Deadly microplastic pollutes world's oceans, Arctic too breached

Plastic, plastic everywhere but not for African recyclers

Dozens of people clutching bags full of <a href="Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles">plastic bottles and disposable cups </a>queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage.

The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities.

"This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi.

An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed.&nbsp;

There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets.

Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit.

"There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless."

Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/i-like-plastic-pakistans-toxic-love-affair-with-waste-240201"> recycling bins and ticket officers</a> who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles.

Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies.

Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles.

"Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride.

"We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn."

Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue.

Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags.

Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic.

A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050.&nbsp;

It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually.

It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050." 
&nbsp;

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets.

Dozens of people clutching bags full of plastic bottles and disposable cups queue at a busy bus terminal in the Indonesian city of Surabaya where passengers can swap trash for travel tickets. The nation is the world's second-biggest marine polluter behind China and has pledged to reduce plastic waste in its waters some 70 per cent by 2025 by boosting recycling, raising public awareness, and curbing usage. The Surabaya scheme has been a hit in the city of 2.9 million, with nearly 16,000 passengers trading trash for free travel each week, according to authorities. "This is a very smart solution. It's free and instead of throwing away bottles people now collect them and bring them here," explains 48-year-old resident Fransiska Nugrahepi. An hour-long bus ride with unlimited stops costs three large bottles, five medium bottles or 10 plastic cups. But they must be cleaned and cannot be squashed. There is a steady stream of people squeezing past sacks full of recyclables to deposit plastic in four bins behind the small office and claim their tickets. Franki Yuanus, a Surabaya transport official, says the program aims not only to cut waste but also to tackle traffic congestion by encouraging people to switch to public transit. "There has been a good response from the public," insists Yuanus, adding: "Paying with plastic is one of the things that has made people enthusiastic because up until now plastic waste was just seen as useless." Currently, the fleet consists of 20 near-new buses, each with recycling bins and ticket officers who roam the aisles to collect any leftover bottles. Authorities said roughly six tons of plastic rubbish is collected from passengers each month before being auctioned to recycling companies. Nurhayati Anwar, who uses the bus about once a week with her three-year-old son, said the trash swap program is changing how people see their throwaway cups and bottles. "Now people in the office or at home are trying to collect (rubbish) instead of just throwing it away,” the 44-year-old accountant told AFP after trading in several bottles for a free ride. "We now know that plastic is not good for the environment people in Surabaya are starting to learn." Other parts of Indonesia, an archipelago of some 17,000 islands, are also trying to tackle the issue. Bali is phasing in a ban on single-use plastic straws and bags to rid the popular holiday island of waste choking its waterways, while authorities in the capital Jakarta are considering a similar bylaw to rid the city of plastic shopping bags. Governments around the globe are increasingly taking measures to curb the menace of disposable plastic. A 2016 report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation warned there would be more plastic than fish, by weight, in the seas by 2050. It estimated eight million tonnes of plastics enter oceans annually. It added: "This is equivalent to dumping the contents of one garbage truck into the ocean every minute. If no action is taken, this is expected to increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050."

Trash for tickets on Indonesia's 'Plastic bus'

Plastic junk spawns desert island disaster in Pacific

Watch this report to know how the single-use plastic is the real villain.

Single-use plastic: The real villain?

This International Plastic Bag Free Day, a look at how waste plastic is turned into colourful tiles. #PlasticFreeDay #PlasticTiles #BeatPlasticPollution

Novel solution to fighting plastic pollution

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said here on Sunday said that the cabinet has decided to ban production, sale and use of single-use plastic products in the Union Territory from March 1.

He said a massive drive would also be launched to create awareness among the merchants and the public on the necessity of the ban.

"We want to gift a plastic-free Puducherry to the future generation and curb the plastic in the larger interest of the environment," he told newsmen after the cabinet meeting.

The neighbouring Tamil Nadu government had in June 2018 announced that it would ban the use of plastic items including non-biodegradable carry bags from January 1, 2019, to "gift a plastic-free state to future generations".

A nominated BJP MLA caused a flutter on the Assembly premises here on December 31 by resorting to sudden dharna urging the Puducherry government to ban immediately production, sale and use of plastic products in the Union Territory on the lines of neighbouring Tamil Nadu.

Narayanasamy also said the cabinet has decided to introduce 'voluntary retirement scheme' for the workers and staff of the century-old Anglo-French Textiles (AFT) mill and two other textile mills, named Bharathi and Swadeshi (run by Puducherry Textile corporation) in a phased manner in the next six months.

