The Central Government on Friday notified Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, prohibiting identified single-use plastic items. This amended rule will curtail the adverse impacts of littered plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
This comes in line with the clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to phase out single-use plastic by 2022, keeping in view the adverse impacts of littered plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
"Pollution due to single-use plastic items has become an important environmental challenge confronting all countries. India is committed to take action for mitigation of pollution caused by littered Single Use Plastics", the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change said in a statement.
In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India had piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, recognizing the urgent need for the global community to focus on this very important issue, it further added.
According to the Centre, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022.
The Ministry clarified, the waste management infrastructure in the States/UTs is being strengthened through the Swachh Bharat Mission and the following steps have been taken to strengthen the implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The State /UT Governments and concerned Ministries/Departments have also been requested to develop a comprehensive action plan for the elimination of single-use plastics.
As the Centre is taking measures for awareness generation towards the elimination of single-use plastics, essay writing competition on the theme for spreading awareness amongst school students are being organised across the nation.
"To encourage innovation in development of alternatives to identified single-use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge - Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup India Initiative", said the ministry.
