yields and cropping intensity. Point: Plastics / Plastic bags are harmful to plants and soil. Counter Point: "Saving the planet with plastics". Polyethylene Sheetings/Films, Mulching Films (Laid Atop the Soil) promote rapid crop development, protect tender young seedlings, promote transplantation, prevent weeding without pesticides/insecticides, reduce water losses/evaporation, are important in arid land farming, help reduce soil erosion, reduce rotting in fruit/vegetable crops, ensure safer and more effective use of fertilizers. Soil fumigation covers: Combat nematodes/subsoil pests, seal in soil fumigant, reduce chemical usage. Green house covers: Less expensive and less damage prone than glass sheets, tailored structures for dramatic increase in yield, productivity and quality (Horticulture and Floriculture), latest technologies permit use of sea/saline water for indoor crops. Silage Covers: Protect green foliage for livestock, replace expensive traditional silos and barns. Nursery bags: Help in afforestation programmes. Canal Linings: Help in reducing water evaporation/seepage losses and conserve water for agriculture. Plastics protect plant life in multiple ways: Plastics prevent massive deforestation by offering wood substitutes e.g. furniture, building materials, crates. Plastic pipes are used extensively in Irrigation and Water Management, Food Irrigation, Sprinkler Irrigation, Micro Irrigation (Drip/Trickle) etc. China uses one million of PE in agriculture applications alone. Point: Plastics are not recyclable Counter Point: Plastics are 100% recyclable via various routes: Mechanical recycling: Plastics can be recycled several times into economically useful low cost products e.g. Footwear, mats, sewer pipes etc. Waste plastics are also recycled without sorting into synthetic lumber/wood products like rails, fencing, posts, benches and land scaping products, plastics can be thermally recycled/incinerated to recover energy, plastics can be chemically recycled to recover monomer or reuse. In India we already recycle 60% of plastics from both industry and urban waste stream vs. world average of 20-25%.