The liquor business of the Puducherry Agro Service and Industries Corporation Limited, popularly known as PASIC and the Civil Supplies Corporation (PAPSCO) would be handed shortly to private players by auctioning licenses, the CM said.

Narayanasamy also said the staff in the government-owned Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation Limited (PIPDIC) and Distillery and Power Corporations would be extended the benefit of the report of the Seventh Pay Commission as these three organisations were functioning profitably.

He said one per cent quota of reservation would also be provided to the members of the 'Irular, Villi and Vettaikaran' communities under the Scheduled Tribes Category in education and employment opportunities.PTI Corr RCJ 01132036

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said here on Sunday said that the cabinet has decided to ban production, sale and use of single-use plastic products in the Union Territory from March 1.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy said here on Sunday said that the cabinet has decided to ban production, sale and use of single-use plastic products in the Union Territory from March 1. He said a massive drive would also be launched to create awareness among the merchants and the public on the necessity of the ban. "We want to gift a plastic-free Puducherry to the future generation and curb the plastic in the larger interest of the environment," he told newsmen after the cabinet meeting. The neighbouring Tamil Nadu government had in June 2018 announced that it would ban the use of plastic items including non-biodegradable carry bags from January 1, 2019, to "gift a plastic-free state to future generations". A nominated BJP MLA caused a flutter on the Assembly premises here on December 31 by resorting to sudden dharna urging the Puducherry government to ban immediately production, sale and use of plastic products in the Union Territory on the lines of neighbouring Tamil Nadu. Narayanasamy also said the cabinet has decided to introduce 'voluntary retirement scheme' for the workers and staff of the century-old Anglo-French Textiles (AFT) mill and two other textile mills, named Bharathi and Swadeshi (run by Puducherry Textile corporation) in a phased manner in the next six months. The liquor business of the Puducherry Agro Service and Industries Corporation Limited, popularly known as PASIC and the Civil Supplies Corporation (PAPSCO) would be handed shortly to private players by auctioning licenses, the CM said. Narayanasamy also said the staff in the government-owned Pondicherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation Limited (PIPDIC) and Distillery and Power Corporations would be extended the benefit of the report of the Seventh Pay Commission as these three organisations were functioning profitably. He said one per cent quota of reservation would also be provided to the members of the 'Irular, Villi and Vettaikaran' communities under the Scheduled Tribes Category in education and employment opportunities.PTI Corr RCJ 01132036

Puducherry government to ban single-use plastic products from March 1: CM Narayanasamy

Faced with images of turtles smothered by plastic bags, beaches carpeted with garbage and islands of trash floating in the oceans, environmentalists say the world is waking up to the need to tackle plastic pollution at the source.

Stories on social media of giant seas of floating waste or a beached whale found in Indonesia with six kilos (13 pounds) of plastic in its stomach are bringing plastic pollution into the spotlight.

"There is no question plastic is having a moment," said George Leonard, chief scientist at Ocean Conservancy.&nbsp;

"We are in a moment in time where we are starting to stare the problem in the face, and we're quite optimistic and hopeful that we can solve it."

Leonard and other environmental experts are optimistic the exposure will make the problem of plastics hard to ignore and focus attention on how best to deal with such waste.

Eight million tonnes of plastic is dumped into the oceans each year, according to a study in the Science journal.

But that is only what comes from the land, said Francois Galgani, a researcher with the French Institute Ifremer, estimating another two million tonnes could come from ships especially fishing vessels.&nbsp;

As a consequence more than 700 species are impacted, including turtles who confuse plastic bags with the jellyfish they eat, Galgani said.

More than 5 billion plastic bags are used every year, and a ban step by step, country by country is underway, the first phase towards a possible general ban. Bags could be followed by bans on plastic straws and cotton swabs.&nbsp;

The European Union wants to ban certain single-use plastics by the end of 2021. For Galgani, that would be good news, as it would represent around 30 to 40 per cent of the plastic that ends up in the oceans.

"Everyone is working for the good cause, even industries," he said.

Cleaning up?

But according to a study in Science Advances review, from the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic produced between 1950 and 2015, 6.3 billion tonnes became garbage that was not very biodegradable material and only 9 percent was recycled.

For Greenpeace's Mirjam Kopp, though, recycling is not enough.

"We cannot continue this business as usual, we need to change the throw-away culture we have developed," Kopp said. "We need to tackle the problem at the source.

