Single-Use Plastic Items Banned in India Effective July 1

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): India will prohibit the sale and use of around 20 single-use plastic items that are being identified as the major causes of plastic pollution in the country, effective July 1st. The items that fall under the ban include ear buds with plastic sticks, ice-cream sticks, straws, disposable cutlery and packaging film for cigarette packets.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had released a draft of the new rule in March last year, with the final version published in August. The ban was intended to take effect in January this year, but has been delayed following opposition from plastic industry and commercial users.

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However, experts expressed apprehensions on the effectiveness of the proposed ban. They do not believe that the banned items will disappear entirely once the order is implemented. They cited the fate of earlier order by the government to phase out use of plastic bags less than 75 microns by the end of September 2021, but have not been successful so far. It called for strict regulation and availability of affordable alternatives, in order to ensure success of the ban.

Meantime, the Central Pollution Control Board has made it clear that they will conduct surprise checks, as part of enforcement of the ban.

As per rough estimates, India produces around 5.6 million metric tonnes of single-use plastic waste every year.