Ban on Use of Plastic

 As per the information provided by the Central Pollution Control Board, some States/ Union Territories have imposed ban on the use of plastic carry bags in their coastal districts/beaches such as Junagarh and Kutch (Guajarat), sea beaches of Goa, Puri and Konark Municipalities (Odisha), Coastal Regulation Zones (CRZ) of Digha, Sankanpur, Frazerganj, Sagar, Bakkali and the entire Sunderban area in West Bengal. The State Government of Kerala has issued a Government order dated 27th December, 2011 for enforcing the restriction on plastic manufacture, use and disposal. The order provides for declaration of places of tourism/environmental importance in Kerala as plastic-free zone with a total ban on plastic in such localities. This was stated by Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha today.

She further stated that the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. These Rules have, inter-alia, specified that plastic carry bags should have a minimum thickness of 40 microns, food stuffs cannot be packed in recycled plastics or compostable plastics and no carry bags shall be made available free of cost to consumers. Under these Rules, municipal authorities are responsible for setting up, operationalisation and coordination of the waste management system including collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste. State Pollution Control Boards/Pollution Control Committees are responsible for enforcement of provisions relating to registration, manufacture and recycling, the Minister added.

RM/RS- USQ4385 - LS
(Release ID :94839)