Karnataka pollution control board gears up to enforce single-use plastic ban from tomorrow

In March 2016, Karnataka became the first state in the country to ban single-use plastic items.

The environment ministry on August 12, 2021 stated that single-use plastic products would be banned from July 1, 2022. The Central Pollution Control Board in February conveyed the ministry’s stand to all state pollution control boards. On June 22, the finance ministry directed all the chief commissioners of the customs department to sensitise their officers to the ban.

Speaking to indianexpress.com, BBMP special commissioner Harish Kumar said, “The marshals are already enforcing the state government’s 2016 ban on single-use plastic items. This will continue. Even today we have seized a vehicle at KR Market. We will be mainly keeping a close watch on the manufacturing units.”

Asked if the implementation would affect small eateries and hawkers, an environmental officer from the state pollution control board said, “The ban on single-use plastic items has been in effect in Karnataka since 2016. So it is not a sudden thing. Now the Union ministry has directed all the state pollution control boards to enforce the ban. So the close watch will be on the manufacturing units. The ban will be imposed in a phased manner.”

Compostable garbage disposal bags have been exempted from the ban for now.

Speaking about the alternatives to plastic, Dr Vijay G. Habbu, a senior polymer scientist and an adjunct professor at the Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, said, “Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) can be used in place of single-use plastic as it is hundred per cent recyclable and it wouldn’t destroy the quality of food. Paper and glass are also alternatives for single-use plastic. A replacement for this extensively used class of materials is needed urgently. The replacement of single-use plastic, however, isn’t without challenges. For a start, alternatives such as those made from paper or wood are actually more damaging to the environment than plastics. The most significant impact is the high cost of production of the alternative materials. As the cost of the materials increase, it becomes difficult for the producers and the consumers to absorb the higher costs. Having said that, alternatives need to be found as the government will be heavily penalising the use of single-use plastic products.”

Banned items

Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, thermocol for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners thinner than 100 micron, stirrers.

The CPCB order reads, “The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following single-use plastic, including polystyrene (thermocol) and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022.”

Fine for violators

(For producers)

Seizure of the products

Closure of the unit

Per ton of plastic used in packaging of tobacco products:

First-time violation Rs 5,000/-

Second-time violation Rs 10,000/-

Third-time violation Rs 20,000/

(For retailers)

First-time violation Rs 2,000/-

Second-time violation Rs 5,000/-

Third-time violation Rs 10,000/-

(For street vendors)

First-time violation Rs 200/-

Second-time violation Rs 500/-

Third-time violation Rs 1,000/

Seizure of the products

For the third-time violation, a penalty plus seizure of trade documents