In an article published on April 5, 2021, law firm Keller and Heckman reported on a draft notification released by the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change on March 12, 2021 announcing a proposed ban on certain single-use plastic products and restrictions on plastic take-away bags. The proposal sets out new rules that would come into force in three phases: 1) From September 30, 2021, non-woven plastic take-away bags must be at a minimum 240 microns thick. An exception would be made for compostable plastic bags. 2) From January 1, 2022, a range of single-use plastic items would be banned from manufacture, import, distribution, and sale including candy and ice-cream sticks. 3) From July 1, 2022, this ban would be extended to comprise additional food contact articles such as plates, cups, cutlery, straws, trays, stirrers, and certain wrapping films.
The draft notification is currently open for public comment until 60 days after publication (May 9, 2021). The proposal follows an earlier announcement from the government in 2019 in which it announced its intention to ban many of the same items (FPF reported).
Read More
KH (April 5, 2021). “India Proposes Phase Out of Single-Use Plastic Items by 2022.”
Reference
The Gazette of India (March 11, 2021). “Draft plastic waste notification – CG-DL-E-11032021-225824.” (pdf)