"Industries are putting the blame on the consumers, saying they should recycle more, but we don't think it will help. They are responsible for the single-use plastics they put on the market."

The UN Environment agency has already declared war on plastics in the oceans and made it the environmental theme of 2018.

"We need stop treating plastic as something that we can just throw away after we have used it, and start treating it as a material that has real value," said Petter Malvik, campaign manager for the Clean Seas campaign launched by UN-Environment in 2017.

Already around 60 countries have joined in the campaign started in 2017 to ban non-reusable plastics.

"Although bans alone won't solve the problem, they are definitely more than just a drop in the bucket," Malvik said.

Another problem is so called "ghost nets" - fishing nets lost at sea or left intentionally and which continue to catch fish for months after.

When it comes to cleaning the oceans, though, experts say the task may be far more complex. Scientists, for example, have doubts for over a giant floating clean-up device proposed by Ocean Cleanup foundation, which aims to clear half of a huge waste deposit floating in the Pacific in the next five years. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Dubbed the "Great Pacific garbage patch", the abnormal mass of floating debris caused by marine turbulence has now reached 80,000 tonnes spread over an area three times the size of France, according to a study in Scientific Reports.

And if you want to clean up the ocean, Leonard says, then the surface is not the place to start.&nbsp;

What floats on the surface -- particles of micro-plastics and larger objects -- is nothing compared to what ends up on the ocean floor, experts say.

So what is the solution? "Degradation," says Galgani of France's Iremer institute, referring to the breakdown of plastics. But for some plastics that means a process that may take "hundreds of years".

Faced with images of turtles smothered by plastic bags, beaches carpeted with garbage and islands of trash floating in the oceans, environmentalists say the world is waking up to the need to tackle plastic pollution at the source.

Faced with images of turtles smothered by plastic bags, beaches carpeted with garbage and islands of trash floating in the oceans, environmentalists say the world is waking up to the need to tackle plastic pollution at the source. Stories on social media of giant seas of floating waste or a beached whale found in Indonesia with six kilos (13 pounds) of plastic in its stomach are bringing plastic pollution into the spotlight. "There is no question plastic is having a moment," said George Leonard, chief scientist at Ocean Conservancy. "We are in a moment in time where we are starting to stare the problem in the face, and we're quite optimistic and hopeful that we can solve it." Leonard and other environmental experts are optimistic the exposure will make the problem of plastics hard to ignore and focus attention on how best to deal with such waste. Eight million tonnes of plastic is dumped into the oceans each year, according to a study in the Science journal. But that is only what comes from the land, said Francois Galgani, a researcher with the French Institute Ifremer, estimating another two million tonnes could come from ships especially fishing vessels. As a consequence more than 700 species are impacted, including turtles who confuse plastic bags with the jellyfish they eat, Galgani said. More than 5 billion plastic bags are used every year, and a ban step by step, country by country is underway, the first phase towards a possible general ban. Bags could be followed by bans on plastic straws and cotton swabs. The European Union wants to ban certain single-use plastics by the end of 2021. For Galgani, that would be good news, as it would represent around 30 to 40 per cent of the plastic that ends up in the oceans. "Everyone is working for the good cause, even industries," he said. Cleaning up? But according to a study in Science Advances review, from the 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic produced between 1950 and 2015, 6.3 billion tonnes became garbage that was not very biodegradable material and only 9 percent was recycled. For Greenpeace's Mirjam Kopp, though, recycling is not enough. "We cannot continue this business as usual, we need to change the throw-away culture we have developed," Kopp said. "We need to tackle the problem at the source. "Industries are putting the blame on the consumers, saying they should recycle more, but we don't think it will help. They are responsible for the single-use plastics they put on the market." The UN Environment agency has already declared war on plastics in the oceans and made it the environmental theme of 2018. "We need stop treating plastic as something that we can just throw away after we have used it, and start treating it as a material that has real value," said Petter Malvik, campaign manager for the Clean Seas campaign launched by UN-Environment in 2017. Already around 60 countries have joined in the campaign started in 2017 to ban non-reusable plastics. "Although bans alone won't solve the problem, they are definitely more than just a drop in the bucket," Malvik said. Another problem is so called "ghost nets" - fishing nets lost at sea or left intentionally and which continue to catch fish for months after. When it comes to cleaning the oceans, though, experts say the task may be far more complex. Scientists, for example, have doubts for over a giant floating clean-up device proposed by Ocean Cleanup foundation, which aims to clear half of a huge waste deposit floating in the Pacific in the next five years. Dubbed the "Great Pacific garbage patch", the abnormal mass of floating debris caused by marine turbulence has now reached 80,000 tonnes spread over an area three times the size of France, according to a study in Scientific Reports. And if you want to clean up the ocean, Leonard says, then the surface is not the place to start. What floats on the surface -- particles of micro-plastics and larger objects -- is nothing compared to what ends up on the ocean floor, experts say. So what is the solution? "Degradation," says Galgani of France's Iremer institute, referring to the breakdown of plastics. But for some plastics that means a process that may take "hundreds of years".

