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BAN ON SINGLE USE PLASTIC

Chahal's Gyan Ki Baat

 

INDEX

REFERENCE WITH UPSC-CSE SYLLABUS

WHY IN NEWS

  • BACKGROUND
  • ABOUT SINGLE USE PLASTIC
  • WHAT IS BANNED
  • REASON FOR BAN
  • KEY POINTS
  • CHALLENGES
  • CONCLUSION

EXPECTED PRELIMS QUESTIONS

EXPECTED MAINS QUESTIONS 

REFERENCE WITH UPSC-CSE SYLLABUS

  • General Studies-III.
  • Conservation, Environmental Pollution and Degradation, Environmental Impact Assessment.

WHY IN NEWS

  • The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 were notified by the Ministry Of Environment Forest And Climate Change.
  • From the start of July 2022 the Centre has banned particular single-use plastic items that have “low utility and high littering potential”.

BACKGROUND

  • 1950s to the 1970s- small amount of plastic was produced, so plastic waste was manageable.
  • 1990s, more than tripled in two decades had plastic waste generation, following a similar rise in plastic production.
  • 2000s, plastic waste rise more in a single decade than it had in last 40 years.
  • For pledging to eliminate all single-use plastic by 2022, Prime Minister Modi was also conferred the “champions of the earth” award by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 2018.
  • India piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, at the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly in 2019.

ABOUT SINGLE USE PLASTIC

  • Normally used for packing they are disposable plastics (use-and-throw items) and include items planned to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.
  • These comprise of carry bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery etc.

WHAT IS BANNED

  • Ear buds with plastic sticks,
  • Plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks,
  • Thermocol for decoration, plates, cups, glasses,
  • Cutlery such as knives, straws, forks, spoons, trays,
  • Around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets wrapping or packing films
  • Stirrers and plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns.
  • This will also let reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.
  • Commodities made of compostable plastic, the ban will not be applicable to them.

REASON FOR BAN

  • Petroleum-based plastic is non-biodegradable.
  • It takes hundreds of years to break down.
  • It find its way into the ocean.
  • It releases toxic chemicals, in breaking down process.
  • Single use plastic pollution is a major threat to environment.
  • They are only use for one time before they are thrown away.
  • From the packaging industry, it has replaced all other materials.

KEY POINTS

  • With thickness less than 50 microns polythene bags are already banned in the country.
  • Banning-single use carry bags as well as other commodities in a phased manner ministry has drawn out.
  • From 50 microns to 75 microns the thickness of plastic carry bags will be increased from September 30, 2021, and to 120 microns from December 31, 2022.
  • Under the phase-out of single-use plastic items plastic packaging waste isn't yet covered.
  • From 1st July, 2022 the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited.
  • One million plastic drinking bottles are purchased every minute, while 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used worldwide every year around the world.
  • Since 1950s more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced according to researchers.

CHALLENGES

  • From plastics about 41% of the waste picker incomes come from it.
  • It is necessary to work with waste pickers and dealers so that the transition is safe, fair and agreeable to them, to manage India’s transition to a low-plastics economy.

CONCLUSION

  • Research & Development for more alternative option is required.
  • Biodegradable plastics, cotton, khadi bags etc., need to be promoted and seen as an alternative.
  • Attitude change of people is key for the long term waste management.
  • We don’t need few people do it rightly for few days we need all of them to do it consistently forever so changing their mindset is the key in managing the waste.

EXPECTED PRELIMS QUESTIONS

Q1. Which of the following counties have ban single use plastic

    1. India
    1. Kenya
    1. Rwanda

Which of the following statement is correct?

  1. a only
  2. a and c
  3. a, b , c
  4. a and b

SOLUTION

  1. Beginning July 2022 India has banned specific single-use plastic items which have “low utility and high littering potential”.
  2. In 2017 Kenya completely banned plastic bags.
  3. Rwanda has a complete ban on plastic.

 

Q2. Consider the following statement regarding plastic

  1. 1950s to the 1970s- small amount of plastic was produced, so plastic waste was manageable.
  2. 1990s, more than tripled in two decades had plastic waste generation, following a similar rise in plastic production. 

Which of the following statement is correct?

(1) a only

(2) b only

(3) Both a and b

(4) Neither a nor b

SOLUTION

 

Q3. Consider the following statement about SINGLE USE PLASTIC

(a) Commonly used for packaging they are disposable plastics (use-and-throw items) and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.

(b) These include items such as carry bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery etc.

(c) With thickness less than 150 microns polythene bags are already banned in India.

(d) Since 1950s more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced according to researchers.

Which of the following statement is incorrect?

(1) a and b

(2) a, b, c

(3) a, b , d

(4) All of the above

SOLUTION

STATEMENT is correct because commonly used for packaging they are disposable plastics (use-and-throw items) and include items intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled.

STATEMENT is correct because these include items such as carry bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery etc.

STATEMENT is incorrect because with thickness less than 50 microns polythene bags are already banned in India.

STATEMENT is correct because since 1950s more than 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced according to researchers.

 

EXPECTED MAINS QUESTIONS

Q1. Single use plastic is a threat to the whole humanity. Critically analyse

Sources used:

The Hindu,The Indian Express, British Broadcasting Corporation News, Press Trust of India, Business Standard, The Economic Times