Uphill task of reducing dependency on polythene bags

The Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) has announced that the free distribution of polythene bags, generally referred to as ‘sili-sili’ bags, will be prohibited starting from today (1 November).

In a gazette notification, the CAA said bags made of low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and linear low-density polyethylene (LDPE) must not be provided free of charge.

Businesses will be required to prominently display the price of these bags at their premises and it is mandatory for vendors to indicate the price of shopping bags on bills issued to consumers. It is hoped that once consumers are asked to pay for these bags, they will be encouraged to carry their own bags to the market and thus lessen the dependency on sili-sili bags.

This is not the first time that attempts have been made to limit the use of sili-sili bags, which are widely used in the country. Successive Governments have attempted to limit the use of such bags but after an initial success, it has always been back to business as usual.

The amount of sili sili bags released by Sri Lankans to the environment amounts to two billion bags per year according to some studies and this causes significant damage to both our drinking water sources and to the ocean.

A recent Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) article said the country generates over 1.6 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, of which an estimated 70% is SUPs. It quoted a recent study which estimated that Sri Lanka disposed of 20 million yoghurt cups, 15 million lunch sheets, 20 million supermarket bags, and one million sachet packets of sauce, jam, and shampoo monthly.

According to studies conducted internationally, the accumulation of plastic waste in the global ecosystem poses a significant environmental challenge, particularly from low-density and linear low-density polyethylene (LDPE and LLDPE).

These widely used thermoplastics are prevalent in packaging, construction, automotive, electronics, agriculture, and other consumer goods, contributing significantly to plastic pollution due to their durability and resistance to degradation.

According to a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), to slash plastic pollution by 80% globally by 2040, eliminating problematic and unnecessary plastics to reduce the size of the problem is necessary.

The report calls for three market shifts – reuse, recycle and reorient and diversify products.

These include promoting reuse options, including refillable bottles, bulk dispensers, deposit-return-schemes, packaging take-back schemes, etc.; which can reduce 30% of plastic pollution by 2040. To realise its potential, Governments must help build a stronger business case for reusable products.

Reducing plastic pollution by an additional 20% by 2040 can be achieved if recycling becomes a more stable and profitable venture. Removing fossil fuel subsidies, enforcing design guidelines to enhance recyclability, and other measures would increase the share of economically recyclable plastics from 21 to 50%.

Careful replacement of products such as plastic wrappers, sachets and takeaway items with products made from alternative materials (such as paper or compostable materials) can deliver an additional 17% decrease in plastic pollution.

Though successive Governments have signed up to international conventions and also made regulations locally, the problems of overuse of polythene/plastic remains. While Governments may be committing to such goals, the lack of interest by the public to reduce, recycle and reuse such items adds to the problem.

While it’s one thing to announce a ban on use of sili-sili bags or other forms of plastic, there must be wider awareness programs so that there is public commitment to ensure such attempts do not go to waste. Saving the environment should be a collective goal and there must be a commitment from all to ensure that such programs are a success.