No plastic bags in Chennai
Chennai has gone the green way and is saying no to plastic bags. Recently the Supreme Court had banned the normal plastic bags and with increased awareness the demand for biodegradable and compostable plastic bags are slowly on the rise. The apex court has put a ban on plastic bags that are less than 40 microns thick. The normal plastic bags do not decompose and can stay around for years together hindering vegetation to grow on the soil. The are also the cause of nuisance as they jam drains. Thus in a effort to do away with these hassles, the apex court has initiated the ban.
The Biodegradable and compostable bags are generally made of renewable resin. These resins are obtained from potato or soyabean, bags made of these generally decompose within 90 days. The bacteria in the soil is able to consume these bags. These bags are as strong as any other plastic bags. However the prices of these bags are generally higher than that of normal bags. Manufacturers have said that though there were no takers initially but recently many people are opting to go with the bio-degradable bags.
Source: The Times of India
