Fully eliminate single-use plastics

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has again told all urban local bodies (ULBs) to phase out single-use plastic and help to put an end to a major source of pollution. The directive was issued on the eve of World Environment Day last week, and it came after many such directives in the past. In February, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) had issued directions to all ULBs to phase out single-use plastic by July 1. About 2,500 local bodies, out of a total of over 4,700, have till now notified the ban. The ministry’s directive is a reminder to those who are yet to take the decision. State governments will have to push those ULBs that are yet to issue the notification.

The ministry has also told the states and Union Territories to take up a range of activities, including cleaning and plogging drives, and to create better awareness among citizens on the need to eliminate plastic from daily use. It has also told them to identify alternatives to single-use plastic, such as cloth, jute and other biodegradable materials, and promote their use. There is some level of awareness among the people, created over the years through media and other means, about the deleterious impact of plastics on the environment. Some progress has also been made in avoiding their use but several factors relating to costs, convenience and availability of alternative materials have constrained the plan to fully eliminate plastics in daily use. In a big country like India, the implementation does naturally take time, too. But the very fact that there is some caution is a measure of some progress. Shopkeepers are vary of openly giving plastic bags to customers. Customers should develop the habit of taking bags made of cloth or alternative materials to the shops. It should also be noted that apart from bags, there are many other things that need to be avoided. They include plastic flags, ice cream and candy sticks, thermocol used for decorations, plates, cups, wrappers for sweet boxes and cigarette packets, and a host of other plastic and PVC items. So, the ban should have a scope wider than what is usually imagined.

As in other states, the ban needs to be implemented more effectively in Karnataka. The use of plastic is banned in Bengaluru and there are raids and inspections to find out whether it is produced and used. But it is known that it is used widely, though under the counter. The effort should be to ensure that the ban is fully implemented before the new deadline.