Virtual workshop Launched Plastic Waste Management

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on June 30 organised a virtual workshop on “Effective Plastic Waste Management to Tackle Plastic Pollution” under the aegis of the “India-Norway Marine Pollution Initiative”.

Additional Secretary, Ministry of Environment of Forest, Forest and Climate Change reiterated the important role of municipal bodies in managing plastic waste and that effective engagement is needed by all stakeholders to ensure effective plastic waste management including the success of the ban on identified single-use plastic items, which has come into effect from July 1, 2022.

The Deputy Chief of Mission, Embassy of Norway mentioned that plastic pollution is a global, common problem and that it is important to share experiences and best practices across nations and also hoped that today’s exchanges on effective plastic waste management would help us to learn from each other.

The Head of United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) India Country Office cited that India is moving ahead with a historic ban on select single-use plastics from July 1, 2022, and the urban local bodies, pollution control boards, industries, research institutes and the public at large have a huge responsibility to contribute towards the success of the ban and switch to alternatives.

The workshop witnessed the presence of policy makers, city level authorities from municipalities of India and Norway, State Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Committee, Department of Environment, Department of Urban Development, research and academic organisations.

The speakers from the Indian cities of Indore and Ambikapur complemented by Norwegian cities of Oslo and Stavanger shared their best practices and experiences in managing plastic waste and recognised that plastic waste is a global concern. Policy and regulatory frameworks for reducing single-use plastics and effective plastic waste management, from both the countries were highlighted by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India and Norwegian Environment Agency, Government of Norway.

In the course of the meeting, the officials were requested to lead their teams within their jurisdiction, focussing their efforts for the enforcement of the ban, which was notified on August  21, 2021. It was further requested to help all stakeholders including traders, retailers, distributors as well as consumers to transition to over to alternatives of banned SUP items. The Ministry reiterated that the success of the ban will be possible with effective engagement and collaborative actions by all stakeholders.

What Is Single-Use Palstic

As the name suggests, it refers to plastic items that are used once and discarded. Single-use plastic has among the highest shares of plastic manufactured and used — from packaging of items, to bottles (shampoo, detergents, cosmetics), polythene bags, face masks, coffee cups, cling film, trash bags, food packaging are among others.

The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and the Delhi government’s environment department will send teams across the city from today to prosecute violators, including the sellers and manufacturers by levying fines ranging from INR 5,000 to INR 1 lakh depending on the nature of offence.

According to the circular, a ban has been imposed on single-use plastic items -- having low utility and high littering potential. The ban includes manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic items.

Union environment minister Bhupinder Yadav had said that we would run awareness programmes. The government is committed to the initiative and will not take a step back.