New Delhi: Air India is all set to impose a ban 1st use plastic products like bags, cups and straws on all its flights from October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

The ban on using plastic will be implemented in all flights of Air India Express and Alliance air flights in the first phase while in the 2nd phase it will be implemented in Air India flights.

The ban on plastic product will cover items like plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws etc.

The national carrier will use eco-friendly birch wood cutlery in place of plastic cutlery for special meals while crew meal cutlery will be replaced with light-weight steel cutlery.

Plastic tumblers, teacups will be replaced with paper versions.

Handy snacks items like chips and sandwiches are, that presently come packed in plastic pouch which will be replaced by butter paper pouch. The national carrier will also replace cake slices with muffins so that usage of plastic wrapping can be avoided.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had urged people and government agencies to make India free from single- use plastic, during his Independence Day speech on August 15.

“Remembering revered Bapu, we should move out of home collecting single-use plastic from homes, streets, chowks, and drains. Municipalities, Municipal corporations, Gram Panchayat should make arrangements to collect single-use plastic. Can we take first big step on 2nd October, towards making India free from single-use plastic?,” Modi had said.

Modi had also requested start-up organizations, technicians and entrepreneurs to see what we can do to recycle this plastic.