The Government of India has announced ban on single use plastics from July 1.

In line with the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has ordered all stakeholders to stop the manufacture, stocking, distribution, sale and usage of single use plastics with effect from July 1.

Single use plastic refers to the plastic items that are once used and discarded. They are used from the packaging of items to bottles, face masks, polythene bags, cling film, coffee cups, food packaging, and trash bags.

As per the report published in 2021, the single use plastics account for a third of all plastic produced globally, with 98 percent manufactured from fossil fuels.

The items on which the CPCB has announced a ban are earbuds, candy and ice cream sticks, balloon sticks, cutlery items including plates, glasses, cups, spoons, trays, knives, sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packs, PVC banners measuring under 100 microns and polystyrene for decoration.

India is generating about 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and it has almost doubled in the last five years