Oceans of garbage prompt war on plastics

India is the global host of World Environment Day (WED) celebrations this 5th June, and will urge governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives.

With ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ as its theme, the country aims to raise awareness to reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic which not only pollutes the oceans or damage marine life but threatens the human life.

With efforts to discourage use of hazardous plastic, a week-long environmental awareness campaign and pollution mitigation activities are being planned in Delhi and other parts of the country from June 1 to 5.

India previously hosted the World Environment Day in 2011.&nbsp

Every year, a different country is selected as the principal venue for the global celebrations of the day.

A United Nation Environment-led global event, the day was first celebrated in the year 1974, to bring environmental concerns into the mainstream of the national developmental effort.

The day also aims to bring people to the forefront of environmental conservation.

According to several reports, every year the world uses 500 billion plastic bags and nearly 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans.

Plastic also makes up 10% of all of the waste humans generate in today's time.

It is one of the biggest environmental threats and the countries need a better waste management system to cope with the sheer quantity of plastic.

Meanwhile, the theme for 2017 was 'Connecting People to Nature – in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator'.&nbsp

The theme urged people to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share.&nbsp

It invited people to think about how we are part of nature and how intimately we depend on it.&nbsp

India previously hosted the World Environment Day in 2011.

India is the global host of World Environment Day (WED) celebrations this 5th June, and will urge governments, industry, communities, and individuals to come together and explore sustainable alternatives. With ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ as its theme, the country aims to raise awareness to reduce the production and excessive use of single-use plastic which not only pollutes the oceans or damage marine life but threatens the human life. With efforts to discourage use of hazardous plastic, a week-long environmental awareness campaign and pollution mitigation activities are being planned in Delhi and other parts of the country from June 1 to 5. India previously hosted the World Environment Day in 2011. Every year, a different country is selected as the principal venue for the global celebrations of the day. A United Nation Environment-led global event, the day was first celebrated in the year 1974, to bring environmental concerns into the mainstream of the national developmental effort. The day also aims to bring people to the forefront of environmental conservation. According to several reports, every year the world uses 500 billion plastic bags and nearly 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans. Plastic also makes up 10% of all of the waste humans generate in today's time. It is one of the biggest environmental threats and the countries need a better waste management system to cope with the sheer quantity of plastic. Meanwhile, the theme for 2017 was 'Connecting People to Nature – in the city and on the land, from the poles to the equator'. The theme urged people to get outdoors and into nature, to appreciate its beauty and its importance, and to take forward the call to protect the Earth that we share. It invited people to think about how we are part of nature and how intimately we depend on it.

World Environment Day 2018: Discourage use of hazardous plastic

There are different theories about why cows line the streets of Bhavnagar. Some say the cows wander because of old age and a waning ability to produce milk. Another explanation is that the cows are allowed into the streets to find food on their own if the herder cannot afford to feed them. It is a wonder how they are able to find their way back to their respective owners. Still, one way or another, in the early morning, I find fewer cows in the street than mid-day.&nbsp;

People are pretty conscientious about not throwing plastic in street in my neighborhood. Organic kitchen wastes like carrot tops and vegetable peels are scattered on the side of the street near a cow, which immediately trots over to feast. At least once, I have walked home with a bag of vegetables to find a long eyelash-ed visitor slyly trailing behind in hopes of a treat. It is always a pleasure to watch a little calf gobble up a spinach bunch or two. Though the scene is endearing, not everyone is watching what these cows are consuming. Elsewhere in the city, I have seen cows chew through plastics to reach the food wastes within the bag.&nbsp;

Plastics affect the cows&rsquo; ability to produce milk, and they end up on the streets again, this time abandoned by the herder. It is a grim cycle with an economic complication wherein herders lacking funds to feed their animals allow them to be fed by the public. Without their owner&rsquo;s knowledge, the livestock consumes non-biodegradable materials and begin producing less milk. By the time the problem is noticed, it is often too late to resolve it. If the herders can&rsquo;t afford to take them to a veterinarian and the burden to keep feeding them becomes too much, the cow is released into the public.&nbsp;

