A Study On The Collection Of Waste Pet Bottles: Fill & Download for Free

Well I own three of them, so I oughta know a thing or two that most don't about our feathered friends… note, I'll be discussing pet birds here. Mostly. At the end is a collection of questions I have gotten from people when I take my birds on a walk, and the sassy responses I wish I could have given.They have a bedtime.They love snuggles.They can sleep while they fly, and they can sleep with one eye open (like dolphins, they only use one half of their brain during these phases). This is from a study on I believe geese.They grind their beaks to show you they're happy, like the 3 month old on my shoulder is currently doing. Loudly. In my ear.Speaking of loudness, someone I know took a decibel meter to their sun conure. It cracked a hundred without a sweat.Birds have a preferred way to bathe. Some like their water dish, some like your water (sigh), some like the shower, or the sink; some like being spritzed with a spray bottle. They will often be terrified of any other way to bathe, or get mad at it. Such as mine, that tries to attack the sink water flow.When a bird is enjoying a shower/spritz bath, they will close their eyes and lift up their head like the main character of a cheezy romcom in the rain.Birds should not eat just seeds. Seeds are like candy. You must feed your birds pellets.Avocado will kill a bird.While discussing what kills birds, Teflon or any nonstick that is chemically similar will kill them within a minute. You do not want to watch this happen. Further, do not use lysol anywhere in the same room or preferably house as your bird. Lysol and other harsh cleaners kill birds as well.Birds poop every 15 minutes.You are not prepared for the realities of owning an animal that poops every 15 minutes, especially when said poop comes out like oil paint and stains everything.All my birds love red pellets the most. Birds have a favorite food color. Usually red.When birds poop, it is usually the color of their food. Combine this with their paint-like poop, and suddenly you have horrible red stains. Fun!People who suck like to cut their bird's flight feathers. This is like those people who declaw their cats, or kneecap their children because they don't like that they run around. Same principle. I'm only slightly salty about this one. If you don't want a pet that flies, get a cat.Birds poof up and resemble fluffy marshmallows! they also squish down and look like angry marshmallows.Birds do not like it when you poke their bellies, but it is factually proven to be the fluffiest, softest part of the bird.Birds are selfish. Especially when it comes to you poking their super fluffy belly fluff.Birds believe they are the same size as you, and have an attitude to match. You will lose battles of will with your bird.People look at you weird when you take your bird on a walk, especially when it's harnessed. Expect the weird looks to multiply the more birds you have.Birds are extremely wasteful little eaters. I suspect the way Jesus fed the five thousand was he had a couple birds on standby and gave them the bread and fish, and they left more behind than they actually ate.You can entertain a bird for hours by just giving them a close view of the outside.You haven't seen an animal throw a tantrum till you've put a harness on a bird that doesn't want it.Birds are drama queens.Birds are motivated by jealousy and spite more than any other emotion. If your bird is stuck in a tree, the advice is literally to get their least favorite person and give that person their favorite treat. The bird will guaranteed come to you.Pet birds (and birds in general that don't murder for a living) are terrible at flying straight down. You need to stand far away from them if they are stuck in a tree so that they can gently slope down to you.Some birds will wear hats willingly. Some birds would sooner die than let you put something adorable and silly on their heads, no matter how much you want it.And now for the questions I receive most often when I take my birds outside:“Did you find those out here?”Yes, in temperate America I found three tropical birds, and they willingly landed on me.“Are those yours?”No, I stole them and they willingly sit on me.“Are those birds?”Nope they're teacup raccoons. Easy mistake given how similar they look.“Do they like it outside?”No, the natural habitat of birds is houses and apartments, so the trees and sunshine terrify them.“Why don't they fly away?”They will if you keep hover handing them. Also, birds are lazy like us, and I have treats.Bonus, here's my oldest bird who likes to hide in my shirt before bedtime, and when I asked him if I'd forgotten any facts, bit my phone and closed quora, so fun fact, bird beaks react with touchscreens.EDIT: Here are some more! First one is a notice I can't believe I forgot, but something I read this morning reminded me.Do not give conures or other nibbly birds ‘happy huts.’ I want nothing else than to never ever let any conure have a happy hut, or fibrous toy to begin with, but I'll settle for happy huts. These kill conures all the time. Please avoid fluffy fuzzy toys or toys with synthetic fibrous ropey bits in general, so many tiny birds have died unnecessarily :/Some birds like to cave dive. And by cave dive, I mean run around on your bed and squish themselves under the blanket where they feel safe. Do they care if they can't breathe? Nope!Birds have a favorite toy type. One of mine loves chains, channeling his inner past life as a convict. Another will destroy wicker/seagrass all. day. Be sure to rotate toys every month or two as well as they get rather bored, and a bored bird is like a bored toddler. They amble about screaming “I'M BORED” banging into things.Birds have a least favorite toy type. This particular toy may be their arch nemesis. The one pictured up there, upon seeing a bell on a toy, will make it his life mission to destroy or otherwise remove said bell.Often you can't tell what gender birds are without using one of two surefire methods: a bloodtest, or, if you have multiple, walking out of the room for a minute and hearing your guest loudly proclaim “UM.”Some weirdo birds like it when you rub their eyelids, or will rub their eyelids on your finger of their own volition. I'm assured this is completely normal, however I believe whoever said that has never had to rub a bird eyelid so fearfully (it's their eyes afterall)/gingerly that you wouldn't disturb the whisps on a dandelion.Birds have extraordinary control over their feathers, raising and lowering them at will, often to let you know oh yes that spot right there scratch that, or, I am .01 seconds from slaying your family to the third generation if you don't give me that treat.Well that should do it. That's more bird facts than anyone could ever want to know; here's another photo of that same conure going full avocado for snuggles to make up for it.

Plastic Roads- Good or BadIntroductionPlastic use in road construction is not new. Recent studies in this direction have shown some hope in terms of using plastic waste in road construction i.e. plastic roads. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carry bags, disposable cups and PET bottles that are collected from garbage dumps as an important ingredient of the construction material. When mixed with hot bitumen, plastics melt to form an oily coat over the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the road surface like a normal tar road.What is Plastic??A plastic material is any of a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic amorphous solids used in the manufacture of industrial products. Plastics are typically polymers of high molecular mass and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs. Monomers of plastic are either natural or synthetic organic compounds.Discarded thin-plastic carry-bags are a menace. In town, they clog drains, cause flooding, choke animals that eat them and are unsightly.Strewn across fields, they block germination and prevent rainwater absorption by soil. Recycling plastic by melting releases fumes, and is only possible 3-4 times. Toxic contents might leach into recycled water pots or water-pipes. Shredded plastic is a great additive for tar roads.What are waste plastic roads?The roads constructed using waste plastic, popularly known as Plastic Roads, are found to perform better compared to those constructed with conventional bitumen. The Indian Centre for Plastics in the Environment (ICPE) has been promoting the use of plastic waste to construct asphalt roads. A few trial roads have been paved successfully by combining waste plastic with bitumen. Plastic roads mainly use plastic carry bags, disposable cups, and bottles that are collected from garbage dumps as an essential ingredient of the construction material. When mixed with hot bitumen, plastics melt to form an oily coat over the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the road surface like a normal tar road.The problem.1) Disposal of waste plastic is a major problem2) It is non-biodegradable3) Burning of these waste plastic bags causes environmental pollution.4) It mainly consists of low-density polyethylene5) To find its utility in bituminous mixes for road construction, laboratory performance studies were conducted on bituminous mixes. Laboratory studies proved that waste plastic enhances the property of the mix.6) Improvement in properties of bituminous mix provides the solution for a useful disposal of plastic waste.Advantages of using plastic in making roadsStronger road with increased Marshall Stability Value.Better resistance towards rainwater and water stagnation 18No stripping and no potholes.Increase binding and better bonding of the mix.Reduction in pores in aggregate and hence less rutting and raveling.No effect of radiation likes UV.The strength of the road is increased by 100%.The load is withstanding property increases. It helps to satisfy today’s need for increased road transport.For 1km X 3.75m road, 1 ton of plastic (10 lakh carry bags) is used, and 1 ton of bitumen is saved.Value addition to the waste plastics (cost per kilogram increased from Rs 4 to Rs12).The cost of road construction is also decreased.The maintenance cost of the road is almost nil.Disposal of waste plastic will no longer be a problem.The use of waste plastics on the road has helped to provide the better place for burying the plastic waste without causing disposal problem.Employment for unskilled laborers will be generated.Today, plastic waste treatment is largely hazardous to the environment as most of the plastic is burnt resulting in toxic gasses being released in the environment. By effectively managing the collection, separation and processing of plastic waste, the environmental damages can be limited by eliminating the waste from our streets. We can have international standard roads and pavements which are litter free. Here are economies and advantages which would accrue to various communities if the plastic road project is implemented on a wide scale.MSWM (MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT)Households and other units wrap all garbage in plastic bags and dispose of them. The non-biodegradable plastic bags acts as a covering on the trash preventing it