A Month on, State’s Plastic Ban Remains Wrapped in Confusion

It has been a month since the state government imposed a ban on plastic. But residents are still unclear on what exactly has been declared illegal.

According to the Maharashtra Plastic and Thermocol Products (Manufacture, Usage, Sale, Transport, Handling and Storage) Notification, 2018, single-use plastics have been banned from use. But this order has done nothing except trigger widespread confusion — both of use and disposal.

Aparna Susarla from SWaCH, a wastepickers’ association in the city, said citizens often ask garbage collectors which items have been banned. She said the civic workers were trying their best to help clear the haze.

“We are trying to spread awareness among people that single-use plastics such as plastic bags and tableware have been banned. Many residents are also confused about compostable plastic that has come into the market. But more importantly, people do not know what to use as a replacement to dustbin liners. We are advocating the use of paper bags as liners as we are not sure if the compostable bags are harmful,” Susarla said.

Residents added that besides the confusion, they are yet to see a visible impact of the plastic ban.
Geetanjali Pitalia admits she is unclear about what kind of plastic has been banned and continues to use plastics she already has at home. “When I step out, I do not see any sort of ban in place. Polythene bags, plastic boxes and other plastic things are easily available. I do not know whether I should or shouldn’t purchase certain items. The notification bans plastic bags, as they fall under the onetime use category. However, many Indian households reuse these bags. The deadline to completely do away with plastic has been extended to June 23 and I will decide what to do with plastic products I have once I get some clarity,” she said.

Pramod Thakkar, a plastic manufacturer, explained certain points. “The ban is mainly on plastics that have a one-time utility, like polythene bags, plastic and thermocol tableware and packaging material. This category would include plastic packets used for packaging of bread, butter, oil and other such products. The ban is on use, production, distribution, sale, storage and transport of such plastics within the state. Any plastic products that do not fall under this category — plastic toothbrushes, buckets, mugs and many others — are permissible by law.”

Others have slammed the manned in which the ban was considered and implemented across the state.
Speaking about the ban, city-based activist Ranjit Gadgil said the notification and the ban were a ham-fisted approach to tackling solid waste pollution. “It should be noted that many items are recycled by those in the informal sector, like wastepickers. The government notification could have focused on ensuring this system worked better. Recycling could have been an important part of the notification. The focus could have also been on the prevention and reduction of pollution due to plastic rather than a complete ban,” he said.

Gadgil added that while the ban has had some impact on the ground, the right way to go about the matter was segregation, recovery and recycling of plastics.

“To ban every form of plastic being used in the society today is not really possible. The ban, which has had some impact on plastic use, takes care of just one part of the plastic problem that’s affecting our cities today,” he said.