The smallest of pollutants seems to have slipped through the net of the State’s ambitious effort to curb the use of plastic.
The ban on plastic, which came into effect in March, included miniscule particles of plastic polymers — barely a few millimetres in diameter — which are commonly found in cosmetics, body scrubs and even toothpastes. With this, Karnataka became the first State in the country to ban microbeads — a decision that had been previously taken by economically advanced countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom.
Despite the headstart, the ban, it seems, is only on paper, as officials remain unprepared for enforcement.
“We have had discussions on the topic, but enforcement has been deferred. Manufacturers are in discussions with the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF), which is studying alternatives for microbeads. We will await directions from them,” said Lakshman, chairman of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board, which has spearheaded implementation of the ban.
Suresh N. Hari, honorary secretary, Karnataka State Plastics Association, said microbeads are not manufactured in the State; they are brought from other States.
There is inadequate research on microbeads in the State and the country. However, international studies have shown that microplastics have adverse toxicological and physical effects on marine life. A 2014 study estimated that the world’s oceans contain nearly 35,000 tonnes of microplastics.
Genesis of the banThe ban on microbeads was seemingly an afterthought. The draft notification published on October 29, 2015 did not mention microbeads. It was included in the final notification in March following suggestions from the public.
“Prohibiting microbeads was a good step, but lack of implementation shows weaknesses in the regulatory system. At least, people are becoming aware of the issue. The government should work with industry to deal with the problem,” said T.V. Ramachandra, researcher, Indian Institute of Science.
