The Government of India has taken various steps – National and state level control rooms, grievance redressal app, and capacity building workshops for effective implementation of Single Use Plastic (SUP) items from 1 July, 2022.

India will ban manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, all across the country from July 1, 2022.

The adverse impacts of littered single use plastic items on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, including in marine environments, are globally recognized. Addressing pollution due to single use plastic items has become an important environmental challenge confronting all countries.

For effective enforcement of ban on identified SUP items from 1 July 2022, national and state level control rooms will be set up and special enforcement teams will be formed for checking illegal manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of banned single use plastic items.

States and Union Territories have been asked to set up border checkpoints to stop inter-state movement of any banned single use plastic items.

CPCB Grievance Redressal App has been launched to empower citizens to help curb plastic menace. For wider public outreach, PRAKRITI – mascot was also launched on 5th April, 2022.

Capacity building workshops are being organized for MSME units to provide them technical assistance for manufacturing of alternatives to banned single use plastic items with the involvement of CPCB/SPCBs/PCCs along with Ministry of Small Micro and Medium Enterprises and Central Institute of Petrochemicals Engineering (CIPET) and their state centres. Provisions have also been made to support such enterprises in transitioning away from banned single use plastics.

The Government of India has taken resolute steps for mitigation of pollution caused by littered single use plastics. The list of banned items includes – earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice- cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration, plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.

The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, also prohibit manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy five microns with effect from 30th September, 2021, and having thickness less than thickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022.

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