Go slow on ban, says plastic trade body in Karnataka

The transition to 19 non-plastic items from June 1 is not going to be easy for Bengaluru businesses.

The ban on single use plastic items is not new in Bengaluru, says Vijay Kumar, president, Karnataka State Polymer Association.

“Most items mentioned on the list issued by the Centre have already been banned since 2016, but the city has still not fully adapted to it,” he tells Metrolife.

By his reckoning, alternatives available currently can substitute for just 5% of the plastic in use in Karnataka.

“Getting the alternatives approved after proper testing takes at least four to six months. Large scale manufacturers are not ready for the change, which is why we are requesting regulatory bodies to go slow on the implementation in the first few weeks,” he says.

In addition to the dearth of economical and sustainable alternatives, lack of composting centres is another problem, he adds. “The alternatives are all compostable, so the government needs to set up composting centres. Otherwise this will all go to waste,” he tells Metrolife.

Many shop owners and street vendors Metrolife spoke to were not aware of a ban coming into force.

Nagaraj, a tender coconut vendor in Malleswaram, says the ban on plastic straws will impact his business. “For 100 plastic straws, it is Rs 18, and for the same 100 in paper, it is Rs 40,” he says.

Cutlery alternatives are also likely to make snacks costlier. “Eco-friendly plates are Rs 2 more expensive than plastic ones. I will have to pass these on to the customer,” says M Manjunath, owner of a chaat shop in Rajajinagar.