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India set to ban six single-use plastic items on October 2

3 min read

Sustainable Planet
Source: Unsplash

The ban will initially cover six items such as plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets.

India to ban six single-use plastic items

The government of India is set to impose a nationwide ban on plastic bags, cups and straws on October 2, officials announced, in its most sweeping measure yet to eradicate single-use plastics from cities and villages that have ranked among the world’s most polluted.

The government is now taking stricter measure to improve environmental standards for plastic products. It will also ask e-commerce companies to cut down plastic packaging and use more environment-friendly materials, which can reduce up to 40% of the annual plastic consumption.
Several states and cities in India have already taken the step towards banning single-use plastic. The government is now taking stricter measure to improve environmental standards for plastic products. It will also ask e-commerce companies to cut down plastic packaging and use more environment-friendly materials, which can reduce up to 40% of the annual plastic consumption. Source: Unsplash/AvinashKumar

The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and import

India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, who is leading efforts to scrap such plastics by 2022, is set to launch the campaign with a ban on as many as six items on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, officials said.

These include plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets, said the officials, who asked not to be identified, in line with government policy.

"The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and import of such items," an official said.

In an Independence Day speech on August 15, PM Modi had urged people and government agencies to "take the first big step" on October 2 towards freeing the country of single-use plastic.

with a particular focus on the oceans, where nearly 50% of single-use plastic products end up, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, studies show.
Concerns are growing worldwide about plastic pollution, with a particular focus on the oceans, where nearly 50% of single-use plastic products end up, killing marine life and entering the human food chain, studies show. Source: Unsplash/BrianYurasits

The ban will shave 5%-10% from India’s annual consumption of about 14 million tonnes of plastic

The ban on the first six items of single-use plastics is expected to shave 5% to 10% from India’s annual consumption of about 14 million tonnes of plastic, the official said.

He added, penalties for violations of the ban will probably take effect after an initial six-month period to allow people time to adopt alternatives. Some states have already outlawed polythene bags.

The government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only, the official said.

It will also ask e-commerce companies to cut back on plastic packaging that makes up nearly 40% of the country’s annual plastic consumption, the officials said.

Cheap smartphones and a surge in the number of internet users have boosted orders for e-commerce companies, such as Amazon.com Inc and Walmart Inc’s Flipkart, which wrap their wares – from books and medicines to cigarettes and cosmetics – in plastic, pushing up consumption. 

Source: Reuters

The ban on the first six items of single-use plastics is expected to shave 5% to 10% from India's annual consumption of about 14 million tonnes of plastic.
The ban comes into effect on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. The ban on the first six items of single-use plastics is expected to shave 5% to 10% from India’s annual consumption of about 14 million tonnes of plastic. Source: Unsplash/AvinashKumar

The world is waking up to the plastic mess we are creating

Earlier this year the European Union announced plans to ban single-use plastic items such as straws, forks, knives and cotton buds by 2021. Learn more

And elsewhere in Asia, China’s commercial hub of Shanghai is gradually reining in use of single-use plastics in catering, and its island province of Hainan has already vowed to completely eliminate single-use plastic by 2025.

  • BALI BECOMES THE FIRST INDONESIAN ISLAND TO BAN SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS, STRAWS, AND POLYSTYRENE Learn more
  • COSTA RICA COMPLETELY BANS STYROFOAM CONTAINERS Learn more
  • CANADA SET TO BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTICS BY 2021 Learn more
  • ENGLAND BANS 3 KEY SINGLE-USE EVERYDAY PLASTIC ITEMS Learn more
  • SAN FRANCISCO CITY BANS THE SALE OF PLASTIC BOTTLES Learn more 
  • NEW ZEALAND BANS PLASTIC BAGS FROM 1 JULY 2019 Learn more 

The Indian government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only.
Plastic in paradise The Indian government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only. Source: Unsplash/Ishan@seefromthesky
Make an Impact

10 BITS OF PLASTIC YOU CAN QUIT TODAY

Here at BrightVibes we are passionate about the environment, and we're keen to promote anything that can help improve the world we live in for ourselves and for future generations. Here are 10 suggestions of everyday plastic items we can all easily live without, and by quitting them we are doing our bit to reduce demand and production, further reducing the risk of more plastic finding its way into our oceans and foodchain.