NGT Restrictions and Bans on Single-Use Plastic
Environment & Ecology › Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment · Topic 20.23
Single-use plastic (SUP) means plastic items meant to be used once or for a short time before being thrown away, such as carry bags, cutlery, straws, cups and packaging. India restricts them mainly through the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended in 2021 and 2022, framed under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified on 12 August 2021, prohibit from 1 July 2022 the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential: earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards and cigarette packets, and PVC banners below 100 microns, and stirrers. The thickness of plastic carry bags was raised from 50 to 75 microns from 30 September 2021 and to 120 microns from 31 December 2022. Extended Producer Responsibility guidelines for plastic packaging were notified in 2022. The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has supported enforcement by hearing petitions, issuing directions to states and pollution control boards, and ordering environmental compensation on the polluter pays principle. It has, for example, restricted disposable plastic in Delhi and nearby areas and has monitored the preparation of state action plans and compliance with the plastic rules. Many states and cities, such as Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Sikkim, have their own bans. The UN Environment Assembly agreed in March 2022 to develop a legally binding global agreement on plastic pollution. Hedge details: bans and thickness norms are revised, so check the latest notifications and NGT orders.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Environment & Ecology · Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment
At a Glance
- Ban date 1 July 2022
- Notified 12 August 2021
- Bag thickness 75 microns, then 120
- Law PWM Rules, 2016
- NGT role Orders and compensation
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Environment & Ecology: Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment
Where Does It Fit?
This topic follows the waste capacity building topic and focuses on one waste stream. It links with the polluter pays principle, EPR and the Ganga topics where plastic is a river pollutant. Previous topic: National Capacity Building Project for Waste Management. Next topic: Nalanda Model of Water Conservation.
What Is Banned and What Rules Apply?
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Ban date | From 1 July 2022 for identified single-use plastic items (rules notified 12 August 2021) |
| Banned items | Plastic sticks for earbuds, balloons, flags, candy and ice cream; thermocol for decoration; plates, cups, glasses, cutlery, straws, trays, stirrers |
| Packaging | Wrapping films on sweet boxes, invitation cards and cigarette packets |
| Banners | PVC banners below 100 microns |
| Carry bags | Minimum 75 microns from 30 September 2021 and 120 microns from 31 December 2022 |
| EPR | Producers, importers and brand owners must manage plastic packaging; guidelines of 2022 |
| Law | Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 |
What Is the Role of the NGT and States?
- NGT: hears petitions, directs states and boards, imposes compensation
- Delhi orders: restrictions on disposable plastic in Delhi and the National Capital Region
- Action plans: states are asked to prepare and report
- Enforcement: CPCB and state boards inspect and penalise
- State bans: Himachal, Sikkim, Maharashtra and others have earlier or wider bans
- Global: UNEA resolution of 2022 for a plastics treaty
- Concern: weak enforcement and cheap alternatives
- Alternatives: cloth, jute, paper and compostable items that meet standards
What Else Should You Remember?
- Plastic types: PET, HDPE, PVC, LDPE, PP and PS are common
- Microplastics: particles below 5 mm from breakdown of plastic
- Thermocol: expanded polystyrene
- Low utility: items used briefly and thrown away
- Littering potential: light items that blow into drains and rivers
- Earlier rules: Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999 and 2003
- PWM Rules, 2016: introduced EPR and a ban on carry bags below 50 microns
- 2018 amendment: phase-out of multilayered plastic that cannot be recycled
- 2021 amendment: SUP ban and thickness norms
- 2022 amendment: EPR on plastic packaging with categories I to IV
- Category I: rigid plastic packaging
- Category II: flexible plastic packaging
- Category III: multilayered packaging
- Category IV: compostable plastic
- EPR portal: centralised online portal for registration and certificates
- Recycled content: minimum targets for rigid packaging
- Compostable plastic: must meet BIS standards
- India Plastics Pact: industry initiative
- Beat Plastic Pollution: India hosted World Environment Day theme in 2018
- UNEP: reports plastic as a major ocean pollutant
- Rivers: Ganga carries plastic to the sea
- Fishing gear: ghost nets harm marine life
- Health: burning plastic releases toxic gases
- Link to previous: see National Capacity Building Project for Waste Management
- Link to next: see Nalanda Model of Water Conservation
- Link to principle: see Polluter Pays Principle
- Link to NGT: see National Green Tribunal
- Caution: rules and dates change, so check notifications
- Exam hint: remember 1 July 2022, 120 microns and EPR
- Why light plastic is a problem: Thin bags and films are rarely collected by waste pickers, so they choke drains, harm cattle and reach rivers and the sea
- Shop-level enforcement: Municipal inspectors check markets and levy spot fines, but repeated checks are needed for lasting change
- Alternatives and cost: Jute, cloth and paper bags cost more, so subsidies, standards for compostable products and local small makers matter
- Animals and drains: Plastic eaten by cattle and blocked drains cause floods and deaths, a common basis for court petitions
- Reuse: Policies also encourage refill systems, deposit schemes and reuse of containers
- Tourist areas: Hills, temples and beaches have local bans to protect fragile areas
- Industry transition: Small manufacturers need time and finance to shift away from banned items
- Penalties: Violations can attract environmental compensation and action under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 by pollution control boards
- Data: Producers file returns on the EPR portal, and the CPCB audits the numbers
- Citizen role: Carrying a cloth bag and refusing banned items shifts demand faster than inspection alone
Why Does It Matter for the Exam?
