Now, carefully remove the layer of We often use plastic bags to store

paste from the frame, spread it on a sheet cooked food items. Sometimes these bags
of newspaper in the sun. Keep the may not be suitable for keeping eatables.
corners of the newspaper sheet pressed Consuming food packed in such plastic
by putting some weights so that these bags could be harmful to our health.
do not curl up. Many a time shopkeepers use plastic
You can add food colour, pieces of bags that have been used earlier for
dry leaves or flower petals or pieces of some other purpose. Sometimes bags
coloured paper in the paste before collected by rag pickers are also used
spreading it. It would help you to get a after washing them. Use of such recycled
recycled paper with beautiful patterns plastic bags to keep food items could be
on it. harmful for our health. For storing
Can we recycle everything, just as we eatables we must insist on use of plastic
recycle paper? bags that are approved for such a use.
All kind of plastics give out harmful
16.5 PLASTICS – BOON OR A CURSE?
gases, upon heating or burning. These
Some kind of plastics can be recycled,
gases may cause many health problems,
but, not all of them. Did you notice
including cancer, in humans. The
that polythene bags and some plastics
government has also laid down
did not rot in Activity 1? You might now
guidelines for recycling of plastics.
easily understand why polythene bags
create a big problem in garbage disposal.
It may be a little difficult to imagine Paheli would like to suggest that
our life without plastics. Shall we list a containers used for storing
few things we use that are made of poisonous substances should
plastics? Toys, shoes, bags, pens, be recycled separately and that
combs, tooth brushes, buckets, bottles, such recycled plastics
and water pipes — the list is very long. are not used to make
Can you name a few parts of a bus, car, plastic bags.
radio, television, refrigerator and a
scooter that are made of plastics? You must have noticed that people
The use of plastics in itself might not often fill garbage in plastic bags and
create so much of a problem. Problems then throw it away. When stray animals
arise when we use plastics excessively look for food in these bags, they end up
and are ignorant about ways of swallowing these. Sometimes, they die
disposing their waste. This is what is due to this.
happening all around us! We might even The plastic bags thrown away
be acting irresponsibly, knowing well carelessly on roads and other places get
about its harmful effects. into drains and the sewer system. As a

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result, drains get choked and the water 6. We do not put garbage in plastic bags
spills on the roads. During heavy rains, and throw it away.
it might even create a flood like situation. 7. We use vermicomposting at home and
There is a lot of harm that too much use deal with our kitchen waste usefully.
of plastics can do! 8. We recycle paper.
What can we do to minimise over use 9. We use both sides of the paper to
of plastics and deal with garbage? write. We use a slate for rough work.
1. We make a minimum use of plastic
We use blank sheets of paper left in
bags. We re-use the bags whenever it
our notebooks for rough work.
is possible to do so without any
10.We make our family, friends and
adverse affects.
others to follow proper practices for
2. We insist shopkeepers use paper
disposing different kinds of wastes.
bags. We carry a cloth or a jute bag
when we go out for shopping. Think about some more ways to
3. We do not use plastic bags to store minimise overuse of plastics and
eatables. discuss.
4. We do not throw plastic bags here The most important point to know
and there, after use. and think about is that — more garbage
5. We never burn plastic bags and other we generate, more difficult it will be to
plastic items. get rid of it.

Waste
Let us refuse
Garbage
plastic.
Landfill
Compost
Ver micomposting
Recycling

n Landfill is an area where the garbage collected from a city or town is

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 n The method of making compost from kitchen garbage using redworms is
called vermicomposting.
n Paper can be recycled to get useful products.
n Plastics cannot be converted into less harmful substances by the process
of composting.
n We need to generate less waste and find ways of dealing with the increasing
amount of garbage in our surroundings.

1. (a) Which kind of garbage is not converted into compost by the redworms?
(b) Have you seen any other organism besides redworms, in your pit? If yes, try
to find out their names. Draw pictures of these.
2. Discuss :
(a) Is garbage disposal the responsibility only of the government?
(b) Is it possible to reduce the problems relating to disposal of garbage?
3. (a) What do you do with the left over food at home?
(b) If you and your friends are given the choice of eating in a plastic plate or a
banana leaf platter at a party, which one would you prefer and why?
4. (a) Collect pieces of different kinds of paper. Find out which of these can be
recycled.
(b) With the help of a lens look at the pieces of paper you collected for the above
question. Do you see any difference in the material of recycled paper and a
new sheet of paper ?
5. (a) Collect different kinds of packaging material. What was the purpose for which
each one was used? Discuss in groups.
(b) Give an example in which packaging could have been reduced?
(c) Write a story on how packaging increases the amount of garbage.
6. Do you think it is better to use compost instead of chemical fertilisers? Why?

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