Single-use plastics prohibited at secretariat from June 1: Delhi health min

The minister said SUPs contribute to different kinds of pollution in the city, with plastic items such as spoons, forks, straw, polythene, plastic glasses often discarded and burnt.

Environment minister Gopal Rai on Saturday said the government was stepping up its fight against single-use plastics (SUP) in the city by banning its use in the secretariat from June 1. The government will replace existing SUPs with recyclable alternatives such as paper, jute or bamboo, he said.

Empty plastic bottles and cups are placed on a wooden bench in the makeshift shelter of a kindergarten's basement, where she has been living with other six people for more than two months. (AFP)

“Single-use plastic goods will be prohibited at the Delhi Secretariat beginning June 1. In the first phase, use-and-throw pens and water bottles made of plastic will be prohibited in the Delhi Secretariat. Also, any banners, posters, and cutlery made of SUP will be banned on the premises,” said Rai on Saturday.

The minister said SUPs contribute to different kinds of pollution in the city, with plastic items such as spoons, forks, straw, polythene, plastic glasses often discarded and burnt.

“Many individuals try to destroy them by burning or burying them, which contributes greatly to air, water and land contamination, and also poses a major hazard to the environment. At the same time, given their light weight, SUP materials have been observed to easily travel through air and water, causing surrounding sewage or drainage systems to choke and causing water logging,” Rai said.

“Unless other options are promoted, it will be impossible to eliminate single-use plastic products in our daily lives.”