Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Mumbai Bans Plastic Bags, Bottles, and Single-Use Plastic Containers (theguardian.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the cease-and-desist dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Guardian: Mumbai has the become the largest Indian city to ban single-use plastics, with residents caught using plastic bags, cups or bottles to face penalties of up to 25,000 rupees (~$365) and three months in jail from Monday. Council inspectors in navy blue jackets have been posted across the city to catch businesses or residents still using plastic bags. Penalties have already kicked in for businesses and several, reportedly including a McDonald's and Starbucks, have already been fined. Penalties range from 5,000 rupees (~$73) for first-time offenders to 25,000 rupees (~$365) and the threat of three months' jail for those caught repeatedly using single-use plastics.

3 of 174 comments (clear)

  1. When an Indian city is more progressive... by losfromla · · Score: 1, Interesting

    than every city in the USA. What are we number one at again?

    --
    Only I can judge you.
    1. Re:When an Indian city is more progressive... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      So basically the law is forcing people to carry their groceries in plastic bags that are much thicker than necessary.

      No, the law isn't forcing you to do that ... your inability to buy yourself some re-usable grocery bags is.

      My wife and I have a stack of them, folded up and kept inside one of them ... when we go for groceries, we bring the bag because otherwise we'd have to pay for them. I think we paid about $0.99 each reusable bag, and they've all been used dozens if not hundreds of times, making their cost per use practically nothing after all these years.

      We've had some of those reusable bags for a decade or so, and while on keels over every now and then, they've been pretty durable. As I recall, they're actually made from recycled soda bottles, and then they've been reused for years and washed as needed.

      I suppose it could be worse. Not so long ago Germany thought that the key to solving their problems was sending Jews to the gas chambers.

      Are you seriously trying to equate being too stupid and lazy to buy some reusable bags so you don't have to pay 10 cents for a thicker plastic bag with the fucking holocaust? Really?

      The law isn't forcing you to use thicker plastic bags, your own stupidity is. Bringing your own bags to the grocery store is hardly a taxing prospect.

    2. Re:When an Indian city is more progressive... by CipherBandit · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Although I use them to save money, I don't agree with the idea that cloth reusable grocery bags are the way to go to reduce resource usage. I can definitely agree that they reduce litter which is an important consideration as well. There have been studies that show it is vitally important to regularly wash reusable grocery bags to prevent cross contamination of groceries purchased, along with any surfaces the bags come in contact with. The overwhelming majority of RGB users don't do this. Aside from health risks of this, an emergency trip to the hospital likely costs far more resources than you'd save in a lifetime of re-using bags, and while motivated individuals may be vigilant against cross contamination, the population as a whole will not be which makes forcing this as the only cost-effective strategy to grocery shop somewhat short sighted.