India to Ban Single-Use Plastic Products on October 2
Starting October 2, India is set to impose a nationwide ban on single-use plastics from cities and villages, in an attempt to revive its rank from among the world’s most polluted. Government officials on Wednesday suggested that at least 6 out all the single-use plastics will be banned from October.
As a result, there will be a strict restriction on the use of plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets. The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and import of such items.
Concerns are growing worldwide about plastic pollution, with a particular focus on the oceans, where nearly 50% of single-use plastic products end up, killing marine life and entering the human food chain.
The initial ban on the six items of single-use plastics will clip five to 10 percent from India’s annual consumption of close to 14 million tonnes of plastic. Penalties for violations of the ban will probably take effect after an initial six-month period to allow people time to adopt alternatives.
The government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only, the first source said.
Several states and cities in India have already taken the step towards banning single-use plastic. The government is now taking stricter measure to improve environmental standards for plastic products. It will also ask e-commerce companies to cut down plastic packaging and use more environment-friendly materials, which can reduce up to 40 percent of the annual plastic consumption.
