NationalWeather and Environment
Single-Use Plastic To Be Banned From This Date, Ensures CPCB
New delhi, Feb 15: Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has now issued a notice asking producers, shopkeepers, street vendors and general public to stop production, stocking, sale and usage of identified single-use plastic items as per the specified deadline.
CPCB said action would be taken against violators under the environmental protection act. The Delhi environment department, meanwhile, has prepared a draft policy for use of alternatives.
Notably, the Centre will ban single-use plastic items like earbuds and cutleries from July 1 this year.
According to a notification of the union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, “single-use plastic items—plastic sticks used in balloons, flags, candy, ice-cream and earbuds, thermocol that is used in decoration, items such as plates, cups, glasses and cutlery, wrapping and packing films used in sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, stirrers and plastic banners less than 100 microns in thickness—are banned from July 1.”
The Delhi environment department’s draft policy focuses on promoting alternatives. Single-use commodities like plastic sticks for earbuds, balloons, flags, candy and ice-cream should be replaced with alternatives like reusable wooden or bamboo sticks. Reusable refill pens should replace use and throw pens, it stated.
“Water should be served in disposable paper glasses or reusable glass or bamboo bottles instead of drinking water sachets (any size) and packing water bottles having a capacity of less than one litre. Instead of plastic utensils and cutlery, the ones made up of leaves or bamboo should be used. Edible cutlery made from grains, pulses and millets can be used too,” according to the policy.
“The draft policy will be made public to invite comments or suggestions,” said an official.
