Bag it: tackling pervasive plastics in T.N.

Koyambedu Wholesale Market in Chennai bustles with activity, despite a ban on single-use plastics in Tamil Nadu.

The Koyambedu Wholesale Market in Chennai, one of Asia’s largest wholesale flower and vegetable markets, hums with activity on a busy weekday morning. Truckloads of goods pour in as workers unload bags of vibrant flowers in bright blue plastic covers. Elsewhere, as evening falls, people head home after work. Along the way, many stop at roadside carts to buy vegetables. A woman reaches into her handbag, only to realise that she’s forgotten to bring a carry bag. She asks the vendor for a plastic cover, but he shakes his head. Just as she begins to walk away, he pulls a stash hidden under his cart and hands her a flimsy plastic cover.

It has been six years since the Tamil Nadu government enforced a ban on single-use plastics (SUPs). The ban on products such as carry bags, food wrapping sheets, plastic plates, straws, and pouches came into force on January 1, 2019. It is aimed at reducing the growing environmental and health hazards posed by plastic waste. The harmful impact of plastics is no longer deniable, as plastic waste chokes waterways, clogs storm water drains, and contributes to flooding. The environmental toll is severe, affecting wildlife and polluting ecosystems. Yet, a casual walk through any street or market in the State will likely show these items in circulation.

S. Manickam, a 50-year-old pushcart vendor, describes the challenge in avoiding SUPs. “I don’t earn much in a day, and if I don’t sell the produce, it will go to waste. What can I do?” A. Ajmir, a meat shop owner in Chennai, says, “No one comes with their own container for meat, so I have no choice but to give them the black covers. I try to keep it to two per customer.” Notably, there has been some progress in reducing the use of plastics over the past few years. While supermarket chains and restaurants have largely shifted from SUPs, these items are commonly encountered in everyday life. C. Thiruvettai, president of the Street Vendors Association, Chennai district, says there is a misconception that most plastic waste in cities and towns comes from roadside vendors. He says the plastic covers distributed by street vendors account for a small fraction of the waste, which is largely from pre-packaged products made by large corporations.

Pointing to the irony in carrying cloth bags for buying products packed in plastic covering, Mr. Thiruvettai says there has been a significant cultural shift towards consumption since industries took over production, distribution, and sales. In the past, most people bought goods in small quantities from street vendors, and items were often sold loose, wrapped in newspapers or leaves, but it is not the case now, he says. He acknowledges that while the use of plastic cover decreased in the first few years of the ban, it has increased among street vendors in recent years, partly owing to lax enforcement by the police.

To support implementation of the ban and promote the use of alternatives, the government launched Meendum Manjappai on December 23, 2021. The campaign is meant to raise awareness of plastic pollution, encourage the use of cloth bags, and enforce the ban on SUPs. The term is a hark-back reference to the ubiquitous yellow cloth bag people carried for shopping. As part of the campaign, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board has installed manjappai vending machines at public places, collaborated with self-help groups to produce cloth bags, and inspected shops for plastic use. A 2024 study on the efficacy of the campaign, conducted by the Citizen Consumer and Civic Action Group (CAG) with 1,632 respondents in eight districts, showed that a major challenge in switching to the alternatives is that they are often expensive and hard to find. People in urban as well as rural areas face similar issues — plastics are easily available, but alternatives are not. Market vendors, though aware of the dangers of plastics and the ban, rely on SUP bags owing to customer demand and the high cost of the alternatives. “Can one see water packets anywhere these days? Or thermocol plates,” asks S. Chandrasekaran, an environmental engineer of the TNPCB. He sees in this the success of the ban, so far, in removing these two products from use.

In Ramanathapuram, the opening of the Rameswaram-Dhanushkodi-Arichalmunai Road brought a significant influx of plastic waste to the ecologically sensitive marine environment. In June 2023, Jagdish Bakan, District Forest Officer at the time, established a ‘plastic checkpoint’ at the Gulf of Mannar Biosphere Reserve, with the involvement of the local community, to prevent unnecessary plastics getting into the eco-sensitive zone. Vehicles are inspected for plastic, items are collected, and tourists receive eco-friendly cloth bags. An environment fee of ₹20 per four-wheeler funds the initiative, while the plastic is recycled for road construction, generating revenue, and promoting sustainability. “The initiative brought about a considerable, visible reduction in plastics,” Mr. Bakan says.

Despite such initiatives, enforcement remains inconsistent, particularly in regions like The Nilgiris. Shobana Chandrashekar, convener of the Make Ooty Beautiful Project, says the enforcement of the ban was strict until about two years ago, largely because locals who supported it kept up the pressure on the authorities. “It’s tiring,” she says, adding that three Collectors changed in the past two years. “At some point, the effort needs to be self-sustaining.” She adds that district administrators must recognise the positive impact of the ban on the environment and take measures to maintain it.