ADVANTAGES:
1. Clean cities
2. Clean environment
3. Employment
4. Energy at low cost
5. Scientific recycling
6. Low cost recycling
7. More virgin polymer use
8. Better cash flow
9. More industry opportunities
10.Save government bans/myths
11.Propaganda against plastics
12.Better opportunity to educate citizens
13.Create awareness for plastics being user friendly
14.No burden on any government body
15.Arrest waste of money to counter attacks

Everyone involved in the plastics industry should ponder over the usefulness of such a proposal which can be enforced only through common and cooperative efforts of all Associations, Govt. bodies, processors and producers connected with the promotion of plastics.

1) Clean cities:

The onus of keeping our cities clean lies on the citizens. Municipal Corporations/authorities are the Govt. bodies involved in keeping the cities clean. If citizens cannot discipline themselves in disposal of waste and if industry has created such volumes of plastics waste that are unmanageable by municipal corporations, the industry should take up the responsibility to clean up the mess with the cooperation of the citizens. Hence, the Waste Management Organisation (WMO) can play a major role in keeping the cities and environment clean.

2) Clean environment:

Every citizen needs clean environment for a healthy living. This necessity has never been more greatly felt before than today. Only if people discipline themselves to keep their surroundings clean, will the streets and the city be clean. The mess created by us needs to be cleant by us and hence the importance of awareness, education and discipline which all can be channeled with the help of WMO.

3) Employment:

We are fortunate to have a very large population. This large population is also a liability on society because of widespread unemployment. The WMO can perform a great act of social service by using the services of the unemployed labourers and educated youth. Already much has been written about the great service provided by rag pickers to comfort citizens and municipal corporations but this group of people are exploited and work in extremely unhygienic conditions. Therefore, it is our responsibility to uplift their living standards and bind their working into a task force which provides a clean city and environment and healthy living to all including them. Very rough estimates suggests that the WMO could easily employ around 800,000 people and in turn provide food and shelter to 4 times this figure at an average of 4 dependents per earning hand.

4) Energy at low cost:

It has been scientifically proven that energy generated from plastics waste material is of very high quality and low cost. However, it is important that to make a large-scale generation unit viable consistency of quality and quantity of the inputs must be maintained and hence with this entire operation, high quality energy generation at low cost is very viable.

5) Scientific recycling:

I hear figures that are amusing like 50,000 recycling units operating in small dingy premises mostly as unregistered industrial units. What kind of quality can you expect out of such small cost units without any technical support or knowledge of polymers? It is imperative that if the plastic industry has to rid itself of the shame and scars of poor quality performance and usefulness, attention be paid to technology, quality, and some amount of R&D especially in the recycling sector. I know, many people will protest as it would affect their livelihood but their livelihood and interests can be better protected by WMO in other activities and they can still have large scale recycling with focused attention on end products backed by quality and R&D.

6) Low cost recycled products:

Many of the products listed above in this article can be produced by simple processing systems using quality recycled polymers or mingled recycled compounds. Their bulk production can supply the markets with low cost products, which can offset the need for cutting trees and forests and utilising our natural resources.

7) More virgin polymer use:

With more and more low quality material being discarded and incinerated for generation of energy, there will be a direct upward growth in virgin polymer demand that will be beneficial for producing quality products and increase the consumption of virgin polymers. If 60% of our Polymers are recycled, imagine what quantum of material would be required to compensate this large volume if even half of this is consumed in energy generation!

8) Better cash flow:

With proper management, quality and work force available for waste management, better cash flow would obviously be available for the industry in all areas of operations whether it be virgin materials, processing units, recycled materials, energy generation and municipal/civic organisations.

9) More industry opportunities:

Creating better awareness, living standards, waste management and new products, will together offer more industrial opportunities in areas of recycling, energy and power generation, more polymer availability for new industries and more industries dependent on low cost quality recycled materials. It is a win-win situation for all concerned.

10) Save Govt. bans/myths:

NGO's and Govt. bodies are declaring bans on plastics industrial units on various pretexts. All our energies are directed to react and fight these negative myths about plastics, which actually are user friendly materials. If we can clean our cities and environments, why would there be any need for bans or confrontations. We should help the authorities in lifting bans and implementing healthy lifestyles. This would automatically put an end to the harassment caused to distributors and retailers by authorities even in the matter of gauge and thickness of material sold for packaging. The unprecedented growth and convenience caused by plastics to every citizen has raised eyebrows and the situation needs to be corrected by the plastics industry itself.

11) Propaganda against plastics:

We have slept comfortably while others have worked overtime to create awareness and project the false myths about plastics. We have not communicated with the people in plastics, people using plastics and people governing the plastics industry, we should therefore wake up and propagate the facts now. The most effective method of communication is listening. We must listen and find viable and stable solutions to the negative attacks on the plastics industry. But before attempting all these, we must be ready to listen and accept the fact that we have not managed disposal of plastics in the country in a scientific and healthy manner. And hence, it is necessary to put our heads together, create a national workforce to clean up the mess created by us and sustain it. If vest shaped low gauge carry bags were a target, the advertisements, neonsigns and propaganda today are all screaming "BAN PLASTICS" - - - BEWARE