from being converted into compost. At present, only 20% of the MSW is converted into compost. This can be considerably increased by 80-85% and more by systematically managing the plastic waste.FARMING COMMUNITYOne of the foremost areas that would directly benefit is agriculture. At present, only 20% of MSW is converted into compost. This can be converted to 80-85% once the plastic from the MSW is segregated. Farmers can directly purchase from MSWM if plastic separated.NATIONAL ECONOMYCumulative benefits to the National Economy–Environmental–Employment generation–Agricultural efficiencyWhen the life of a road is doubled, then the savings that accrue to the national exchequer are in thousands of crores. Segregating the plastic from the MSW at the municipal yard involves the application of resources, the cost of which runs into crores of rupees. A substantial amount of this can be saved.The Central Government’s annual allocation of funds towards roads and highways is approx. 35 thousand crores. Lab tests and real-time tests have revealed that the life expectancy of a plastic polymer road as compared to a normal road is at least 100% more In addition to the savings accrued at the central level, every state Municipal Solid Waste Management would save crores of rupees by eliminating the plastic segregation process at its yards.Disadvantages of plastic roadsCleaning process- Toxics present in the co-mingled plastic waste would start leaching.During the road laying process- in the presence of chlorine will release noxious HCL gas.After the road laying- It is opined that the first rain will trigger leaching. As the plastics will merely form a sticky layer, (mechanical abrasion).The components of the road, once it has been laid, are not inert.ConclusionThe generation of waste plastics is increasing day by day. The major polymers, namely polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene show adhesion property in their molten state. Plastics will increase the melting point of the bitumen. Hence, the use of waste plastics for pavement is one of the best methods for easy disposal of waste plastics.The use of the innovative technology not only strengthened the road construction but also increased the road life as well as creating a source of income. Plastic roads would be a boon for India’s hot and extremely humid climate, where temperatures frequently cross 50°C, and torrential rains create havoc, leaving most of the roads with big potholes. It is hoped that in near future we will have strong, durable and eco-friendly roads that will relieve the earth from all type of plastic waste.

On India’s 73rd Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi appealed to the citizens to make the country free of single-use plastics (SUPs) and to work towards this mission whole heartedly.Earlier this month, at the United Nations Conference on Desertification, the PM said, “I think the time has come for the world to say goodbye to single-use plastics,” while reiterating his government’s intention to phase out SUP.This has not only bought plastics in the national spotlight but has also started debates around the ban being a good proposition or bad.The 2019 Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) document on Gap Analysis of the Compliance Report Submitted by States and Union Territories remarked that states/UTs were not furnishing information (PW generation records, creating state level advisory body, framing bylaws, marking and labelling of MPLs, plastic manufacturing/recycling units etc.) regarding Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 in their jurisdiction and were not taking concrete steps to take preventive and regulatory measures envisaged under the rules.What could work?Baseline and inventoryThere is a need for a thorough analysis of environmental, social and economic impacts of SUPs. Inventorisation studies in order to estimate how much fraction of single use plastics is there in our plastic waste, how much of this fraction comprises packaging waste, cutlery items, carry bags, PET bottles, etc., are to be done.These numbers shall help assess the scale of such waste and look for a clear alternative. There needs to be an initiative at state level to push cities to inventorise their dry waste. Since the composition of our waste has changed drastically with more plastics, it is important that this be done.Only then can we which are the most problematic SUPs and assess the extent of their impact before imposing bans. Such a study has not been done so far and has now become the need of the hour.Clear definition of SUPsIt is clear that given the environmental impact of SUPs, banning them is one step in the right direction. However, for this ban to be successful, we need a clear definition of SUPs. Currently, different definitions are used by governments.Single use simply means products that are used once and then discarded. This includes a huge amount of packaging waste, including water bottles and so a clear definition is critical.Any plastic that is made from polymers of HDPE, LDPE, PET, PS, PP, EPS is single use plastics, according to the United Nations. The definition by the Government of Australia is that single-use plastic includes shopping bags, cups, straws and packaging.The IEEP’s and European Commission’s definition says single-use plastics can include any disposable plastic item designed to be used only once.Classification of singe use plasticsType of plasticUsage in percentageGeneral usagePS, PSE6.7%PS: Eyeglasses frames, Plastic cups, egg trays PSE: packaging building insulationPET7.4%Bottles for water, soft drink, juices, cleanersPUR7.5%Building