When Goa was still planning to become plastic-free a few months ago, factory owner Omkar Kamat was hatching a plan of his own. He wanted to switch from manufacturing plastic bags to those made from environment-friendly material. By the time the ban came into effect this April, he was ready to roll out his line of compostable plastic bags. These bags, if left on the ground, turn into compost within 180 days, as opposed to plastic ones, which can last for decades. Says the second-generation entrepreneur, "I had to invest a few lakhs to upgrade machinery and on raw material. But I didn't have to fire anybody or face any other problem."

Today, when his peers are struggling to come to terms with the ban, Kamat's company, Kemplast Systems, is one of the largest producers of biodegradable plastic in Goa. And Kamat is planning on expanding his business, getting ready to cater to an increased demand following recent bans on single-use plastic carry bags and disposable items such as bottles and other materials in not just Goa but other states such as Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Kemplast is not alone. Several start-ups like the Bangalore-based EnviGreen and BioGreen have also started producing 100 per cent biodegradable plastic carry bags and natural materials that are made of corn starch, vegetable oil extracts and even vegetable waste.

Even the well-established environment-friendly plastic manufacturers hope to take the fight against non-biodegradable plastic items to the finish. "In the last two or three decades we have damaged the environment so much with plastic waste that it may take us another hundred years to undo it. That too only if we start the fight now," says Deepak Sanghvi, who is the managing director of Truegreen, a Mumbai-based bio-degradable plastic producer.

Plastic blights the landscape, clogs the drains and turns food toxic. But getting rid of plastic remains a distant dream despite bans and other regulations. According to the Central Pollution Control Board estimates, 50-60 per cent of all plastic used in India is converted into waste and the country generates around 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day. Cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta and Hyderabad lead the way.

"We haven't been honest in our fight," says Perses Billimoria, CEO and managing director of Earthsoul India, one of the pioneers in biodegradable plastics in India. He adds, "Plastic has been devastating for our environment and governments have failed to address the issue. But with young people jumping into the fray to produce environment-friendly products, we hope to leave the harmful material behind."

Young entrepreneurs have been innovative. BioGreen has launched biodegradable straws made of natural materials. "These products are all made from corn, cassava and rice. Plastic products may take a thousand years to degrade, while our products biodegrade within three to six months in a composting system," says founder of BioGreen, Mohammed Sadiq.

One of the chief impediments to these newly thought-up friends of the environment is pricing. "I think compostable plastic bags cost several times more than common carry bags," points out Hiten Bheda, president of the All India Plastic Manufacturers Association.

Manufacturers of biodegradable items talk about competitive pricing and how if the central government would reduce customs duty and general services tax on items used in the manufacture of environment-friendly bags, costs would come down. "I am confident we can also scale up our production if there is enough demand for our products," says Sanghvi.

Bheda also points out that the ban in Maharashtra would result in a loss of three lakh jobs. The state government would also end up losing Rs 700-900 crore in revenue in a single year.

The pro-plastic and the no-plastic lobbies are, however, united in one thing - in their complaint that governments are not reactive enough to the issue. Says Bheda, "Governments have been fickle-minded. The focus hasn't been that much on waste management of plastic, which is the main issue in India." Turns out, waste management is a state subject, municipal authorities lack the funds to execute this to satisfaction, and this is why a ban is perceived as the easy way out.

But often a ban is not corrective enough; implementation is difficult, impossible to monitor. For instance, substandard plastic bags, which are of less than 50 micron thickness, have been banned for a few years but these continue to be manufactured in thousands of illegally-run units across the country.

The governments also have to think carefully when they implement new policies. Billimoria says even "good plastic" has been banned by the Maharashtra government.

He adds, "The circular says that compostable plastic carry bags are illegal. For the first time in the world, an environment-friendly product is being banned."

Government officials have to say this was done as there was a chance of bio-degradable plastic being confused with a normal polythene bag. "Can that ever be a reason to ban a biodegradable product," asks Billimoria.

But at the end of the day no amount of ban or government interference can achieve the big change. As Sanghvi puts it, "What we need is a change in the attitude of the common people. This is, after all, about the future of India."