Single-use plastic to be banned in Goa from July 1

The Central Pollution Control Board in India has recently announced a blanket ban on certain single-use plastic items from July 1, 2022. Under the ambit of this move, Goa State Pollution Control Board has sent notices to producers, stockists, shopping malls, retailers and e-commerce websites to ensure everyone follows the rule. As per the notification issued by the pollution watchdog, manufacturing, stocking, distribution and sale of these single-use plastic items will be prohibited in Goa now.

What's to be phased out?

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This blanket ban includes various single-use plastic items like flags, candy and ice cream with plastic sticks, stirrers, wrapping films, earbuds, thermacol and expanded polystyrene goods, among others. According to the order released by the authorities, plastic cutlery glasses, straws, trays and PVC banners of less than 100 microns will be taken off the shelf from July 1 across the country.

The federal body has asked state governments to form local by-laws to impose time on violators of this ban to ensure strict adherence to the rule. The administration is striving to save the environment from the clutches of plastic waste by enforcing such bans. Notably, the authorities had earlier banned the use of plastic bags below 75 microns on September 30, last year.

While the ban still continues to be in effect, these plastic carry bags can still be easily found in the market, showcasing the weak implementation. In addition to this ban on single-use plastic items, the Central Pollution Control Board is also set to ban plastic carry bags thinner than 120 microns from December 31, 2022.

Fight against plastic pollution

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According to a fact sheet released by the environment ministry and Energy and Resources Institute (TERFI), a think tank, 43% of the total plastic used in the country is for packaging purposes and most of them are single-use. A study by the central pollution body reveals that the per-capita plastic use in India is about 9.7 kilogram, most of which is again packaging material.

Environmentalists fear that if the consumption patterns and the waste management practices continue as is, by 2050 the landfills will have around 12 million tonnes of plastic litter. The single-use plastic not only contaminates soil and water but also chokes waterways and increases the risk of natural disasters.

While this notification owns a huge communication value in the global fight against plastic pollution, its real impact will only be revealed on the ground reality after July 1.