The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on February 16, 2024, issued directions under section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for the Implementation of the ban on Single Use Plastic (SUP).
The MoEF&CC, vide Notification dated August 12, 2021, banned identified SUP items and prescribed minimum thickness of carry bag with effect from July 01, 2022; and as per Rule 4(2) of PWM Rules, 2016 (as amended), "The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic (SUP), including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from July 01, 2022:
• Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, and polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration.
• Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns, and stirrers.
Given above and in the exercise of powers vested under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 to the Chairman, CPCB following directions in continuation of Directions dated February 1, 2022, June 30, 2022, March 01, 2023, May 17, 2023, & November 20, 2023 are issued for compliance.
• To conduct SUP ban enforcement drive jointly with State UDD as per the SOP prepared by CPCB for four days a month during the period February- June 30, 2024. The schedule of inspection is to be finalized by the concerned SPCB/PCC in consultation with State UDD and is to be completed by the 25th of every month. The Police force may be deployed during the inspection drive as per requirement.
• To conduct the inspections with a focus on street vendors, local shops, wholesale markets, interstate borders, industries, bus depots, railway stations, airports and other crowded locations.
• To register all the concerned field officers (SPCB/PCC/State UDD) on the SUP Compliance monitoring portal.
• To conduct the inspections through the Field inspection app and file the inspection report on the SUP compliance monitoring portal. Violations & details of action taken w.r.t Commercial establishment shall be reported by State UDD and violation & details of action taken w.r.t industries shall be reported by the SPCB/PCC.
• To include information w.r.t. supplier of SUP items for commercial users), plastic raw material suppliers (for banned SUP producers) and SUP producers (for plastic waste recyclers making granules) in the inspection report.
• To provide details w.r.t. the action taken against the defaulters (Seizure/ challan/ fine levied/ cancellation of permission granted for Commercial entities & Seizure/ Show Cause Notice/ Closure/ environmental compensation levied.
[File No. CP-20/35/2023-UPC-II-HO-CPCB-HO]
