Plastics refer to a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials made of polymers. Polymers are long chains of repeating molecular units called monomers, which are derived from petroleum or natural gas. Plastics can be moulded, pressed or extruded into multiple kinds of solid forms. They are durable, lightweight and resistant against water, chemicals and corrosion. Low cost of production has led to the widespread use of plastics.
Common forms of plastics in use include polyethylene, polypropylene, polyethylene terephthalate, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride and multi-layered plastics. They are widely used to manufacture a number of plastic products, including bags, water bottles, food containers, straws, thermocol, pipes, cables and snack packets. Primary use of plastics is for packaging, making up 40% of global usage, followed by construction and building, accounting for 20% of the total usage. Annual global production of plastics is projected to cross 1.3 billion tons by 2060.
Status in India
Plastics have not been completely banned in India. However, in August 2021, the Government of India issued the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which banned certain identified single-use plastics or SUPs. The amended rules prohibit the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and usage of specific SUP items with low-utility and high littering potential.
The ban came into effect on 1st July 2022 and is enforced by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change of the Government of India. The SUP items covered under the ban include ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks with balloons, ice cream sticks, polystyrene or thermocol decorations, candy sticks, plastic flags, plastic cups, glasses and cutlery items like forks/spoons/knives/trays/straws, stirrers, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, cigarette packets, invitation cards and wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes.
In addition, the amended rules also impose a ban on manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness of less than 120 microns.
Impact and Challenges
The ban on specific SUPs target around 11% of total SUP consumption in India. Other kinds of plastics are being managed through recycling initiatives and extended producer responsibility or EPR. Per-capita plastic waste generation is declining in areas where the ban on certain SUPs is being enforced strictly. There has been a visible reduction in plastic bags in many cities and urban areas, with both traders and public turning to sustainable alternatives like paper and cloth bags.
Non-compliance with the rules and illegal production of banned SUPs is a major problem especially in rural areas. Lack of alternatives in economically backward regions is another challenge in enforcing the ban.
