A plastic ban has always been used by the various state government to curb the use of plastics.
This is also considered a good move to curb the demand for plastic thus reducing plastic pollution.
Such a ban is being put into force by the central government and will come into force on July 1st.
The main focus of this ban is to limit the use of single-use plastics which are universally considered as bad.
The data on plastic generation for India is opaque.
In 2015, government statistics said the country generated 9.5m tonnes of plastic waste annually, but nonprofit research organisation the Centre for Science and Environment believes the figure was a gross underestimate.
The government also claimed that around 60 per cent of the plastic waste but a recent survey by the government suggests that the number is around 12 per cent.
Under such dire circumstances, this is a welcome move
What all is Items are included in this Plastic Ban?
According to the government’s order, all items are going to be banned from tomorrow.
- Single-Use Plastic
- Earbuds
- Plastic Candy sticks
- Plastic Sticks for ballons
- Plastic Ice Cream sticks
- Polystrene (thermocol) for decoration purposes
- Wrapping films
- Plastic or PVC banners
- Plastic Stirrers
- Wrapping or packaging plastic
These are the items that are going to be banned.
Though a complete ban on polythene bags (poly bags) has already been ruled out — the government has prohibited the use of plastic bags thinner than 75 microns.
Starting December 31, the ban will extend to plastic bags with thicknesses of less than 120 microns.
The reaction of the society.
Not everything is smooth sailing in this whole process.
Legitimate criticisms are being raised the major one being the lack of similarly priced alternatives to cover the enormous demand.
Which is causing a lot of problems for the poor street vendors.
One such street vendor in an interview with Guardian said says “plastic bags cost him 40 rupees for 250 grams. The cost of paper bags is double that.”
“Even if I could afford the extra cost of paper bags, they won’t take the weight of two kilos of mangoes. They will break. The only way the ban will work is if customers bring their cloth bags.”
The name of the above vendor is Faimudin Ahmed, who sells mangoes piled high on a cart.
Many fear losing business because of this move.
Another major criticism also relies on the above point the production of these alternatives will not be able to suffice the needs of the population.
The Thermoformers and Allied Industries Association (TAIA) on Monday urged the government not to impose a blanket ban on single-use plastics from July 1 and instead do it in a phased manner.
According to them this sudden ban will stop the manufacturing of these products and kill the Rs 10,000-crore size industry that employs 2 lakh people directly and 4.5 lakh people indirectly.
But yet environmentalists welcome this move with open arms and say that it is a good start and essential move towards curbing the plastic menace.
Despite all of this the general public should be made more aware of making small changes in their day to life, like carrying a bag while they go vegetable/groceries shopping etc.
A conscious change from within the consumer is the only thing that can make such an ambitious move successful.
Credits:- The Guardian, News 18 and Deccan Herald and Business Standard
Featured Image Credits:- Business Standard
