'Use & throw' out: Centre amends rules for single-use plastic

Aiming to reduce plastic pollution, the Union Environment Ministry has decided to make the ubiquitous plastic carry bags thicker and do away with many commonplace items like plastic handles of earbuds, balloons and ice-cream as well as plastic plates, glasses and cutlery used in large gatherings.

The ministry on Thursday published an official notification mandating an increase in the thickness of plastic carry bags from September 30, 2021 and phasing out a whole range of single use plastic products from July 1 next year.

The thickness of plastic carry bags will have to be increased from 50 micron to 75 micron from September 30th and subsequently to 120 microns from December 31, 2022.

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This, according to the ministry, would help stop littering due to light weight plastic carry bags and allow reuse of such bags because of their increased thickness.

From July 1, 2022 the ministry has also prohibited manufacture, import and sale of single use plastics like plastic sticks for earbuds and balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration; plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron and stirrers.

According to a report prepared by the Centre for Science and Environment, India generated more than 33.5 lakh metric tonnes of plastic waste in 2018-19, (roughly 9,200 metric tonnes per day). Given that the total municipal solid waste generation is 55-65 million metric tonnes, this would mean that plastic waste is roughly 5-6 per cent of the total solid waste generated in the country.

The CSE estimate, however, was lower than a previous estimate made by the Central Pollution Control Board in a 2015 report. Using data from 60 cities, the CPCB report concluded that India generate more than 50 lakh tonnes of plastic each year.

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Karnataka figures among the seven states contributing maximum in generating plastic waste. They are Maharashtra (12%), Tamil Nadu (12%), Gujarat (11%), West Bengal (9%), Karnataka (8%), Uttar Pradesh (7%) and Delhi (7%).

Goa, one of India’s richest states, has the highest per capita plastic waste generation — nearly 60 grams /per capita/day, which is almost double of what Delhi generates (37 gm) and way above the national average of 8 gm.

The ministry has now asked the states and other central departments to develop a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 in a time bound manner. The states have been asked to strengthen their enforcement mechanism.

The notification comes two years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his 2019 Independence Day address declared the government's plan to eliminate single-use plastic, posing a big challenge to the environment, by 2022.