So what happens when a cow consumes plastic? Since the animal cannot digest it, it accumulates in the stomach, allowing less and less space for real food, leading to starvation. Milk production is affected by toxic chemicals entering the bloodstream from the little plastic that manages to be broken down. NGOs working to fight this environmental disaster have reported finding nearly 100 kgs of plastics in the digestive systems of some cows.&nbsp;

The government of India&rsquo;s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has been imposing stricter guidelines for plastic use for the past few years. There is no national law against the use of plastic bags, but regulations have made it so there are more incentives not to use them. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 which regulates the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of plastic carry bags prohibited the use of bags made from conventional plastic with a thickness of less than 50 micron.&nbsp;Shopkeepers are not allowed to provide plastic carry bags and are also forbidden from selling plastic trash bags in their shops unless they have registered with their local waste management authority. Upon registration, they are also required to pay a monthly fee of at least 4000 rs and upwards of 8000 rs if they are a larger store. Bigger chain stores have started charging for reusable carry bags in hopes that customers will start bringing their own bags. Like most environmental legislation, the city of Bhavnagar may be experiencing difficulties in enforcing the rules. Nearly every small store I go to offers a thin plastic bag with my purchase and it seems unlikely that the majority of these stores are registered and paying the monthly fee.

On the upside, companies have actively started to look for eco-friendly packaging. Jute, a natural fiber which is endemic to South Asia, is making a comeback. It has been listed as one of the 4 future fibres for sustainable living by the UN&rsquo;s Food and Agriculture Organization. As cash crop for farmers because of its wide variety of uses, jute also enriches the soil for future crops, is biodegradable, and burns clean. A hectare of jute produces 11 tonnes of oxygen for every 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide it consumes. Traditionally, it has been used to package grains, but stores have also used it to create carry bags for their customers. Textile engineers and environmental engineers are currently in the process of increasing its applicability.

In addition to preventing future pollution, India is looking for solutions to manage existing plastic waste. Entrepreneurs and scientists are being encouraged to tackle this problem and being recognized for their innovative solutions. This year, the Padma Shree award, India&rsquo;s highest civilian honor was awarded to Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a Tamil chemical engineer who patented a method for creating durable, cost-effective rural roads using waste plastics.&nbsp;

Education about the importance of recycling is also gaining momentum. In fact, the city of Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the world&rsquo;s largest lesson on recycling. In 2015, 12,994 people attended the 55-minute session on how wastes need to be segregated to facilitate processing, composting, and recycling. The training had an&nbsp;impact as evidenced in Madukkarai, a town within the vicinity of Coimbatore. A 60% reduction in landfill waste was seen in 3 years. About 85% of organic waste is converted successfully into vermin compost, which is compost assisted in the breakdown by worms.&nbsp;

Within my own organization,&nbsp;<a href="http://shaishavchildrights.org/">Shaishav</a>, children often discuss environmental preservation. For instance, my first day here, the children were having a debate on what they believed was essential. Several children valued clean water and an unpolluted environment more than money because they recognized that these things were a relatively nonrenewable resource compared to money. Even more, they said that money&rsquo;s utility held no importance but for obtaining things such as a clean environment. I believe this discussion set the standard for what I could expect to see from the children involved in Shaishav!&nbsp;

India is known for its beautiful wildlife and environment. Let&rsquo;s hope its equally famous ingenuity can solve some of the threats that its environment is facing.

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

NGOs working to fight this environmental disaster have reported finding nearly 100 kgs of plastics in the digestive systems of some cows.