- Ban: 1 July 2022
- Bags: 120 microns from December 2022
- Tool: EPR
- Current affairs link: Plastics treaty
- Common errors: saying all plastic is banned
As an analytical point, banning a list of items is easy to announce but hard to enforce. Alternatives, collection systems and producer responsibility decide whether the ban reduces litter.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Ban Items
- Tool EPR
- Gap Enforcement
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the Nalanda model of water conservation. Next topic: Nalanda Model of Water Conservation.
Key People and Terms
- SUP Single-use plastic
- PWM Plastic Waste Management
- EPR Extended producer responsibility
- Micron Thousandth of a millimetre
- Microplastic Plastic under 5 mm
- UNEA UN Environment Assembly
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- SUP ban from 1 July 2022.
- Bags: 120 microns.
- Tool: EPR.
- NGT enforces with compensation.
- Treaty talks since 2022.
Do Not Confuse With
- SUP ban and carry bag norm Items versus thickness
- Plastic rules and EPR Law versus producer duty
- NGT and CPCB Tribunal versus regulator
Memory Hook
July twenty-two, items two dozen; one-twenty microns for the bag.
Mains Angle
Questions ask for dates, items and thickness. These points help.
- Ban Items
- Tool EPR
- Gaps Enforcement
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Discuss the ban on single-use plastic in India and the role of the NGT in enforcing it.”
How to Answer
- Rules PWM.
- Ban 2022.
- NGT Orders.
- Gaps Alternatives.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
When was single-use plastic banned in India?
Under the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified on 12 August 2021, identified single-use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential were prohibited from 1 July 2022. They include plastic sticks, thermocol decoration, plates, cups, cutlery, straws and some packaging films.
What is the thickness limit for plastic carry bags?
The minimum thickness of plastic carry bags was raised from 50 to 75 microns from 30 September 2021 and to 120 microns from 31 December 2022. Thicker bags are easier to reuse and recycle. Thin bags below the limit are prohibited, subject to the latest rules.
What is the role of the NGT on plastic?
The National Green Tribunal hears cases on plastic pollution, directs states and pollution control boards to prepare action plans and enforce the rules, restricts disposable plastic in places such as Delhi, and imposes environmental compensation on violators under the polluter pays principle, as part of its powers under the NGT Act, 2010.
What is Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic?
It makes producers, importers and brand owners responsible for collecting and recycling or safely disposing of the plastic packaging they put on the market. Guidelines notified in 2022 set categories of plastic packaging, targets, recycled content requirements and a central portal for registration and certificates.
Is there an international treaty on plastic?
In March 2022, the UN Environment Assembly agreed to develop a legally binding international instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Negotiations are held by an intergovernmental committee, and the progress and outcome should be checked in the latest reports.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 The SUP ban came into force on 1 July 2022.
For identified items.
2 All plastic items are banned in India.
Only identified items.
3 Carry bags must be at least 120 microns from December 2022.
Rising from 75.
4 The NGT can impose environmental compensation.
On polluters.
Past Mains Questions on This Topic
This topic comes under Protected Areas Lists and Recent Developments in Environment. UPSC Mains questions asked on the matching syllabus topic, year-wise with marks:
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