Single-Use Plastic item is being banned by Union Government from July 1st

 Single-Use Plastic item is being banned by Union Government from July 1st.

“India will ban the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, all across the country from July 1, 2022," Said by Ministry. The Centre has banned the use of ‘single-use plastic’ from July 1. The Ministry for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change issued a gazette notification last year announcing the ban and has now defined a list of items that will be banned from next month.

The ministry notification also said that for the effective enforcement of the ban on identified SUP items, national and State level control rooms are to be set up for checking the illegal manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of banned single-use plastic items. The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, have already prohibited the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of plastic carry bags having a thickness less than seventy-five microns. Plastic carry bags having a thickness less than the thickness of one hundred and twenty microns will be prohibited with effect from the 31st December 2022.

What are the items being banned?

The items on which the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has announced a ban are earbuds; balloon sticks; candy and ice-cream sticks; cutlery items including plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, trays; sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette packs; PVC banners measuring under 100 microns; and polystyrene for decoration.

The Ministry had already banned polythene bags under 75 microns in September 2021, expanding the limit from the earlier 50 microns. From December, the ban will be extended to polythene bags under 120 microns. Ministry officials have explained that the ban is being introduced in phases to give manufacturers time to shift to thicker polythene bags that are easier to recycle. While manufacturers can use the same machine for 50- and 75-micron bags, the machinery will need to be upgraded for 120 microns.

According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, there is also a complete ban on sachets using plastic material for storing, packing, or selling gutkha, tobacco, and pan masala.

Why plastics are being banned?

• India will completely phase out single-use plastics by 2022, according to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s June 2018 announcement.
• India led the development of a resolution at the fourth United Nations Environment Assembly in 2019, recognizing the urgent need for the international community to pay attention to this issue.
• From September 30, 2021, plastic carry bags will have a thickness of 75 microns; by December 31, 2022, it will be 120 microns.
• An approach to policy known as “extended producer responsibility” requires companies to handle the disposal of their own products once consumers have declared them to be useless.
• In order to eliminate SUP and effectively implement the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the Center had previously requested that states and union territories form a special task force under the direction of the chief secretary or the administrator                                     

 How the single use plastic ban will be enforced?

The single use plastic ban will be monitored by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) from the Centre and by the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) that will report to the Central Government regularly.

Directions to keep an eye on single use plastic ban have also been issued at the national, state, and local levels to not to supply the raw materials to industries engaged in the banned items.

Those violating single use plastic ban can be penalized under the Environment Protection Act 1986- which allows for imprisonment up to 5 years, a penalty up to Rs. 1 lakh, or both. In addition, there are also municipal laws on plastic waste, with their own penal codes.

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