There are different theories about why cows line the streets of Bhavnagar. Some say the cows wander because of old age and a waning ability to produce milk. Another explanation is that the cows are allowed into the streets to find food on their own if the herder cannot afford to feed them. It is a wonder how they are able to find their way back to their respective owners. Still, one way or another, in the early morning, I find fewer cows in the street than mid-day. People are pretty conscientious about not throwing plastic in street in my neighborhood. Organic kitchen wastes like carrot tops and vegetable peels are scattered on the side of the street near a cow, which immediately trots over to feast. At least once, I have walked home with a bag of vegetables to find a long eyelash-ed visitor slyly trailing behind in hopes of a treat. It is always a pleasure to watch a little calf gobble up a spinach bunch or two. Though the scene is endearing, not everyone is watching what these cows are consuming. Elsewhere in the city, I have seen cows chew through plastics to reach the food wastes within the bag. Plastics affect the cows’ ability to produce milk, and they end up on the streets again, this time abandoned by the herder. It is a grim cycle with an economic complication wherein herders lacking funds to feed their animals allow them to be fed by the public. Without their owner’s knowledge, the livestock consumes non-biodegradable materials and begin producing less milk. By the time the problem is noticed, it is often too late to resolve it. If the herders can’t afford to take them to a veterinarian and the burden to keep feeding them becomes too much, the cow is released into the public. So what happens when a cow consumes plastic? Since the animal cannot digest it, it accumulates in the stomach, allowing less and less space for real food, leading to starvation. Milk production is affected by toxic chemicals entering the bloodstream from the little plastic that manages to be broken down. NGOs working to fight this environmental disaster have reported finding nearly 100 kgs of plastics in the digestive systems of some cows. The government of India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has been imposing stricter guidelines for plastic use for the past few years. There is no national law against the use of plastic bags, but regulations have made it so there are more incentives not to use them. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 which regulates the manufacture, sale, distribution and use of plastic carry bags prohibited the use of bags made from conventional plastic with a thickness of less than 50 micron. Shopkeepers are not allowed to provide plastic carry bags and are also forbidden from selling plastic trash bags in their shops unless they have registered with their local waste management authority. Upon registration, they are also required to pay a monthly fee of at least 4000 rs and upwards of 8000 rs if they are a larger store. Bigger chain stores have started charging for reusable carry bags in hopes that customers will start bringing their own bags. Like most environmental legislation, the city of Bhavnagar may be experiencing difficulties in enforcing the rules. Nearly every small store I go to offers a thin plastic bag with my purchase and it seems unlikely that the majority of these stores are registered and paying the monthly fee. On the upside, companies have actively started to look for eco-friendly packaging. Jute, a natural fiber which is endemic to South Asia, is making a comeback. It has been listed as one of the 4 future fibres for sustainable living by the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization. As cash crop for farmers because of its wide variety of uses, jute also enriches the soil for future crops, is biodegradable, and burns clean. A hectare of jute produces 11 tonnes of oxygen for every 15 tonnes of carbon dioxide it consumes. Traditionally, it has been used to package grains, but stores have also used it to create carry bags for their customers. Textile engineers and environmental engineers are currently in the process of increasing its applicability. In addition to preventing future pollution, India is looking for solutions to manage existing plastic waste. Entrepreneurs and scientists are being encouraged to tackle this problem and being recognized for their innovative solutions. This year, the Padma Shree award, India’s highest civilian honor was awarded to Dr. Rajagopalan Vasudevan, a Tamil chemical engineer who patented a method for creating durable, cost-effective rural roads using waste plastics. Education about the importance of recycling is also gaining momentum. In fact, the city of Coimbatore, in Tamil Nadu, is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for holding the world’s largest lesson on recycling. In 2015, 12,994 people attended the 55-minute session on how wastes need to be segregated to facilitate processing, composting, and recycling. The training had an impact as evidenced in Madukkarai, a town within the vicinity of Coimbatore. A 60% reduction in landfill waste was seen in 3 years. About 85% of organic waste is converted successfully into vermin compost, which is compost assisted in the breakdown by worms. Within my own organization, Shaishav, children often discuss environmental preservation. For instance, my first day here, the children were having a debate on what they believed was essential. Several children valued clean water and an unpolluted environment more than money because they recognized that these things were a relatively nonrenewable resource compared to money. Even more, they said that money’s utility held no importance but for obtaining things such as a clean environment. I believe this discussion set the standard for what I could expect to see from the children involved in Shaishav! India is known for its beautiful wildlife and environment. Let’s hope its equally famous ingenuity can solve some of the threats that its environment is facing. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: What happens when a cow consumes plastic?

In a bid to minimise and eventually phase out the use of plasticware from the planet, Amsterdam today unveiled the world&#39;s first plastic-free supermarket aisle.&nbsp;

The aisle offers nearly 700 plastic-free goods to the customers along with an option to buy groceries in compostable bio-materials.

The aisle has been introduced at one of the branches of a Dutch supermarket chain called Ekoplaza. The brand runs over 70 stores across the country and hopes to roll out plastic aisle across all its branches.&nbsp;

According to a report by the environment watchdog the Worldwatch Institute, &quot;Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 percent increase over 2012&quot;.

