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Ban on single-use plastic items comes into effect from today

Jul 01, 2022 10:02 AM IST

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said the notification for the ban was issued in August last year and manufacturers were given one year to prepare

The ban on single-use plastic items, including wrapping or packaging films, plastic cutlery, straws, and plastic sticks for balloons and earbuds, came into effect on Friday even as manufacturer associations have said they are not prepared to implement it immediately due to a lack of alternatives.

Manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, and sale of the items has been prohibited. (HT PHOTO)
Manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, and sale of the items has been prohibited. (HT PHOTO)

Manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, and sale of the items are now also prohibited while the thickness of plastic carry bags will have to be increased from 75 microns to 120 microns from December 31.

Ahead of the ban implementation, the Union environment ministry officials on Thursday held a meeting with representatives of 82 cities over the elimination of single-use plastic items as well as air quality management.

Officials said the representatives were briefed about the ban and requested to lead teams for its enforcement within their jurisdictions. They were also requested to help stakeholders including traders, distributors, retailers as well as consumers to switch over to alternatives to the banned items.

Union environment minister Bhupender Yadav on Tuesday said the notification for the ban was issued in August last year and manufacturers were given one year to prepare. Yadav said only those items that have low utility, high littering potential, and for which alternatives are available are being phased out for now. He added Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) affected are free to diversify.

The Union environment ministry notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, under the Environment Protection (EP) Act on August 12, 2021. It said a violation of the ban will lead to all punitive actions prescribed under the Act.

Additional secretary (environment ministry) Naresh Pal Gangwar said punitive action can be taken for stocking, distribution, sale, manufacture, and use of these items. Gangwar said all manufacturers and stockists were directed to have zero inventory by June 30.

The EP Act provides for imprisonment for up to five years with a fine which may extend to 1 lakh, or both. In case the violations under it continue, an additional fine may extend to 5000 for every day. The penalty can increase further if the violations continue beyond a year. There are different penalties for companies, organisations, and government departments under the EP Act.

Officials said vendors are free to choose anything non-plastic or items made of biodegradable/compostable plastics as alternatives.

States such as Maharashtra have their legislation prohibiting single-use plastic products. Officials said such bans were ineffective earlier because transport of single-use plastic and trade across the borders could not be stopped and that a national ban provides much more power to states.

According to the All-India Plastics Manufacturers Association (AIPMA), 88,000 MSMEs across the country produce single-use plastic items and employ around one million people, who will lose their livelihoods due to the ban.

AIPMA has questioned the viability of alternatives such as biodegradable polymers and said they have to be produced at large scale first and the cost should be comparable and it is not feasible. It maintained alternatives do not necessarily provide the same functionality, not to mention availability of raw materials to produce them.

Higher cost of alternatives has been cited among major challenge towards acceptability. Thermoformers and Allied Industries Association has called the ban discriminatory and partisan and said that no distinguishing standards or parameters have been provided for plastic product packaging categories such as cutlery.

India piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic pollution at the 4th UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) in 2019. India also engaged with all UN member states at 5th UNEA for consensus on a global resolution for driving action on plastic pollution.

An expert committee in September 2019 recommended an immediate ban on certain single-use plastic items which have low utility.

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