Govt bans plastic packs for tobacco
The highly popular small plastic sachets would no longer be allowed to be used for packaging gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco products, the government ordered on Monday while notifying new rules for regulating the use of plastics and managing plastic waste.
The new rules, called the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, also prohibit the use of recycled plastics for storing, carrying, or packaging food stuff.
The government, however, refrained from putting a complete ban on the use of plastics, as demanded by many environmental groups, saying that it was not only impractical but also undesirable. It is impractical and undesirable to impose a blanket ban on the use of plastic all over the country. The real challenge is to improve municipal solid waste management systems. In addition to the privatisation and mechanisation of the municipal solid waste management systems, we must be sensitive to the needs and concerns of lakhs of people involved in the informal sector, Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said.
Plastic, though extremely popular in a variety of uses, is composed of toxic chemicals and is mostly non-biodegradable, making it a major pollutant. Many states have already banned its use and some others regulate its usage.
While arguing against a complete ban, Jairam had earlier said elimination of plastics would lead to a greater demand for paper, thereby resulting in more cutting of trees which is not an environmentally sound option. The new rules notified by the Environment Ministry on Monday stipulate that plastic carrybags must not be less than 40 microns thick. Earlier, the minimum thickness required was 20 microns. The thinner the plastic used, the more difficult it is to dispose.
In addition, plastic carrybags will be mandatorily white or contain only those colourants or pigments that are in conformity with the standards prescribed by the Bureau of Indian Standards.
In a bid to further discourage the use of plastics, the new rules say that plastic carrybags cannot be made available to consumers free of cost. The municipal authorities have been asked to determine suitable price for these bags.
The only exception to the rules are carrybags manufactured exclusively for export purpose.