TN School Girls Fight Plastic, Send Back 20000+ Waste Wrappers to Manufacturers!

Thanks to the widespread penetration of plastic, the sad reality is that you will rarely come across public and private spaces without any plastic content at all. Wrappers, poly bags and broken household articles, have unfortunately become an indispensable part of our lives.

Understanding that the perils of plastic could have severe consequences to our environment, various individuals, non-profit and even government organisations are now implementing initiatives that aim to considerably cut down on single-use plastics and introduce more eco-friendly alternatives for public use.

But these students of Subbiah Vidyalayam Girls Higher Secondary School in Thoothukudi have set a stellar example that most of us adults should take inspiration from and implement in our own lives.

In an initiative mooted by the City Corporation that intended to address the issue of packaged consumables with their manufacturing companies through schools, the school girls collected 20,244 wrappers of all the packaged food items that they had consumed in approximately two weeks.

They then sent these wrappers back to the respective manufacturers along with a note that said, “We are happy with the taste and quality of your products, but unhappy with the plastic packaging. We want to ensure a safe environment for our future generations and minimise our plastic footprint. We have decided to collect used plastic wrappers of your products and send them to you for safe disposal. Please help us savour your products without guilt, by introducing eco-friendly packaging.”

About 10,660 wrappers belonged to leading food products company, Britannia, while Nabati, a company which manufactures wafers, came next with 3,412 wrappers. These were sent back to these companies with the help of Alby John Varghese, the Corporation Commissioner of Thoothukudi.

You may also like: How 5 Tamil Nadu Kids Made an Innovative Eco Roof for Their School Toilet Using Plastic Bottles

In his letter to the companies, Varghese mentioned that producers, importers and brand owners were wholly responsible for collecting plastic waste left by their products, as per section 9 of the Plastic Waste Management Rule, 2016 and that the Corporation expects these companies to come up with an action plan for collecting used wrappers that can be implemented in two months.

“The exercise by the students was a grand success. We will extend the practice to other corporation and private schools,” the commissioner told the Times of India.

(Edited by Gayatri Mishra)

Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: [email protected]
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!

Found Value in This Story?Pay What You Can to Support Impactful Journalism

If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.

Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-

₹201
₹501
₹1001

By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let’s ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.

Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?