Ban on single-use plastic from today, ban on these 19 things; Pay attention before going to market

To reduce the wastage of plastic, the ban on select single-use plastic by the Center has come into effect today. Single-use plastics are generally items that are thrown away after being used only once and do not go through the recycling process. They are a major contributor to plastic pollution.

State governments will initiate a campaign to shut down the units involved in the manufacture, distribution, storage, and sale of such items. Officials of the Union Environment Ministry said that punitive action will be taken for violating the ban. This includes a fine, jail term, or both.

Officials said that national and state-level control rooms have been set up to effectively enforce the ban. Special enforcement teams have been constituted to investigate the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of banned SUP items. States and Union Territories have also been ordered to set up border posts to prevent interstate movement of any banned SUP items.

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also launched a grievance redressal app for people to seek help. Officials said there is no ban on the plastic used for packaging in the FMCG sector, but it will be kept under Extended Manufacturer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines. A notification in this regard was issued on August 12 last year.

These items included:

SUP items include earbuds, plastic sticks for balloons, flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol), plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, invitation cards, cigarette packets, 100 microns Plastic or PVC banners and stirrer wrapping or packaging of less than Rs.

PM Modi had called

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's call for phasing out single-use plastic items by 2022, the Ministry of Environment issued the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 on 12 August 2021.

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