Maharashtra's rushed ban

War on plastics needs careful planning

The Maharashtra government's decision to ban the manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials is unexceptionable in terms of intent. This must be done to mitigate the generation of toxic waste. Though India has a low per capita consumption, it is still a major contributor to global toxicity due to poor waste management practices and the sheer size of the population.  Apart from choking India's landmass, contaminating drinking water, killing animals, plastics flowing down India's rivers are estimated to contribute as much as 60 per cent of global ocean contamination. As such, it is imperative that alternatives be