Plastics manufacturers protest, urge state to implement ban in 2022

As many as 13,000 people engaged in the plastic industry in the state, including owners and managers of various manufacturing units from 48 associations across the state, took part in a protest in Chepauk against the ban on single-use plastics.

Stressing that plastics were 100 per cent recyclable, the stakeholders urged the Tamil Nadu government to defer the ban on single use plastics.

Speaking to DT Next, Balaji Srinivasan, a participating member of an association, said that the State government should implement the ban in uniformity with the Central government’s plan of eliminating single-use plastic by 2022. “The point is there are no readily available alternatives for single-use plastics as on date. What the officials are now doing is harassment of the manufacturers without a plan of action. They are creating awareness on one hand and not backing it up with fool-proof and readily available substitutes,” he pointed out.

Balaji who has a clientele across the State and in the city said that many like him were staring at a bleak future. “We are not able to manufacture our products and our future is uncertain,” he said.

S Rakkappan, secretary of The Tamil Nadu Plastics Manufactures’ Association, said that without any response from the government for their representations, they have no choice but to take the legal route. “We are confident that the GO 110 will be struck down because it is discriminatory. They are doing nothing about solid waste management through its Corporations or Municipalities. Instead they are targeting manufacturers, many small and medium enterprises that will directly be affected by the ban,” he added.

Over 2 lakh people and their livelihood will be directly affected by the ban, he pointed out.