Plenty of green options but cost remains concern

Mumbai: Jeetal Parekh, a shopkeeper, had come from Ghatkopar to visit the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation’s (BM-C) exhibition at the National Sports Club of India (NSCI) at Worli to buy alternative pouches to pack grain but was put off by their exorbitant prices.

“People visit my shop to purchase small quantities of grain. Plastic pouches are the most convenient way to pack my goods. I checked all the types of alternative pouches available at the exhibition. But they are too costly,” he said. Several options were on display such as clothes bags, paper bags, jute bags; cutlery and food containers made of paper, pinewood, sugarcane, bamboo; flowerpots made of recycled plastic; and decoration items made of paper. There are more than 100 stalls, both from manufacturers and small savings groups, displaying alternative products in the exhibition.

However, when it came to their prices, people were taken aback despite being impressed by their utility.

“Even the paper bags are expensive. The cloth bags and jute bags are too pricey. I cannot stop myself from comparing them with plastic bags, which are cheap,” said Asha Singh, a visitor.

One of the major grouses people have with non-plastic cutlery is the seepage problem. “There are containers and food boxes made up of various biodegradable materials. But there is no guarantee that there will be no seepage of food. Even manufacturers are not willing to give assurances about it,” said Santosh Tulaskar, who had come to look for alternative food containers.