A team of junior reporters from the gobar times went to dingy corners and streets of Jungpura to interview rag-pickers, entered unknown territories int he recycling units of Narela industrial area, saw the hand-made paper recycling unit in Aurobindo Ashram, interviewed Mr Ratra, a plastic consultant for Reliance, consumers, shopkeepers and NGOs. A synopsis:

The ragpickers
The bunch of rag-pickers had a certain charisma about them. They knew a lot and were very aware of the issues concerning plastics. They were also rebellious against the restrictions, misdemeanour of people, miserable working conditions and envisaged a bleak future for themselves, Making a living out of malodorous garbage , empty cans and throw-away plastics, they were pleading the government to introduce reforms for their welfare. The philosphical Mohammad Badal said that it was because of their impoverished family and deplorable state that they collect and segregate garbage. Chintan, the NGO they are working with, supported their cause and made them emerge in the society as persons who were identified and accepted by the people. The awareness level of the rag-pickers amazed us. Santoo told us in an enthusiastic and resentful voice, "PVC is used in wires and when burnt produces harmful (carcinogenic) substances. Chips packets cannot be recycled. Every time a plastic is recycled its quality deteriorates (downcycling). Landfills in Ghazipur, Okhla and Bhalaswar are not lined which results in leaching. His advice: In households there should be two dustbins - wet things (organic) in one, dry things (inorganic) in another. God! Don’t they know a lot. THe prospect of those educated, humble rag-pickers replacing shopkeepers and being environmentalists did not seem a far fetched possibility.

Consumers
Iona Kappoor, a housewife ‘If a shopkeeper gives me commodities in a plastic bag, I can’t refuse. Nor can I carry a jute bag because it’s too much of an effort. Actually, stringent laws have to be passed by the government for anything concrete to be done.’ On being asked about Plast-India, Debi, an editor, replied, ‘I don’t know about Plast-India. If jute bags replaced plastic bags, I’m certainly willing to pay more. I would like to join hands with CSE against plastics.’

It was surprising to know that consumers and shopkeepers like Rakesh Gupta, owner of a gift packaging shop in Khan Market, are not fully informed about the bad side of plastics. Bisphenol A, PET were additives unheard of.

Mr Ratra and Toxics Link, anNGO
The contradiction was all too apparent. The tergiversating replies, false conceptions and empty talks were conspicuous. Mr Sanjay from Toxics Link insisted that plastics do not degrade easily and persist almost forever, slowly releasing chemicals. The additives used to give colour to plastics are endocrine disruptors. If jute or bamboo products are used, it will generate agricultural employment to about 50 lakh people. Dioxins, released when chlorinated compounds burn, are deadly. Mr. Ratra, a consultant with Reliance, was perceived as rigid, unrelenting and prejudiced person yet convincing and gentle. He was all for plastics.

"Common plastics do not contain additives, for example, bisphenol A isn't present in cups. PVC, considered harmful, is used in blood bags and has been medically approved. In the last-stage when plastic becomes polythene it has to be incinerated." Right now, India doesn’t have an incinerating plant. On being asked incisive questions he reverted to his tactics of - "Well, twenty years ago...".

All in all, it’s a labrynth. You don’t know where you stand, neither do you know the way out. Somebody says this and somebody contradicts. You don’t know who to believe. Trapped in the plastic mould.