by: Partha Pratim Ray
Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MOEF&CC), through a notification in 2021, prohibited the Manufacture, Import, Stocking, Distribution, Sale and Use of the following Single Use Plastic items (i) Earbuds with plastic sticks, (ii) Plastic sticks for balloons, (iii) Plastic flags, iv) Candy sticks, (v) Ice cream sticks, (vi) Polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, (vii) Plates (viii) Cups, (ix) Glasses, (x) Forks, (xi) Spoons, (xii) Knives, (xiii) Straws, (xiv)Trays, (xv) Wrapping/ packing films around sweet boxes, (xvi) Invitation cards, (xvii) Cigarette packets, (xviii) Plastic / PVC banners less than 100 microns, (xix)Stirrers, and the ban came into effect from July 1, 2022.
Since single-use plastic items are believed to have low utility and high littering potential, The ban aimed to curb plastic pollution. Similar bans have been in force in bits and parts across the country for a while now. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) informed a bench headed by the National Green Tribunal (NGT) Chairperson Justice A. K. Goel in 2019 that 18 states/ UTs had imposed a complete ban on plastic carry bags/ products. Besides, five states, namely Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala and West Bengal, have imposed a partial ban on plastic carry bags/products at religious/historical places.
The Ban cast a significant impact on the existence and operation of various professions and industries. In this article, we explore the positive and negative impact of the ban on nineteen single-use plastic items and how far the nation has achieved its purpose.
A slew of activities started as soon as the Ban came into force on the 1st of July. Control rooms were set up by the respective state gov’t to monitor the implementation of the Ban and receive all complaints related to the violation of the same. Urban local bodies like Municipal Corporations started taking action on the defaulting units according to their bylaws.
Several industrial units that were into manufacturing and sale of plastic carry bags and packaging materials were given closure notices along with hefty penalties imposed on them. Penalties were imposed under the Guidelines for EC assessment prepared by CPCB. However, the power to take punitive action rests with urban local bodies, and the state pollution control boards and penalties may vary from state to state.
“I had my manufacturing unit where multipurpose plastic bags were manufactured and sold. As the Ban came into force, I had to pay a hefty fine and shut down the unit. I had to let go of several workers who became jobless.” Said Anand Kumar(name changed on request), who used to own a manufacturing unit in one of the leading Industrial zones in Delhi.
Street vendors and small business owners are directly affected by the Ban on Single-Use Plastic items. They earn their livelihood by selling on the streets, and the vast majority of them use plastic carry bags. At present lack of viable and economical alternatives to Single-Use Plastic items is taking a toll on their earnings. The cloth bags available in the market are way too expensive alternatives compared to plastic bags. “I am a street vendor, and I buy plastic bags because one plastic bag costs INR 1, whereas a cloth bag costs INR 7-8 per bag. It is way too expensive and unsustainable for me economically,” Says Pankaj (name changed on request), who sells vegetables on the streets of South Delhi.
Interestingly, the Ban is silent on the prohibition being extended to companies using single-use plastic polymers like multi-layered plastics (MLPs) for packaging that often are found scattered in the streets, drains, waters bodies or, at best, in dump yards. Laxman (name changed on request), a street vendor who sells coconut water, found it challenging to comply with the ban on using straws made of plastic and opt for paper versions overnight. He says,“ The customers now ask only for paper straws. This left me with no option but to buy paper straws only despite it being quite expensive compared to the plastic version.” At the same time, companies in India that sell packaged fruit juices took their own time to convert the plastic straw to a paper version to comply with the prohibition notification.
A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and thirty-six States/UTs have constituted a Special Task Force under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary / Administrator to effectively implement Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) were directed to revoke/modify consent/registration issued to banned Single Use Plastic (SUP) producers, and customs authorities have been asked to stop the import of banned Single Use Plastic (SUP) items.
Since the Ban on nineteen Single Use Plastic items is here to stay, we need to create an inclusive platform that will provide decent work for all, support to earn a livelihood and gradually pave the way for a just transition towards a strong and vibrant future.
To promote easy transitioning from banned single-use plastics products, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs), Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) along with the Ministry of Small Micro and Medium Enterprises and Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering (CIPET) and their state centres have started providing the MSMEs with technical assistance for manufacturing alternatives. However, no information is available in the public domain from CPCB/SPCBs, MSMME and CIPET regarding technical assistance or financial assistance provided to date.(C-Counter Currents)
Partha Pratim Ray primarily contributes news stories to leading global online newspapers. He can be mailed at parthapratimray@gmail.com
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