The single-use plastic ban, which has come into effect from July 1, 2022, mandates that disposable plastics that are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled, like earbuds, cigarette packs, sweet boxes, candy and ice cream sticks, PVC banners under 100 microns, be done away with.
Reports state that the industry involving manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of single-use plastic items is worth Rs 10,000 crore.
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According to Press Information Bureau’s statement, “identified single-use plastic items have low utility and high littering potential”.
🔹Ban is on manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of SUP items, as per Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022
🔹List of Banned SUP items👇#SayNoToSingleUsePlastic pic.twitter.com/rAnw6rRg8g
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) July 1, 2022
Deepak Aggarwal, Nonwovens Federation of India (NWFI), which manufactures nonwoven fabric and bags, synthetic yarn and narrow woven tapes, told indianexpress.com that plastics “fly in the air and choke the drains which cause so many civic and environmental issues“. “Whereas, a thicker plastic bag or non-woven bag resolves these issues. Its carbon footprint is low compared to paper bags. It supports the green initiative as trees are not cut to make it. Its load-bearing capacity is much higher so less number of bags are required to do the same jobs. Its reusability is high. It is also easier to recycle because it has weight and volume value,” he asserted.
To implement the ban in a phased manner, state governments, will initiate an enforcement campaign and close down units engaging in the production, distribution, stocking, and sale of such items, said the Union Environment Ministry recently.
Notably, The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, in August last year.
Despite plastics being lightweight, versatile and durable and their ubiquitous presence in our daily lives, they are increasingly being seen as a challenge to animals, marine life and future generations.
To fight single-use plastic pollution, here are some alternatives that you can use in your day-to-day life.
Just heard about the ban on single-use plastic in India?
Here are some alternatives you can adopt in your daily life for greener, healthier planet! 🌏♻️#SayNoToSingleUsePlastic #SustainableGoals pic.twitter.com/AQbX6emn3p
According to MyGovIndia, some alternatives are
*Jute bags *Khadi bags *Bamboo straws and cutlery for dining *Cloth bags *Use steel boxes instead of thin plastic boxes *Do away with ice-cream plastic containers. Go for cones or bricks that can be consumed easily.
*Use fresh foods instead of frozen foods that have plastic packaging. *Use steel or copper flasks instead of plastic water bottles.
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