India is reported to have announced that six types of single-use plastic items will be banned nationwide beginning on October 2, 2019. An article published on September 5, 2019 by news provider EcoWatch describes the ban as affecting plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws, and some sachets. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been pushing for the wider removal of single-use plastics by 2022 and encouraged society to “take the first big step” on October 2, which is the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s birth. “The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and import of such items,” officials from the Indian government are reported to have said. If implemented effectively, this first set of bans is estimated to reduce 5 to 10% of India’s annual consumption of approximately 14 million metric tons of plastic. A six-month phase-in period is planned before violators will be penalized. The government is also requesting e-commerce companies to reduce the plastic used in packaging, which was estimated to contribute close to 40% of national plastic use.
In June 2018, the Indian state of Maharashtra banned several plastic items including bottles smaller than 0.5 L (FPF reported), and the city of Mumbai has previously banned several single-use plastic items including plastic bags, cups, and bottles (FPF reported). Indian officials are also set to soon review the need for national regulations on food contact material plastics (FPF reported).
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BrightVibes (September 5, 2019). “India Set to Ban 6 Single-Use Plastics on Gandhi’s Birthday.” EcoWatch
