The Indian state of Tamil Nadu has started executing ban on usage of some one time use and throwaway plastics products.
Image: Government has imposed ban on the use of certain “use and throw” plastics. Photo: Courtesy of Dustan Woodhouse on Unsplash.
On 5 June 2018, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has made an announcement in the State Assembly regarding the ban on plastics.
The Government has imposed ban on the manufacture, store, supply, transport, sale or distribution of certain use and throwaway plastics.
Throwaway plastics in various forms like plastic sheets, plastic plates, plastic coated tea cups or tumblers, plastic straw, plastic flags, plastic sheets, plastic water pouches and carry bags are banned irrespective of thickness effective from 1 January 2019.
In this context, the government has directed all the industries to follow few measures in order to be in line with the government’s ban.
The measures include providing permanent display board made of metal, not in PVC Flex at the entrance of the industry, for informing the visitors about the implementation of the ban. The board must display pictorial representation of the banned “one time use and throwaway plastics” items.
The industries should declare their premises as “plastic free zone” and stickers shall be put up prominently.
Utilizing the services of proactive NGO’s, NGC and ECO clubs, industries must conduct awareness programs among the employees and other public within 10 Km radius and the information about the ban on use of “one time use and throwaway plastics” and the alternatives for the banned plastics is to be spread.
Other measures include conducting competitions among the children for creating awareness about ban on use of “one time use and throwaway plastics”. Make them take pledge to avoid “one time use and throwaway plastics”.
Industries are also urged to provide notices to their suppliers, customers and visitors, explaining the details of banned plastic items and about use of alternatives for banned plastic items. Industries are suggested to form a “one time use and throwaway plastics avoidance Committee” consisting of top, middle and lower level officials to create awareness among the employees.
The Tamil Nadu Government has announced that the industries may carry out the above awareness program under Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and industries that carry out above activities will be considered for Green Awards, issued by the government.