Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Ban no solution

Sir, __ We are grateful for the May 11 rejoinder of A. N. Bhat, Director-General, Indian Centre for Plastics, to your thought-provoking Editorial ``A Welcome step'' (May 9) vis-a-vis the proposed Tamil Nadu Plastics Bill.

Mr. Bhat has exploded the myth on toxicity of plastics. The widely-used packing material is made of polyethelene or polypropylene, which, in turn, is made from carbon and hydrogen. There is no toxicity in them. As for burning plastics, it is not true that by inhaling the fumes, deformed children will be born or the incidence of cancer will increase.

Mr. Bhat has rightly pointed out that plastics have gained universal acceptance because of their flexibility, performance and economics. Articles of daily use are made to appear cleaner and the articles sold to our poorer children on the doorstep of schools are free from flies. Environmental strategies can be achieved by environmental education, and not by legal enforcement.

Dr. S. Kameswaran,

Chennai

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