Question

Thickness of plastic cover permissible to use
A. 50 microns
B. 20 microns
C. 100 microns
D. 10 microns

Answer 1

The thickness of plastic bags describes the strength of plastic. The allowed thickness of the plastic cover is high, the minimum thickness is around half of the allowed thickness and below its thickness it is banned.

Complete answer:
Plastic is an organic polymer having high molecular mass and non -biodegradable in nature. It is a threat to our ecosystem. On an average it is found that plastic cover takes around 1000 years to completely decompose off. It is inside the soil for at least 1000 years in small pieces. Plastic damages the environment because it remains in the soil for at least 1000 years and can easily go to the food chain and affect the organism and also the fertility of soil. The plastic waste management system has many rules to minimize the effects of plastic to our earth. 100 microns is the thickness of plastic cover which is allowed to use. The minimum thickness of plastic is now increased mainly from 40 to 50 microns as these bags have higher strength so they are effective and can be reused again and again. Below the 50 microns the plastic cover thickness is banned.

Hence, the correct answer is option (C).

Note: According to plastic waste management rules the minimum thickness of plastic cover was 20 microns in 1999 which after some time changed to 40 microns and now according to plastic waste management the minimum thickness of plastic is increased to 50 microns in the year 2011 so that the strength of plastic depends on the thickness and its durability and it does not breakdown into small pieces thus avoiding the risk to food chain.