“The move was led by our own green initiative. Nonetheless reports that plastics aren’t fully bio-degradable also influenced our decision,” an Apollo Group representative recounted. Billimoria added that these ( oxo-degradable ) bags do more harm nature, as these break in little flakes and get mixed in soil and water.

These miniscule flakes don’t degrade and get into our food chain, he claims. The retail industry, one of the major users of plastic bags, also faces the difficulty of counterfeits. Indian advertising watch dog Advertising Standards Council of India ( Asci ) asserted it had latterly heard issues over the issue but was yet to get a formal complaint. To keep the counterfeits in check, Earth Soul, with other certificated compostable bag makers, is now forming an organisation of compostable bag makers.

The environment ministry came out with the plastic ( turn out, use and waste product management ) rules in 2011. The guidelines outline compostable as the plastic that undergoes degradation by biological process during composting to yield CO2, water, inorganic compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other known compostable materials and doesn’t leave tangible, discernible or poisonous remains. For testing this plastic, the guidelines have prescribed the BIS baseline. For a compostable plastic, the baseline is IS / ISO 17088:2008. In 2009, the Central Pollution Control Board ( CPCB ) tested plastic samples making a claim to be bio-degradable.

4 of the 9 samples taken from makers, eateries and hospices in and around Delhi passed the test. An expert of the plastic producing industry announced ecologically friendly bags were “not so environment friendly at the end of the day”. A lot is dependent upon where the “biodegradable” plastic ends up. If it gets buried in a rubbish heap, it possibly will not degrade at all, because there isn’t any light or oxygen. Bio-degradable plastics are the ones that will rot in natural aerobic ( composting ) and anaerobic ( rubbish heap ) environment. The Ministry of Environment and Forests asserted it wasn’t physically possible for the ministry to watch all of the bags made in the country. Hence the responsibility of monitoring the plastic rubbish was on local civic firms. All India Plastic Makers Organisation ( Aipma ) disagreed the entire idea of bio-degradable bags was a hogwash.

Even designer eco friendly bags are also available in the market. These bags are created out of 100% recycled materials. Now, it is easy to be stylish and Eco-friendly at the same time. Add an Eco-friendly bag in your collection. These bags never go out of style. It serves as your fashion statement and it says you care for the earth too. If each and every individual of earth starts using eco friendly bags then definitely we can expect the greener earth soon. All the eco-friendly bags users feel happy that you are contributing a lot to the environment.