Single Use Plastics

What are Single Use Plastics & Why they are a Challenge?

• Single Use Plastics (SUPs), or disposable plastics, are used only once before they are thrown away or recycled. They are commonly used for plastic packaging, grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups and cutlery.
• Difficultly in collection: Several times, the packaging is not effectively collected and end up in landfills and drains in the cities.
• As per the projection of the Central Pollution Control Board, India generates approximately 9.46 million tonnes (MT) of plastic waste per year. Of this, nearly 60 per cent, is collected and recycled while the remaining 40% of the plastic waste remains uncollected and littered in the environment
• High cost of collection and Recycling: The economic value of post-consumption Single Use Plastics is low. In fact, it makes little economic sense to collect back and recycle these materials.
• For example, the carry bags are made of LDPE and are technically recyclable. However, the sheer volume- to-weight ratio and low final returns (per unit weight) mean that it would make little sense for the entire recycling chain, from informal waste-pickers to industrial-scale waste recyclers, to collect and recycle these bags.
• Expensive Alternatives: Any alternative to Single Use Plastics bags costs twice as much to customers. Eg. Plastic bags cost Rs 150 per kg, whereas fabric bags cost Rs 230 per kg. Paper bags cost Rs 5-10 per piece.

Single Use Plastics Story so Far

• In August 2021, the MoEFCC notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021 which aims to prohibit identified single-use plastic items, having low utility and high littering potentials, by the year 2022.
• In February 2022, Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022 were notified, with a view of phasing out of certain single Use plastics products from July 1.
• The Rules also mandated to increase the thickness of plastic carry bags to over 120 microns from December 31, 2022.
• In March 2022, India engaged constructively with all member states at 5^th session of UNEA, where 175 countries adopted a historic resolution on plastic pollution.

Impacts of Single Use Plastics

• Environmental pollution: Single Use Plastic waste and litter directly contribute to ground, air and water pollution.
  • Soil pollution: Toxic chemicals leach out of SUP waste through landfill site, is linked to decreasing crop productivity, impacting food security, birth defects, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments.
  • Groundwater contamination: Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources, and also the ecosystem.
  • Air Pollution: Disposing of Single Use Plastics waste by burning it in open-air pits releases harmful
    gases like furan and dioxin.
• Global warming: The process of extracting and creating these plastics emits huge amounts of greenhouse gases. On the current trajectory of production, it has been projected that Single Use Plastic could account for 5-10% of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
• Bioaccumulation: Single Use Plastics bags are often ingested by animals who mistakenly taken them for
  food due to which toxic chemicals entered the human food chain.

Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022

• The guidelines on EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility) coupled with the prohibition of identified single-use plastic items.
• It banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic less than seventy-five microns.
• The Single Use Plastics ban will not apply to commodities made of compostable plastic.
• The CPCB, along with state pollution bodies, will monitor the ban, identify violations, and impose penalties already prescribed under the Environmental Protection Act.
• Local authorities have been directed to issue fresh commercial licenses with the condition that SUP items will not be sold on their premises, and existing commercial licenses will be cancelled if they are found to be selling these items.

How Single Use Plastics Ban can be more Effective?

• Participation at all levels: Industries, brands, manufacturers and most importantly consumers are important components of phasing out SUP. The ban will succeed only if all stakeholders participate and engage in effective engagement and concerted actions, especially the local level authorities.
• Consumer awareness: The consumer needs to be informed about the Single Use Plastics Ban through advertisements, newspaper or TV commercials, or on social media.
• Finding substitutes for use-and-throw plastic waste and ensuring alternative livelihoods for producers, waste pickers and other groups involved in the business will go a long way in solving the problem.
• Apart from Fines for not adhering to the guidelines, the government should also incentivize producers to switch to more sustainable products.

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