insulation, pillows and mattresses, insulating foams for fridgesPVC10%Window frames, profiles, floor and wall covering, pipes, cable insulation, garden hose, inflatable poolsHDPE12.3%Toys, Milk bottles, Shampoo bottles, pipes, housewareLDPE, LLDPE17.5%LDPE: Reusable bags, trays and containers, agricultural film LLDPE: food packaging filmPP19.3%Food packaging, sweet and snack wrappers, hinged caps, microwave proof container, pipes, automotive parts, bank notesOthers19.3%Hub caps, optical fibres, eyeglasses lenses, roofing sheets, touch screens, cable coating in telecommunications, medical implants, surgical devicesTherefore, specific definition(s) pertaining to the composition, uses and categories of single-use plastics should be framed.National Action Plan for phasing out SUPsThere is a need for a National Action Plan or guidelines that should focus to implement plastic ban in a phase-wise manner in terms of urgency. This means products that have alternatives available should be phased out earlier than those that don’t have alternatives, simultaneously reinforcing R&D funding for different alternatives and eco-friendly products.The phase-wise banning should be developed based on materials, recyclability, availability of alternatives and livelihood security to the informal sector. Keeping this and current post-consumption patterns in mind, a framework indicating range of SUP products needs to be devised to assist the policy makers in ideating, planning and executing the phase-wise SUP ban.Strengthening waste management systemsImposing a ban on SUPs is only a part and not the whole solution. However, better waste management systems with focus on segregation incentive models can help achieve long-term impacts.If cities segregate waste into three fractions — wet, dry, and domestic hazardous waste — and if municipalities create infrastructure in terms of material recovery facilities or sorting stations, dry waste can be sorted into different fractions. This then has value and a market and will not end up as litter. We need to source segregate.Also, establishing and monitoring domestic recycling units in every state and Union territory, incentivising the recyclers in the unorganised sectors, training low-skilled recyclers, setting up effective grievance redressal mechanisms, life cycle and cost analysis of plastic alternatives should be formulated and explored by the legislative bodies.This is to increase the recycling efficiency in the country and implement effective and sustainable solutions at every stage of banning single-use plastics.Informal is criticalA bigger debate over the SUP ban issue is on the fact that more than a million workers will lose jobs. According to a 2018 estimate, there are more than 3,500 organised recycling units and more than 4,000 unorganised units. Approximately, 7 crore workers are employed in the industry. This is a critical number and there needs to be a clear roadmap on how these workers will be transitioned to any other industry.Alternatives to single-use plasticsDevising feasible alternatives for single-use plastic items and targeting consumers and retailers for better marketing is needed. However, their availability and affordability remain a challenge. Solutions: providing robust infrastructures, strengthening market, innovation and entrepreneurship, subsidy or incentives to consumers at domestic level.Also, a thorough analysis on the alternatives versus their carbon footprint as compared to SUPs needs to be done to push for any kind of alternative. For instance, cotton bags sourced from virgin cotton, kulhad cups baked in kilns have a higher environmental footprint than plastics. Also, options of giving enough time of transition to industry along with tax rebates for alternative industry need to be explored.In the present context, jute and upcycled cloth bags, bamboo and wooden cutlery, leaf-based plates, glass and metal containers etc. are some of the immediate alternatives available.Effective EPR implementationExtended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy tools and its implementation is still lax in the country.An effective EPR framework, therefore, should be formulated keeping into context the applicability of EPR for certain items like PET, PP or dairy industry. However, EPR implementation for multi-layered plastic (MLP) can still be a constraint considering the vast unorganised industry and present waste management systems.It is recommended that the plastic waste management plan be integrated with municipal waste systems to strengthen the value chain and existing garbage handling system, substantially. For that matter following key indicators are essential:A credit or offset mechanism by which companies can obtain credits for plastic waste management if they support municipalities in implementing waste management approaches. Under this mechanism, plastics collected and recycled will count for offsetting the EPR targets for the company.All accounting of EPR targets should be met at the national level, irrespective of the state/UTs where products are sold or consumed.The roadmap can, therefore, let producers implement their EPR obligations utilising the flexibility of brand and geography neutrality.Discourage small pack MLP sachetsLighter, portable and cost-effective nature of single serve sachets/pouches makes them a major environmental menace as it is one of the major sources of plastic waste and litter, as their collection is economically non-viable. Hence, the production of small packs such as single-use pouches and sachets should be discouraged and a regulation be enforced.Instead Polypropylene