Tarun Kundu, Kesoram Rayon, Nayasarai, Hooghly, West Bengal

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   Since the inception, the Human civilization has crossed from Stone Age to today's Steel age. But now, most probably the steel has even been outdated. It won't be any exaggeration if we call the present as the ‘Age of Plastic’. Plastic is a common terminology covering innumerous varieties of material but they have a common feature of same origin i.e. petroleum or derived naphtha and of course of the polymeric nature. Plastic has the versatile capability of exhibiting any kind of property desired out of it. It may be soft or hard, tough or elastic, foam or spongy, thread or sheet, hollow or solid, tube or bar and products can be tailored of any shape and utility. This magical quality has promoted plastic to permeate every facet of human life.
   A few elaborations may tell us not only how aggressively plastic is pushing off traditional materials like wood, stone, metal or natural fiber but also how it is helping in improving our living and lifestyle. We may take the instances in healthcare sector where ailing heart valve or hip joints are replaced by plastic ones. Blood bag, syringes, surgical instruments and gloves, artificial limbs, catheter, artificial skin and all sterile products used in medical fields find no alternative than plastic. With the advent of plastic, the whole definition of packaging has been changed. Packaging design is now as per the delivery condition required for the product; be it rigid for protection, flexible for convenience, opaque or transparent. Wide variety of shapes and sizes with amazing look excellent printability for necessary product information. Earlier, huge amount of crops were reported to be wasted for want of adequate packaging and storage. Plastic packaging is now an answer to it. About one billion of world population is devoid of adequate potable water and 35 % of death in the developing countries is due to water borne diseases. Plastic pipes filters, containers are now contributing in a large way by providing these basic amenities.
   Plastic has now made itself indispensable in automobile sectors and land, water and forest conservation, energy saving by light weight and even in space technology. This is an endless story. The essence lies in its contribution in economic growth of the country. Probably the great threat to human civilization lies in the fact of excellence that plastic bears on itself. Plastic by nature is non- bio-degradable. The plastic waste or disposed plastic after utility is terminated can retain its material characteristics for hundreds of years. The huge accumulation of plastic wastes over the years, especially in an unorganized fashion is now posing challenge to our environment. The indiscriminate littering of plastic waste is making the land unavailable for meaningful uses. Waste disposed to water is putting the aquatic life in danger, and then what is the way out? Recycling of waste may be one of them. But all plastics are not recyclable. Even segregation of recyclable parts of the waste material is not mostly viable. Making plastic biodegradable by addition of additive is one of the solutions. But this phenomenon is not common for all resins of the polymers and needs. Wide research on this is ongoing to attract the optimum efficiency. Incineration of plastics generates toxic gases.
   Now time has come when a national policy is required for controlling the plastic waste. Integrated waste management, recycling of plastic by adopting latest technology may alleviate the situation. Converting the waste tor fuel for energy, depolymerization, using as highway fillers and more innovations are coming up to save the situation. Governments of every country are putting up regulations in disposal of plastics. A plastic carry packet below 20 microns is banned. An awareness program by the municipals and panchayats and use of plastic litter bins to collect and segregation at source is the need of the hour. After all, a cohesive effort at all levels is required for proper disposal of plastic waste to make plastic an integral part of sustainable development.

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