In August, the government of India announced that they would be banning the manufacture, sale, distribution, and use of single-use plastics from July 1, 2022. The ban will be rolled out in three phases based on the environmental impact and utility of the plastic. The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules 2021 covers many plastic items, including polystyrene, plastic straws and utensils, and single-use plastic bags.
Aside from polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, the first category of single-use plastics to be phased out from July 1 are smaller products. These include earbuds and plastic sticks used in balloons, ice cream and sweets, while cigarette packets, packing films, and PVC banners less than 100 microns in thickness will be prohibited in the next phase. The Amendment Rules will also increase the thickness of plastic carry bags from 50 microns to 75 microns from September 30 to 120 microns from December 31.
According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India currently produces more than 25,000 tonnes of plastic waste every day on average. It accounts for 5-6% of the total solid waste generated in the country. Goa generates the highest rate of plastic waste per capita at 60 grams per capita per day, nearly doubling what Delhi generates.
