Govt. Puts Ban On Single Use Plastics

New Delhi: The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended, provide the statutory framework and the prescribed authorities for enforcement of the rules, including ban on identified single use plastic items. The following identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, have been prohibited, with effect from 1st July, 2022, vide Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021:

Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice- cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration;
Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
The notification also prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy-five microns with effect from 30th September 2021, and having thickness less than thickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022

The following steps have been taken to strengthen implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and to implement ban on identified single use plastic items:

All thirty-six States/UTs have constituted the Special Task Force under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary / Administrator for elimination of identified single use plastic items and effective plastic waste management. A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for taking coordinated efforts to eliminate identified single use plastic items and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Three meetings of the National Task Force have been held. The State /UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments have also been asked to develop a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastic and implement it in a time bound manner.

Directions have been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the following:

Plastic raw material manufacturers to stop supplying plastic raw material for manufacture of banned single use plastic items,
SPCBs/PCCs were directed to revoke / modify consent / registration issued to banned SUP producers,
State Urban Development Department have been directed to take necessary action for implementation of SUP ban. Separately, custom authorities have been asked to stop the import of banned SUP items.
For effective monitoring of ban on identified single use plastic items and plastic waste management in the country the following online platforms are in operation (a) National Dashboard on for monitoring of comprehensive action plan implementation, (b) CPCB Monitoring Module for Compliance on Elimination of Single Use Plastic, and (c) CPCB Grievance Redressal App.

A one month long pan India enforcement campaign was undertaken for implementation of ban on identified single use plastic items from 1st to 31st July 2022. Further, States and Union territories have been asked to undertake regular enforcement drives to implement ban.

This information was given by the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav in a reply in Lok Sabha today.

on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy five microns, covering fruit and vegetable markets, wholesale markets, local markets, flower vendors, units manufacturing plastic carry bags etc. States and UTs have also been asked to undertake random checking at border checkpoints to stop inter-state movement of banned single use plastic items. Special pan India enforcement drives have been undertaken in months of October and November, by Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees.

Rapid penetration of alternatives is a key for successful implementation of the ban on identified single use plastic items. In order to provide assistance to MSME enterprises transitioning away from single use plastic items to eco-alternatives, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has made provisions in their ongoing schemes. A National Expo on eco-alternatives to banned single use plastics items and Conference of Startups – 2022 was organized jointly with Government of Tamil Nadu in Chennai on 26-27th September 2022 to raise awareness on alternatives. Awareness generation and capacity building programmes have been organized for elimination of single use plastics.

During the enforcement campaign, non-compliance of the ban on identified single use plastic has been found in commercial establishments and manufacturing units including in small shops in local markets. Actions have been taken on the deviations, which include seizure of banned single use plastic items and levy of penalty. As per available information, the penalty levied during the enforcement campaigns is approximately Rs. 5,81,78,001/- and 775,577 kg. material was seized. Further the Producers/Importers/Brand owners engaged in producing / importing / using banned single use plastic items have not been granted registration on the centralized EPR portal for plastic packaging.