Page 46 - Plastics News March 2021

in the news

Centre modifies the definition of Single Use Plastics

he Centre has approved a new law for the use “The items which are to be phased out first are those
Tof plastic across the country. The new law will whose alternatives are easily available,” said the official.
be implemented from January 1, 2022. Among many
provisions, the centre has modified the provision of Mysore to enforce SUP plastic
‘Single-use plastic’, use of plastic products in our daily
life. Seeking to make India single-use plastic-free by next ban from April 5

eputy Commissioner Rohini Sindhuri on Thursday
Dsaid that strict enforcement of plastic ban will
commence from April 5. Speaking at a meeting of the
officials from the Mysuru City Corporation and the urban
local bodies here, she said that it has become inevitable
to act tough for enforcing the ban since plastic has been
causing a lot of harm to the environment. She told the
officials to educate the traders on the importance of
shunning plastic and instead using alternatives such as
paper and cloth bags for daily use. Ms. Sindhuri told
the officials to give a month’s time to the traders and
year, the Centre has proposed a ban on such items in then act for the strict enforcement of the ban since
two phases beginning January 1, 2022. It issued a draft any immediate action might cause some hurdles to
notification specifying timelines of the staggered plan traders as well as customers. In the first phase, the
so that it doesn’t affect small businesses and traders. In enforcement will be focused in the city corporation and
order to deal with the menace of huge uncollected plastic urban local bodies. Thereafter, the enforcement would
waste across the country, the Centre has also decided be expanded to the rural areas. The meeting was told
to increase thickness of polythene bags from 50 microns to take immediate steps against allowing untreated
to 120 microns from September 30 this year. Currently, sewage entering Cauvery, Kapila and Lakshmantheertha
polythene bags of less than 50 microns are banned in rivers in T. Narsipur, Nanjangud and Hunsur towns. The
the country. Manufacture, import, stocking, distribution,
sale and use of all single-use plastic commodities
will be prohibited under amended rules ahead of the
celebration of 75 years of India’s independence on August
15 2022. The draft notification also for the first time
defined ‘single-use’ plastic and identified such items
which are to be banned in two phases. “Notification is
issued for stakeholders’ comments. It will be taken into
consideration by Centre after expiry of sixty days from
the date of notification (March 11),” an official said.
While use of certain items, including plastic flags, plastic
sticks for balloons and candy sticks will be prohibited sewage has to be treated at the respective places and
from January 1, 2022, use of plates, cups, glasses, cutlery treated sewage has to be reused instead of letting it
like forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping/packing into the river, the DC said. She told the MCC to submit
films around sweet boxes; invitation cards; cigarette a proposal to the State government for setting up a
packets and stirrers will be banned from July 1, 2022. It separate body for drinking water supply on the lines
will be the responsibility of urban local bodies and gram of KUWSSB. MCC Commissioner Shilpa Nag and other
panchayats to coordinate waste management system. officials were present.

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