Tarun Karthick
Campbell Bay, 28 June 2022
In line with the clarion name given by Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Mr. Narendra Modi, to section out single use plastic objects by 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on twelfth of August 2021. Carrying ahead the spirit of ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsava’, a defining step to curb air pollution attributable to littered and unmanaged plastic waste is being taken by the nation. India will ban the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of recognized single use plastic objects, which have low utility and excessive littering potential, all throughout the nation from July 1, 2022.
The opposed impacts of littered single use plastic objects plastic on each terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, together with within the marine setting are globally acknowledged. Addressing air pollution on account of single use plastic objects has develop into a big environmental problem confronting all international locations.
In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India piloted a decision on addressing single-use plastic merchandise air pollution, recognizing the pressing want for the worldwide group to give attention to this essential subject. The adoption of this decision at UNEA 4 was a big step. In the just lately concluded fifth session of the United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, India engaged constructively with all member states to develop a consensus on the decision for driving international motion on plastic air pollution.
The Government of India has taken resolute steps for mitigation of air pollution attributable to littered Single Use Plastics. The listing of banned objects contains earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, sweet sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for adornment, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery corresponding to forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing movies round candy bins, invitation playing cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners lower than 100 micron, stirrers.
The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, additionally prohibit the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry baggage having a thickness lower than seventy-five microns with impact from thirtieth September 2021, and having a thickness lower than 100 and twenty microns with impact from the thirty first December 2022.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has additionally notified the Guidelines on Extended Producers Responsibility on plastic packaging as Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022 on sixteenth February 2022. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is the accountability of a producer for the environmentally sound administration of the product till the top of its life. The Guidelines will present a framework to strengthen the round financial system of plastic packaging waste, promote the event of recent alternate options to plastic packaging and supply the following steps for shifting in direction of sustainable plastic packaging by companies.
Capacity-building workshops are being organized for MSME models to offer them with technical help for manufacturing alternate options to banned single use plastic objects with the involvement of CPCB/SPCBs/PCCs together with the Ministry of Small Micro and Medium Enterprises and Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering (CIPET) and their state centres. Provisions have additionally been made to help such enterprises in transitioning away from banned single use plastics.
The Government of India has additionally taken steps to advertise innovation and supply an ecosystem for accelerated penetration and availability of alternate options all throughout the nation.
For efficient enforcement of the ban on recognized SUP objects from 1 July 2022, nationwide and state-level management rooms shall be arrange and particular enforcement groups shall be shaped to test the unlawful manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of banned single use plastic objects. States and Union Territories have been requested to arrange border checkpoints to cease the inter-state motion of any banned single-use plastic objects.
CPCB Grievance Redressal App has been launched to empower residents to assist curb the plastic menace. For wider public outreach, PRAKRITI – mascot was additionally launched on fifth April.
The Government has been taking measures for consciousness technology in direction of the elimination of single use plastics The consciousness marketing campaign has introduced collectively entrepreneurs and startups, business, Central, State and Local Governments, regulatory our bodies, consultants, citizen organizations, R & D and tutorial establishments.
The success of the ban will solely be attainable by means of efficient engagement and concerted actions by all stakeholders and enthusiastic public participation.
