Marine scientists from California are venturing this week to the middle of the North Pacific for a study of plastic debris accumulating across hundreds of miles (km) of open sea dubbed the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch."

Shimla: The government is likely to go slow on the proposed ban on plastics in view of the issues raised by various sections of the people who will be affected by the decision.

Power and Environment Minister Aleixo Sequeira told the House that there is already a ban on the sale of plastic flags.
He was replying to the issue of plastic flags used on national days, raised during Zero Hour by Fatorda MLA Damu Naik (BJP).

The best option is, of course, recycling in an environmentally sound manner. But it is also a fact that most civic bodies fail to collect and dispose waste. Instead of implementing techno logical innovations States such as Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, West Bengal other than Delhi have banned the use of plastic bags.

Considering the steps taken by other States, the Tamil Nadu government should seriously consider banning the use of plastic bags and other plastic material up to 60 microns as an immediate step, the Madras High Court said on Monday.

Rakesh Lohumi
The hype created by the government over the proposed ban on polythene bags and other plastic wares notwithstanding, the environemtntally-sensitive hill state has a dismal track record in solid-waste management.

The violation of ban on the use of polythene carry bags and plastic items having one-time use being imposed from August 15 will attract penalty ranging from Rs 500 to Rs 25,000, depending on the quantity of prohibited material recovered.

Shyam Ranganathan

Come August 1, and the villagers of Chinchinim will launch an ambitious plan to make the village plastic free.
Wednesday saw the garbage management Committee of Chinchinim village Panchayat on Wednesday organising a rally with school students to create awareness amongst the villagers on the issue of garbage and the ill effects of the use of plastic.

Brazil will send 89 shipping containers of garbage, rotting and maggot-infested, back to Britain and has issued $419,000 in fines to the three Brazilian companies that imported it, the government said on Monday.