packaged items can be brought into the stream to cater to low-income groups and also have a high recyclability.Reducing plastic content in MLPIdeal packaging materials were tailored by combining different materials with customised functionality to sufficiently protect sensitive food products and thus obtain extended shelf life.Latest feasible techniques and technologies may be employed to cut down the use of multiple polymers/plastics. More research in this area must be done. Use of single polymer/layer recyclable packaging materials should be encouraged.Social engineeringPresently, consumer awareness about negative impacts of littering single-use plastics and available reuse systems and waste management options for all these products are still limited.This further needs to be strengthened through communication, strategic planning, consumer awareness campaigns, raising business awareness, media outreach activities, education, clean-up campaigns, entrepreneurial innovation, scientific research, constructive amendments in legislation(s) and sustainability.These mechanisms will not only improve eco-consciousness among citizens but will also empower and encourage widespread actions.Our history makes it evident that the Indian plastics industry made a vigorous beginning in 1957. But, it took more than 30 years for it to pervade Indian lifestyles.In 1979, “the market for plastics” was just being seeded by the state-owned Indian Petro-Chemicals, and it was only in 1994 that plastic soft drink bottles became a visible source of annoyance.In the wake of the plague scare in Surat in 1994, people in other cities decried the state of public sanitation and urged regulatory bodies to ban the production, distribution and use of plastic bags.Since then plastic waste has become a mainstay for the humblest waste pickers, especially women and children who try to scrape together livelihoods through the most vulnerable ways in this domain.Moving forward, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2015 estimated that average plastic waste generation in the country is around 6.92 per cent of municipal solid waste (MSW).Extrapolation of plastic waste generation data from 60 major cities showed that around 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste per day (TPD) is generated in India.Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad are amongst the top generators, while Gangtok, Panjim, Daman, Dwarka and Kavaratti are lowest on the index.Of this, around 15,600 TPD or 60 per cent gets recycled and more than 9,400 tonnes ends up in the seas, oceans or gets piled up on lands devoid of source segregation.Growth, production and per capita consumptionThe massive generation of plastic waste in India is due to rapid urbanization, spread of retail chains, plastic packaging from grocery to food and vegetable products, to cosmetics and consumer items.India’s plastic consumption at 11 kilogrammes is still only a tenth of the US and less than a third of China’s, according to PlastIndia 2015. But, the projected high growth rates of GDP and continuing rapid urbanisation suggest that India’s trajectory of plastic consumption and plastic waste is likely to increase.The plastic processing industry in 2018 estimated that polymer consumption from 2017 to 2022 is likely to grow at 10.4 per cent, nearly half of which is single-use plastic.Recent fingerprintsThe CPCB’s Annual Report (2018) observed that data on the status of implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, were submitted by only 13 State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs)/Pollution Control Committees. The report deduced that total plastic waste generated was 660,787.85 tonnes per annum. The remaining 21 SPCBs/Union territories have till date not submitted information on their implementation status of the policy.Trends and approachesIndia stands among the few other countries like France, Mongolia and several African countries that have initiated total or partial national-level bans on plastics in their jurisdictions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report of 2018.On World Environment Day in 2018, Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed to phase out single-use plastics by 2022, which gave a much-needed impetus to bring this change.In this context, thereafter, 10 states/UTs (Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Meghalaya, Odisha, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu) are currently sending their collected plastic waste to cement plants for co-processing, 12 states/UTs (Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa, Nagaland, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Puducherry and West Bengal) are using plastic waste for polymer bitumen road construction, and four states/UTs (Chandigarh, Delhi, Karnataka are Madhya Pradesh) are using the plastic waste for waste-to-energy plants and oil production.Even recently, Modi vowed on August 15, 2019 and in the G7 Summit (August 26, 2019) to free the nation from single-use plastic items.A world of greater possibilities has now opened up to initiate appropriate and concrete actions to build up the necessary institutions and systems ideally before oceans turn, irreversibly and for centuries to come, into a thin soup of plastic.However, there is no one single masterstroke to counter the challenges witnessed by the staggering plastic waste management in the country. So, the time is now to formulate robust and inclusive National Action Plans, and while doing so, the country will establish greater transparency to combat plastic jeopardy in a more sustainable and holistic way