Ban on single use plastics

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Manifest Pedagogy:

Recycling is the best choice for plastic, but the process and systemization are still being developed. Although there are very few recycling facilities, the plastic production model is quite large and difficult to manage. So a restriction on single-use plastic would be beneficial. To reap the rewards of the prohibition, the government needs to educate the populace and business organizations. 

Why are these items being banned?

• The choice for the first set of single-use plastic items for the ban was based on difficulty of collection, and therefore recycling.
• These items are difficult to collect, especially since most are either small, or discarded directly into the environment like ice-cream sticks. 

   States such as Maharashtra have their legislation prohibiting single-use plastic products. However, such bans were ineffective earlier because transport of single-use plastic and trade across the borders could not be stopped and that a national ban provides much more power to states.

Challenges-

• Of the single-use plastic industry the production and sale of the banned items is miniscule. The largest share of SUP is that of packaging with as much as 95% of single use belonging to this category from toothpaste to shaving cream to frozen foods. 
• The ban can increase the cost of the products.
• The MSMEs which are currently manufacturing single-use plastics, employs nearly 200,000 people directly and around 450,000 indirectly and would be urged to shift to making alternatives. But there is difficulty in finding affordable alternatives. 
• There are no clear guidelines issued regarding alternatives. 

Enforcement of the Ban-

• The ban will be monitored by the CPCB from the Centre, and by the State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) that will report to the Centre regularly. 
• Directions have been issued at national, state and local levels for example, to all petrochemical industries to not supply raw materials to industries engaged in the banned items.
• Directions have also been issued to SPCBs and Pollution Control Committees to modify or revoke consent to operate issued under the Air/Water Act to industries engaged in single-use plastic items. 
• Local authorities have been directed to issue fresh commercial licenses with the condition that SUP items will not be sold on their premises, and existing commercial licenses will be canceled if they are found to be selling these items.
• The CPCB issued one-time certificates to 200 manufacturers of compostable plastic and the BIS passed standards for biodegradable plastic.
• Those found violating the ban can be penalized under the EP Act 1986, which allows for imprisonment up to 5 years, or a penalty up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.
• Violators can also be asked to pay Environmental Damage Compensation by the SPCB. In addition, there are municipal laws on plastic waste, with their own penal codes.

Global response against the use of plastic-

• 124 countries, parties to the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA), including India, signed a resolution to draw up an agreement which will in the future make it legally binding for the signatories to address the full life of plastics from production to disposal, to end plastic pollution.
• Bangladesh became the first country to ban thin plastic bags in 2002. 
• New Zealand became the latest country to ban plastic bags in July 2019. 
• China issued a ban on plastic bags in 2020 with phased implementation.
• Eight states in the US have banned single-use plastic bags, beginning with California in 2014. Seattle became the first major US city to ban plastic straws in 2018.
• As of July 2019, 68 countries have plastic bag bans with varying degrees of enforcement.
• On July 2, 2021, the Directive on Single-Use Plastics took effect in the European Union (EU). 
  • The directive bans certain single-use plastics for which alternatives are available; single-use plastic plates, cutlery, straws, balloon sticks and cotton buds cannot be placed on the markets of the EU member states.
  • The same measure applies to cups, food and beverage containers made of expanded polystyrene, and all products made of oxo-degradable plastic.

Way forward-

• Behavioral Change in consumers and promoting the 3 R’s- recycle, reuse, reduce.
• Promoting Circular economy that is reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling of resources to create a closed-loop system, thus minimizing the use of resources, generation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions.
• Promote alternatives like cotton, khadi bags and biodegradable plastics.
• More R&D (Research & Development) and finances for sustainable alternatives are needed.
• Citizen participation and volunteering by citizen groups is needed to educate people and create awareness about the issue and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle.

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