&quot;According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills... Approximately 10&ndash;20 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year,&quot; reads Worldwatch&#39;s official website.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/taiwan-to-phase-out-disposable-plastic-items-completely-by-2030-33747">Taiwan has also decided to phase out single-use of plastic items</a>. The blanket ban will encompass commodities like plastic straws, cups and shopping bags. The country plans to phase out single-use of plastic completely by the year 2030 in a bid to cut pollution. Taiwan already has a recycling programme in plastic and charges citizens for plastic bags. 
&nbsp;

The aisle has been introduced at one of the branches of a Dutch supermarket chain called Ekoplaza

In a bid to minimise and eventually phase out the use of plasticware from the planet, Amsterdam today unveiled the world's first plastic-free supermarket aisle. The aisle offers nearly 700 plastic-free goods to the customers along with an option to buy groceries in compostable bio-materials. The aisle has been introduced at one of the branches of a Dutch supermarket chain called Ekoplaza. The brand runs over 70 stores across the country and hopes to roll out plastic aisle across all its branches. According to a report by the environment watchdog the Worldwatch Institute, "Some 299 million tons of plastics were produced in 2013, representing a 4 percent increase over 2012". "According to the United Nations Environmental Program, between 22 percent and 43 percent of the plastic used worldwide is disposed of in landfills... Approximately 10–20 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans each year," reads Worldwatch's official website. Meanwhile, Taiwan has also decided to phase out single-use of plastic items. The blanket ban will encompass commodities like plastic straws, cups and shopping bags. The country plans to phase out single-use of plastic completely by the year 2030 in a bid to cut pollution. Taiwan already has a recycling programme in plastic and charges citizens for plastic bags.

Amsterdam unveils world's first plastic-free supermarket aisle

In a city whose windows have been blasted from their frames, remaining residents of Syria`s war-torn Aleppo go about their daily lives behind gaping holes covered with plastic. 
 
For inhabitants of the battle-scarred and divided city, glass windows have become more of a liability than a luxury. 
 
&quot;Every window pane we have has been shattered by shelling,&quot; said Ammar Wattar, an English teacher, as he fitted a hard plastic sheet into the window frame of his home in the government-held district of Al-Midan. 
&quot;We changed it the first time, then the second time, the third time -- until this time, we decided not to change it anymore.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
The windows are regularly blown out in the frequent rocket attacks and air strikes on Aleppo city, turning the shards into dangerous projectiles.&nbsp; 
 
Replacing them is also prohibitively expensive - so residents have been opting to cover the empty frames with sheets of plastic.&nbsp; 
In many neighbourhoods, children can be seen slipping behind white tarpaulin hanging like curtains from the doorways of their apartments.&nbsp; 
Abandoned apartment buildings are often identified by the partly-smashed glass windows protruding like jagged teeth from the metal frames. 
 
Clashes and bombardment have carried on in Aleppo despite a February 27 truce across parts of Syria and multiple attempts to secure a local freeze on fighting in the city. 
 
Asraa al-Masri, a teacher in a regime-held district of the city, said a shard of glass flew into her daughter`s leg during a rocket attack.&nbsp; 
She has since stopped replacing her windows with glass, but she now faces a new set of worries.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Bugs, dust, soot, loud noises, the burning smell of the generators, which are bad for your health and negatively affect our children while they`re studying,&quot; she listed.&nbsp; 
 
Perhaps no one has seen as much shattered glass as Mohammed Bouz, who used to sell it in a shop in Al-Midan. 
&quot;My stockpile has been destroyed many times during the shelling, and I haven`t been able to get new deliveries,&quot; he told AFP. 
Before Syria`s war erupted in March 2011, a square metre of glass cost 425 Syrian pounds (70 cents) -- but it now fetches about 3,300 ($6).&nbsp; 
 
Aleppo`s desperate residents -- many of whom have been left jobless since war came to their city in 2012 -- opt for the much cheaper plastic at a maximum of 500 Syrian pounds per square metre.&nbsp; 
 
But for Umm Ahmad`s conservative Muslim family, no proper windows means no privacy. 
Synthetic canvas billows in the wind, &quot;so my daughters and I can only change our clothes in the bathroom or in the hallways so our neighbours don`t see us&quot;, the 52-year-old woman said. 
 
Privacy &quot;is something really sacred for Aleppan families&quot;. 
 
