‘Sudden’ ban on plastics worries beverage distributors

DIMAPUR — The government of Nagaland's efforts to ban single-use plastics in the past might not have yielded the expected results, but it has not deterred it from imposing a complete ban on all single-use plastic carry bags, regardless of thickness, as well as plastic bottles smaller than one litre intended for water and soft drinks, effective August 1, 2024.

While speaking to various distributors and suppliers of packaged drinking water and soft drinks in Dimapur, it was found that their concerns primarily included the limited time given to them and that some were unaware of the ban on soft drinks.

Akash Debnath, one of the main distributors of packaged drinking water in Dimapur, told Eastern Mirror that they received the information suddenly, without sufficient time to assess the situation and that they had already invested a significant amount of money.

He said that the government's sudden order to ban packaged drinking water below one litre has created challenges and expressed concerns about the difficulty of clearing the stock of 500 ml and 300 ml packaged drinking water within just a few days, which could result in substantial financial losses.

Opining that if the government aims to address plastic usage, the ban should cover all plastic materials available in the market, Debnath noted that nearly all plastic bottles are collected by ragpickers, while plastic bags are widely littered.

He also explained that 300 ml and 500 ml water bottles are commonly used at parties and gatherings where one-litre bottles are impractical, and that customers share this perspective.

He mentioned that it will also be expensive for customers, who would have to spend at least INR 15 to INR 20 to quench their thirst and noted that people generally prefer 500 ml drinking water bottles. He also suggested that extending the ban date would be very helpful, as it would provide time to manage the stock available.

Stating that approximately 1,000 to 2,000 sets of 300 ml and 500 ml drinking water bottles are sold per day, he informed that at wholesale, a set of 500 ml bottles, which consists of 15 bottles, is sold for INR 83, while a set of 300 ml bottles, containing 24 pieces, sells for INR 105.

According to him, the government could implement a system where manufacturers or distributors are required to buy back disposed bottles at a fixed rate. He pointed out that all plastic bottles are recyclable, unlike plastic bags, which present a different case.

He explained that they purchase packaged drinking water in bulk and invest in raw materials at their manufacturing unit in Assam, which must be ordered 15 days in advance based on demand. Therefore, with the short timeframe to manage their stockpile, they would undoubtedly incur losses, and it would also hamper their workers in the warehouse.

Ramesh, a wholesaler of packaged drinking water, condemned the practice of disposing of empty bottles in the drainage. He noted that the sudden ban on plastic bottles would have a significant impact on their business.

A rice wholesaler who also sells packaged drinking water, located on GS Road, mentioned that they do not purchase drinking water bottles in large quantities, so their existing stock will be sold off within one or two days without issues. However, he said that shop owners who specialise solely in selling drinking water bottles and soft drinks might face significant problems.

Sharma, a wholesaler of packaged drinking water and soft drinks located on GS Road, expressed concern about whether he would be able to sell the stock of soft drinks below one litre by August 1.

Sharma also mentioned that most manufacturers of soft drinks and packaged drinking water are based in Assam. So, when the ban takes effect in Nagaland on August 1, the prices of these products in the neighbouring state might decrease.