How are Other Countries and India dealing with Single-Use Plastics?

India and the other countries are dealing with single-use plastics in their own ways. Nepal was the first country to ban thin plastic in 2022:

• 124 countries including India have signed the resolution to draw an agreement regarding the full life of plastics from production to disposal, to end plastic pollution.
• The first country to ban thin plastic is Nepal in 2022. Plastic bag is banned in New Zealand since 2019. In China, the ban got implemented in phases in the year 2020. With varying degrees of enforcement 68 countries have banned plastic in 2019. In 2018, eight states of the US banned single-use of plastic bags and straws. In Europe Union (EU) on July 2, 2021, directed the rules of single-use of plastic. Rules regarding the use of single-use plastic for which alternative like straws, cutlery, cotton buds and balloon has been prescribed.  
• In India, states like Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamilnadu, and Odisha along with 14 other states have banned single-use plastics. 
• The banning of plastic has been initiated under the ‘Swachhata Hi Seva’ scheme. Another initiative has been taken in the form of the awareness program Shramdaan for general swachhata. It included garbage collection, cleaning beaches, riverbanks, and parks, and installation of public dustbins, and plantations in addition to a school-based awareness campaign for kids.

Some Enforcing Actions that are taken in Delhi Recently

1. DPCC (Delhi Police Control Committee) installed a monitor room to screen the implementation of the ban on 19 known SUP items and can close down the units violating it as well as complaints against violation can also go through the Green Delhi application of the Delhi government or the “SUP-CPCB” application of the Central Pollution Control Board from 11th July 2022.
2. The revenue department and the DPCC have set up 33 and 15 teams. The DPCC will enforce the ban in conforming areas, whereas MCD along with local bodies will take care in the informal areas and can take action against non-compliant entities under their bylaws. The revenue department will act underneath the Environment Protection Act.
3. On the first of July as the ban on SUP items came into effect, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai was much more focused on spreading awareness and declared that for initial 10 days from July 1 to July 10 warning notices will be issued to the non-compliant entities but for repeaters, the action will be taken.
4. The Delhi government will conduct a training program to spread awareness about the ban of SUP items on the 19th of July with the collaboration of the United Nations Environment Programme. Thyagraj Stadium also conducted a three-day training program for the alternatives to SUP items.

Single Use Plastics: Single-use plastics are meant to be disposed of right after use often, in mere minutes. These are the items that are used only once or briefly before being thrown away. The effects of discarding these plastics can be significant worldwide, affecting the environment and our health in a major way. Commonly it is used for packaging and service ware like bottles, straws, wrappers, and bags. Ministry for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change announced the ban in the year 2021 and issued a list of banned items. The ban has been officially enforced on the use of single-use plastic from July 1, 2022. 

In this article, we will read about the ban and concern about single-use plastics, the reasons, and global initiatives regarding it.