The Union Environment Ministry might impose a uniform, countrywide blanket ban on four single-use plastic products - styrofoam cups, plastic water bottles, disposable plastic cutlery, and all plastic carry bags. A draft of the legislation for phasing out these plastic products is with the Ministry, which is negotiating internally on various clauses. However, single-use plastic for packaging will not be covered by the legislation.

Details The states have been notified too

The Ministry has instructed all states and is negotiating with them to come up with their own guidelines to immediately ban these products. As per a senior Environment Ministry official, the plastic industry has demanded a uniform rule countrywide, and not just state-specific bans. This law is on the lines of the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products notification which was notified in March 2018.

The ban A long overdue move?

The plastic ban started with Maharashtra earlier this year and though it has been brought in 12 years after the Maharashtra Prevention of Non-Biodegradable Garbage Act, 2006, it's a relief that government is now considering the nationwide ban. Plastic pollution needed to be addressed earlier as not only has it destroyed the environment, but we've also consumed its toxins in the form of microplastic.

Explained How will we cope with the ban?

Though the use of regular plastic can be replaced by using cornstarch-based plastic and single-use paper bags, not all alternatives are as effective or cheaper or even environment-friendly. "It's necessary to move from the mentality of substituting materials to one of substituting practices instead. Practices like reducing and reusing should be stressed on," said Dr. Gauri Pathak, Assistant Professor at Aarhus University, Denmark.

Loophole The loophole in the ban

The challenge to ban plastic and curb pollution is not just banning single-use plastic products. A gaping hole staring us in the fight against plastic is the fact that products like ready-to-eat snack packets and shampoo sachets have been left out of the ban and these are the most commonly used plastic in our daily lives. Hope the Environment Ministry is listening.

The lessons Lessons from abroad taught by China, Taiwan

As per a report by Thomson Reuters Foundation, India produces more than 15,000 tons of plastic waste every day. But we can learn our lesson from China which announced a ban on 24 types of imported waste, including plastic w.e.f. January 2018. Even Taiwan issued an anti-plastic notice in February 2018. and is planning a blanket ban on single-use plastic by 2030.

Information 'Champions of the Earth' to save the Earth?