CPCB (Central Pollution Control Board) has declared direction for single-use plastic products for various industries. CPCB went to the root of the industry and directed raw material manufacturers (petrochemical companies) to not to supply the material to SUP (single-use plastic) product manufacturers.
As per the guidelines, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following SUP, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022:
(a) Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration.
(b) Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers; and carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than seventy five microns (75 μm) in thickness with effect from the 30th September, 2021 and one hundred and twenty microns (120 μm) in thickness with effect from 31st December, 2022.
CPCB has listed the industries, engaged in manufacturing plastic raw material which can be used for production of plastic items including banned SUP items (like Reliance, IOC, Haldia, GAIL, HPCL Mittal, etc.).
Following directions are issued to these industries.
1. Not to supply plastic raw material to producers (in formal / informal sector) engaged in production of banned SUP items.
2. To ensure that suppliers/ stockists / dealers and other entities engaged in the industry’s supply chain, do not supply plastic raw material to producers engaged in production of banned SUP items.
3. To provide monthly details (by 7th of every month) of raw material sold to suppliers/stockists/dealers/producers including GST details to CPCB as per prescribed format given by CPCB. The soft copy of monthly report in excel format is to be emailed to CPCB.
It shows that the government of India is now becoming strict to phase out the single-use plastic products and make India green.