Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi is set to launch a campaign with the ban of plastic bags, cups, plates, small bottles, straws and certain types of sachets.
He is leading efforts to scrap such plastics by 2022. The initiative will take place on October 2, on the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
“The ban will be comprehensive and will cover manufacturing, usage and import of such items,” one official said.
Toxic chemicals from plastic bags can damage the blood and tissues. Plastic bags always end up in oceans as they are not recyclable. One of the biggest disadvantages of plastic bags is that they threaten the environment.
The concerns about the rapid growth of plastic pollution, with a particular focus on the oceans, are growing day by day. Nearly 50 per cent of single-use plastic products kill marine life.
In an Independence Day speech on August 15, Narendra Modi urged the people and shopkeepers to eliminate the use of plastic bags completely.
“Can we free India from single-use plastic? The time for implementing such an idea has come. Teams must be mobilized to work in this direction. A significant step must come out by October 2,” Modi said.
According to India Today website: ”The ban on the first six items of single-use plastics will clip 5 per cent to 10 per cent from India’s annual consumption of about 14 million tonnes of plastic,” the first official said.
”Penalties for violations of the ban will probably take effect after an initial six-month period to allow people time to adopt alternatives,” officials said.
”Some states have already outlawed polythene bags. The government also plans tougher environmental standards for plastic products and will insist on the use of recyclable plastic only,” the first source said.
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