The importance of recycling

There is hardly anyone in Sri Lanka (or around the world) who does not use polythene on a daily basis. The advantages of polythene are many - it is cheap, can easily hold a considerable weight, light and multi-purpose. The most ubiquitous form of polythene - the so-called sili-sili bags - are a regular item in every household. They are dished out freely at supermarkets and grocery stores all over the island.

This is the main problem with polythene - there is no real alternative to it. Newspapers reported last week that banning polythene has become impracticable as no successful alternative has been found, according to the Central Environmental Authority (CEA).

The clamour for banning polythene stems from the fact that some forms of polythene are virtually indestructible. They are not biodegradable - in other words, they will not decay for hundreds of years. They clog up our landfills and garbage dumps and have the potential to stay that way without any decay.

The Government has already made it mandatory that all polythene materials imported or manufactured must be biodegradable. We do not know whether this is being adhered to 100 per cent, but a few outlets have already marked 'biodegradable' on their polythene bags. This is a step in the right direction and all major outlets should follow this practice.

These apply equally well to plastic, that other 'essential' item for modern living. From plastic containers to chairs, we can barely imagine a world without plastic. Unfortunately, most plastics also do not decay easily.

The CEA is now planning to promote re-using, recycling and introducing biodegradable substitutes for plastic and polythene with special means to mitigate the environmental impact. The CEA will monitor the disposal of plastic and polythene waste to the environment with special attention to control polythene grocery bags and lunch sheets which are mostly used haphazardly.

This is a welcome move, since waste disposal has also become a major issue. The non-clearance of certain garbage dumps has posed a health hazard. Polythene and plastic have added to these woes, due to their indestructible nature.

According to CEA statistics, the import of raw material for polythene products has drastically reduced by three fourths, waste material recycled was doubled and the tendency of the people to use alternative products has increased by roughly 45 percent after imposing the regulation to ban manufacture of polythene products of 20 micrometers or below in thickness from January 1, 2007. This momentum must continue for the greater good of the environment and the people.

Governments can only do so much by way of regulations, the rest is up to the public. If we can cut down on the use of polythene every time we go to the grocer or the supermarket, half the battle is won. If at least one million people follow this practice, one can just imagine the savings on polythene. The best thing is to take a re-usable bag to the grocer to bring your goods. It is environmental friendly and other than the cost of buying one, will not cost a cent thereafter.

It is somewhat surprising that we have lost the 'recycling' streak. Long before plastic PET bottles became de rigueur, glass soft drinks bottles were in widespread use. You simply handed an 'empty' to get a new one. That was recycling at its best. Barring breakages, the same number of bottles could be used again and again and since one had to pay only for the contents, it was wallet-friendly as well. The advent of PET bottles has almost ended this practice.

Not many people know that jam and sauce bottles, among others, can be turned in to get a discount on a new bottle. Even a saving of Rs. 2 each time can go a long way. In villages, glass jam bottles get a new lease of life as containers for curd. This is recycling in simple terms and we do not even have to know the term to appreciate the benefits.

It is also baffling that paper bags and paper funnels (Gotu in local parlance) have almost disappeared from groceries. Frankly, these are far better for some items. We hope that these could be popularized again. Paper itself can be recycled and thus environment-friendly. Indeed, some answers to our problems could be decidedly low-tech.

Plastic cups have also become a problem, with the immense popularity of hot and cold drinks dispensing machines. However, there are occasions when the drink can be poured into a reusable ceramic cup and given to the customer.

The authorities should seriously consider reviving some of the recycling programs introduced with much fanfare. I have seen recycling collection points in some cities, but they are always closed. They should be open at designated times for the public to deposit recyclable items.

Electronic waste is going to be a major problem as electronics get cheaper and people opt for buying new ones instead of repairing their existing gadgets. Mobile phones are a classic example. They are so cheap now that there is no point in repairing if your present one is malfunctioning. But a few mobile phone retailers are accepting mobiles for recycling as well as trade-ins with a substantial discount thrown in. The latter is especially attractive to customers as there is a monetary incentive. Likewise, there are a number of retailers who accept old TVs, refrigerators, microwaves and washing machines for trade-in. This trend should be encouraged.

The authorities must also ensure that electronic, automotive and certain other categories of products imported to the country or manufactured here are 'built for disassembly' and free of environmentally harmful substances. These steps will help the fragile environment.

The world may yet find a replacement for polythene and plastic in the future to address the myriad of problems that they have caused. In the meantime, these materials must be used sparingly whenever possible. If an alternative is available, that must be preferred. Saving the world from polythene may seem like a Herculean task, but if we take one step at a time, it will not be difficult at all.