The Union Government is worried as upcoming Parliamentary and Assembly polls will see increase in the use of single-use plastic products in form of campaign materials.
In this connection, Union Environment, Forest and Climate Change Secretary CK Mishra has urged Odisha to take necessary steps to phase out single use plastic and pointed out that a number of alternate options to use of plastic in campaigning material are available such as compostable plastics, natural fabrics, recycled paper material etc., which have a lesser environmental impact.
Such materials need to be promoted as a sustainable and environmentally sound management practice, he said.
While the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022, for upcoming elections there will be a lot of campaigning materials including posters, cut-outs, hoardings and political advertisements made of plastic will be circulated.
“After the elections, these campaigning materials will be discarded and those will turn waste,” pointed out Union Secretary Mishra.
Mishra in his letter to the State Government reminded of India’s commitment to phase out single-use plastic by 2020 and the ill-impacts of plastic waste, which are not recyclable or bio-degradable.
The Government of India has earlier requested the State Government to phase out single-use plastic in offices.
Mishra said that such single-use plastic waste generated during campaigning does not get collected and causes choking of drainage and river systems, ingestion by stray animals, land and water pollution, open air burning, leading to adverse impacts on human health and environment.
The Union Secretary pointed out that some of these plastics is Poly Vinyl Chloride (PVC) based, which produces toxic emissions on burning.
The Union Secretary said the upcoming elections present an excellent opportunity to introduce a behavioral change in election campaigning and to promote sustainable practices.
He requested the State Government to take up sustainable practices and try using alternate options to single-use plastic.