Centre
Moots Single-Use Plastic Ban Next Year
Seeking to make India single-use
plastic-free by next year, the Centre has proposed a ban on use of such items
in two phases beginning January 1, 2022 and issued a draft notification giving timelines
of the staggered plan so that it doesn’t affect small businesses and traders.
In order to deal with the menace of huge
uncollected plastic waste across the country, the Centre has also decided to
increase thickness of polythene bags from 50 microns to 120 microns from
September 30 this year. Currently, polythene bags of less than 50 microns are
banned in the country.
Manufacture, import, stocking,
distribution, sale and use of all single-use plastic commodities will be
prohibited under amended rules ahead of the celebration of 75 years of India’s
independence on August 15 next year.
Increase in thickness of carry-bags, made
of virgin or recycled plastic, will substantially improve collection and
recycling of used carry-bags. The move assumes significance as currently 40% of
total plastic waste remains uncollected in the country every day. The
uncollected plastic waste causes choking of drainage and river systems, soil
and water contamination, littering of marine ecosystem, ingestion by stray
animals, and its open air burning leads to adverse impact on human health and
environment.
The draft notification, issued in the
gazette the by environment ministry on Thursday, also for the first time
defined ‘single-use’ plastic and identified such items which are to be banned
in a staggered manner in two phases.
“Notification is issued for stakeholders’
comments. It will be taken into consideration by the central government after
expiry of sixty days from the date of notification (March 11). Though the draft
has been prepared after adequate inter-ministerial deliberations, views of
stakeholders and domain experts will be considered before issuing the amended
rules to manage plastic waste,” said an official.
While use of certain items, including
plastic flags, earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, candy
sticks, ice-cream sticks and decoration material, will be prohibited from
January 1, 2022, use of remaining ones such as plates, cups, glasses, cutlery
such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping/packing films around
sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packets and stirrers will be banned
from July 1, 2022.
It will be the responsibility of urban
local bodies and ‘gram panchayats’ to coordinate waste management system and
for performing the associated functions such as ensuring segregation,
collection, storage, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste.
“The items which are to be phased out first
(January 1, 2022) are those whose alternatives are easily available. The
manufacturers and brand owners of remaining items will be given additional six
months to work out their plan using compostable plastic or other alternatives,”
said the official.
The provision of thickness will not be
applicable to carry-bags made up of compostable plastic. The manufacturers or
seller or brand owners of compostable plastic carry-bags will have to obtain a
certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board before marketing/ selling
such items including plastic packaging materials.