Deputy Commissioner of Mokokchung, Shashank Pratap Singh IAS told Mokokchung Times that the district level task force on SUP ban would be instituted and that the ban would be notified soon. It may be mentioned that the government of Nagaland had imposed total ban on single-use plastic items in 2019 and had even started initiating action against defaulters before the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted its implementation.
The Nagaland Pollution Control Board has also presented the draft Comprehensive Action Plan on elimination of SUP to the Special Task Force (STF) on Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 and elimination of Single-Use Plastic (SUP) earlier this month.
Single-Use Plastic Ban: What Changes from July 1?
Mokokchung, June 26 (MTNews): From July 1, single-use plastic will be banned in India. The Centre has barred the manufacturing, distribution, importing, sale, stocking and use of all single-use plastic, comprising polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities from July 1 across the country.
What is Single-Use Plastic?
Also called disposable plastics, single-use plastics, as the name suggests are discarded after being used once. These kinds of plastics are often not disposed off appropriately and cannot be recycled as well. Since disposable plastics are petroleum-based, they are difficult to recycle.
What items will be Banned from July 1, 2022?
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has announced a ban on the following items:-
· Balloon sticks
· Cigarette packs
· Cutlery items including plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, trays
· Earbuds
· Sweet boxes
· Candy and ice cream sticks
· Invitation cards
· Polystyrene for decoration
· PVC banners measuring under 100 microns
The Ministry of Environment had already banned polythene bags under 75 microns last year, widening the limit from the earlier 50 microns. The ministry will also phase out plastic bags of thickness less than 120 microns from December 31, 2022, in the country. As per the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, there is also a blanket ban on sachets using plastic material for packing, storing, or selling pan masala, gutkha, and tobacco.
Plastic sticks including plastic flags, earbuds with plastic sticks, ice-cream sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, candy sticks, and thermocol for decoration will be banned from July 1, 2022. There will be no plastic plates, cups, spoons, forks, straws, knives, trays or even stirrers for coffee and tea, to eat food or drink beverages. Cigarette packets, cling films, and invitation cards are also banned.
Read related: Govt reviews Ban on Single-Use Plastics in Nagaland
Why Ban These Items?
Plastic waste poses a big threat to the environment as it remains in the environment for long durations of time and does not decay, eventually turning into microplastics, which first enter our food sources and then the human body.
Over 34 lakh tonnes of plastic waste was generated in 2019-20 and 30.59 lakh tonnes in 2018-19 in India, as per data by the environment ministry. Plastic neither decomposes nor can be burned as it releases noxious fumes and hazardous gases during the process. Thus, storing plastic items remains the only feasible solution besides recycling. Banning such plastic items can help the government to trim its plastic waste generation numbers.
Read related news here: State Task Force gear up for elimination of Single Use Plastics
How the Plastic Ban will be Enforced from July 1, 2022?
The CPCB and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) will monitor the ban effective from July 1, 2022. Directives have been issued at the national, state and local levels to not supply raw materials to industries that operate in banned items. Local authorities have been instructed to issue new commercial licenses with the condition that single-use plastic items will not be sold on their premises, and functioning commercial licenses will be cancelled if they are found to be retailing these items.
People found to be flouting the ban can be fined under the Environment Protection Act 1986, which permits jail of up to five years, or a penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh, or both. Furthermore, there are municipal laws on plastic waste, which have their own penal codes.