Single-use plastic ban by 2022
With the objective to conserve the environment, the government has finally notified Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021. These rules prohibit identified single-use plastic items by 2022.
Context
With the objective to conserve the environment, the government has finally notified Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021. These rules prohibit identified single-use plastic items by 2022.
What is single-use plastic?
- SUP can be understood as plastic produced and designed to be thrown away after being used only once.
- These include everything from a disposable straw to a disposable syringe.
SUP in Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021
|
Key-highlights of the new Rules
A central government committee has identified the single-use plastic items to be banned based on an index of their utility and environmental impact. It will be a three-stage ban.
- First category: The first category of single-use plastic items proposed to be phased out are plastic sticks used in balloons, flags, candy, ice cream and earbuds, and thermocol that is used in decorations.
- Second phase: Plastic products that are less than 100 microns in thickness will be removed in the second phase.
- Third phase: The third category of prohibition is for non-woven bags below 240 microns in thickness.
|
The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of some single-use plastic products including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene shall be prohibited from July 1, 2022. |
India’s initiatives to stop plastic pollution
- During the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India moved a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution by 2022.
- PM Modi was conferred the 'champions of the earth' award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2018 for pledging to eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022.