Across the frontline in Aleppo`s rebel-held east, shopkeeper Ali Makansi recounts sitting in his grocery store one day &quot;when a mortar shell crashed into the roof of a nearby building&quot;.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Because the explosion was so powerful, an entire window pane fell on me and cut the main nerve in my hand,&quot; said the 32-year-old whose shop is in the Al-Shaar neighbourhood. 
&quot;All the houses and commercial buildings in Aleppo are using plastic now instead of glass,&quot; he said. &quot;Plastic is cheap and won`t hurt anyone if there`s an explosion nearby.&quot; 
 
Mohammed Jokhdar, a 29-year-old Arabic language teacher, sent his family to Turkey after his brother was killed in shelling last year.&nbsp; 
He lives alone in his apartment in Bustan al-Qasr district where he has covered the windows with sheets of transparent plastic.&nbsp; 
&quot;But the plastic doesn`t protect from the weather and sometimes water leaks through. It doesn`t block the noise either -- I feel like I`m in the street.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Abu Omar, 69, who lives in Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood, also complains about the noise and water leaks. 
But &quot;the biggest problem is the street cats... They tear the plastic and come into my home looking for food.&quot;

In a city whose windows have been blasted from their frames, remaining residents of Syria`s war-torn Aleppo go about their daily lives behind gaping holes covered with plastic. For inhabitants of the battle-scarred and divided city, glass windows have become more of a liability than a luxury.

In a city whose windows have been blasted from their frames, remaining residents of Syria`s war-torn Aleppo go about their daily lives behind gaping holes covered with plastic. For inhabitants of the battle-scarred and divided city, glass windows have become more of a liability than a luxury. "Every window pane we have has been shattered by shelling," said Ammar Wattar, an English teacher, as he fitted a hard plastic sheet into the window frame of his home in the government-held district of Al-Midan. "We changed it the first time, then the second time, the third time -- until this time, we decided not to change it anymore." The windows are regularly blown out in the frequent rocket attacks and air strikes on Aleppo city, turning the shards into dangerous projectiles. Replacing them is also prohibitively expensive - so residents have been opting to cover the empty frames with sheets of plastic. In many neighbourhoods, children can be seen slipping behind white tarpaulin hanging like curtains from the doorways of their apartments. Abandoned apartment buildings are often identified by the partly-smashed glass windows protruding like jagged teeth from the metal frames. Clashes and bombardment have carried on in Aleppo despite a February 27 truce across parts of Syria and multiple attempts to secure a local freeze on fighting in the city. Asraa al-Masri, a teacher in a regime-held district of the city, said a shard of glass flew into her daughter`s leg during a rocket attack. She has since stopped replacing her windows with glass, but she now faces a new set of worries. "Bugs, dust, soot, loud noises, the burning smell of the generators, which are bad for your health and negatively affect our children while they`re studying," she listed. Perhaps no one has seen as much shattered glass as Mohammed Bouz, who used to sell it in a shop in Al-Midan. "My stockpile has been destroyed many times during the shelling, and I haven`t been able to get new deliveries," he told AFP. Before Syria`s war erupted in March 2011, a square metre of glass cost 425 Syrian pounds (70 cents) -- but it now fetches about 3,300 ($6). Aleppo`s desperate residents -- many of whom have been left jobless since war came to their city in 2012 -- opt for the much cheaper plastic at a maximum of 500 Syrian pounds per square metre. But for Umm Ahmad`s conservative Muslim family, no proper windows means no privacy. Synthetic canvas billows in the wind, "so my daughters and I can only change our clothes in the bathroom or in the hallways so our neighbours don`t see us", the 52-year-old woman said. Privacy "is something really sacred for Aleppan families". Across the frontline in Aleppo`s rebel-held east, shopkeeper Ali Makansi recounts sitting in his grocery store one day "when a mortar shell crashed into the roof of a nearby building". "Because the explosion was so powerful, an entire window pane fell on me and cut the main nerve in my hand," said the 32-year-old whose shop is in the Al-Shaar neighbourhood. "All the houses and commercial buildings in Aleppo are using plastic now instead of glass," he said. "Plastic is cheap and won`t hurt anyone if there`s an explosion nearby." Mohammed Jokhdar, a 29-year-old Arabic language teacher, sent his family to Turkey after his brother was killed in shelling last year. He lives alone in his apartment in Bustan al-Qasr district where he has covered the windows with sheets of transparent plastic. "But the plastic doesn`t protect from the weather and sometimes water leaks through. It doesn`t block the noise either -- I feel like I`m in the street." Abu Omar, 69, who lives in Tariq al-Bab neighbourhood, also complains about the noise and water leaks. But "the biggest problem is the street cats... They tear the plastic and come into my home looking for food."

Life behind plastic in Syria`s window-less city

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