Against Liquor
in Plastics
Ban plastics, but go
logically and cautiously, say business sector leaders
Growing government activism in environment
sector has been the feature of recent days, though even the simplest problem of a dumping
site for the capital’s garbage, has not been found as yet. In the budget proposal
about seven months back, the finance minister imposed a hefty excise on production of
plastic, and soon came a ban on diesel operated three-wheelers. That was followed by
adoption of Euro-1 standard for vehicle emissions, though the country still does not have
the required equipment to test whether the emission level in a particular vehicle is
within the norm. Most recent of the development in the government’s drive is the
reported preparation for banning plastic pouches for liquor packaging.
In an opinion poll conducted by Business
Age, the leaders of the country’s business community were almost unanimous in
supporting the proposed ban. But they are evenly divided on the question of extending it
to all food items. About banning unrecyclable and unreusable plastic products also, the
respondents have expressed their favourable opinion, but a sizeable majority has also
suggested that such a ban should be imposed gradually, not outright.
All the respondents from tourism sector
have shown their strong support to the ban on plastics (they have even gone to the extent
of suggesting universal plastic ban). That may not sound unexpected, as entrepreneurs from
this sector have been repeatedly raising environmental issues, and plastic has been one of
the targets of attack from them. What is worth noting is that liquor manufacturers also
are in favour of banning plastic pouches. The reason is, as one respondent from this
industry said, it has encouraged irresponsible drinking habits, as school-going children
have found it easy to hide the pouches in their pockets. Majority of the respondents think
glass bottles will be more appropriate alternatives for liquor packaging. However, a few
of them also think that pet bottles would be better.
A substantial majority thinks that the
alternate packaging would result into price hike in the liquor that is being sold now in
plastic pouches. But some of them also hasten to add that the additional costs would be
nothing when compared to the cost of damage to the public health and environment that
plastic has been causing. One respondent has also stated that liquor must not be allowed
to become cheap.
Almost 50% of the respondents think that
the investment made in pouch-filling machines of the liquor industry would go wasted when
the pouches are banned for liquor. However, those who think it would not be wasted, point
out that the machines have alternative uses in filling milk, oil and the like. That is, of
course, if plastic is not banned for all food items. Hence the suggestion for gradual ban.
Though there was a unanimous view about
banning plastic pouches for liquor, there also were plenty of words of caution. One
respondent, for example, has suggested that the government should fix minimum standards
for quality packaging in each of the products after thorough consideration of the
alternatives. It has been only about three or four years that liquor started to be sold in
plastic pouches. Since the government remained silent then, a sudden ban on this packaging
now is, therefore, not justifiable. |
1. Do you support the
idea of banning plastic in packing liquor? |
