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The Zero-Plastic Waste Campaign
Key Collaborators: PBVM, Concern for Calcutta, PUBLIC, WWF-India Discarded plastics pose a threat to human health and environment. Due to its non- biodegradable nature, littering of plastics causes irreversible damage to the environment. Waste plastics hinder the natural aeration process of the surface water bodies, choke municipal sewer lines and storm water drains and clog the bar-screens of sewage treatment plants. They interfere with various agricultural operations, prevent natural recharge of underground water and contribute to visual pollution. Consuming food wrapped in coloured plastic has adverse effects on health. Municipalities routinely receive reports of death of cows and other animals from ingesting plastic bags. Thus the overuse of the disposable plastic items, mostly the carry bags and the PET bottles, which are wasteful of resource and energy, a litter problem, a disposal problem and harmful to wildlife on land and in our waterways, needs immediate management. The zero-plastic waste campaign of the WBPCB thus includes awareness programmes involving NGOs and school students of different districts, in order to fight the problem of plastic waste in the state.
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