Context: Single-use plastic ban India
A survey across four cities shows that banned single-use plastic items continue to be widely used, indicating weak enforcement of the nationwide ban.
Single-use plastic
Under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (amended 2021), single-use plastic refers to plastic items designed to be used once for the same purpose and then discarded, particularly those with low utility and high littering potential.
The ban on identified single-use plastic items came into force from 1 July 2022.
Key Points
• 84% of surveyed sites still using banned plastics
• Highest violations in Bhubaneswar, followed by Delhi and Mumbai
• Non-compliance mainly in informal sector
• Organised retail shows better adherence
• Reasons: weak enforcement, low cost of plastics, high consumer demand
