In an article published on April 12, 2018 by regulatory news provider Chemical Watch, reporter Ellen Tatham informed that the government of the Indian state Maharashtra has extended the deadline for disposing of banned plastic items from one month to three months. On March 23, 2018, the Maharashtra government issued a notification banning several plastic items such as PET bottles smaller than 0.5 liters (FPF reported). The new deadline for proper disposal of the banned items is June 23, 2018 and does not apply to manufacturers, Tatham noted. The change of deadline was reported by the Indian newspaper Times of India and an official notice from the Maharashtra government is expected soon, Tatham further informed.
The All India Plastic Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA) opposes the ban stating that “[s]uch blanket bans create more issues rather than a solution and disrupt activities in many segments of the economy.” The Hotel and Restaurant Association of Western India (HRAWI) is concerned about the lacking clarity regarding the types of packaging still allowed for takeaway food which has led to declining purchases.
Tatham also highlighted that many other Indian states have imposed plastic bans in the past, however “the states fail to carry out enforcement and plastics are still being used.” Thus, “[m]any observers believe that the insufficient planning and ambiguity surrounding the Maharashtra ban will see it facing the same fate.”
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Ellen Tatham (April 12, 2018). “Indian state extends plastics ban deadline.” Chemical Watch
