Many cities across the globe have banned or are gradually phasing out the use of plastic bags, as plastic takes 500-1,000 years to degrade, causing irreparable damage to the environment. “We hope our campaign will make more people aware about its hazards and eventually reduce the circulation of plastic bags,” Panu Poudel, head of operations at Bhatbhateni Supermarket, told myrepublica.com, at the launching of the campaign on Saturday.
To meet the target, Bhatbhateni Supermarket--which spends as much as Rs 9 million per year just on plastic bags--started selling reusable bags made of cloth from Saturday. The price of this eco-friendly bag stands at Rs 30 per unit, but the store is giving it away for Rs 15. Customers who decline to purchase these reusable bags will be requested to pay Rs 1 per plastic bag.
“The Rs 1 generated through the sale of each plastic bag and the Rs 5 collected from the sale of each cloth bag will go to a fund set up together by Kathmandu University, Nepal Republic Media and Bhatbhateni Supermarket,” Poudel said. The supermarket wants to generate Rs 10,000 per day through these initiatives, from both wings of the supermarket, one located in Tangal and the other in Maharajgunj.
In due course of time, the supermarket will add 25 percent to the amount raised by the fund and use it to beautify the segment of the road between Shital Niwas and Naxal, and the Ring Road area in Maharajgunj.
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