POLLUTION

Environment Ministry Hopeful that Ban on Single-Use Plastics Will Bring Down the Cost of Eco-Friendly Alternatives

Representational Image. (Pexels/Via Canva; BCCL) — Representational Image.
(Pexels/Via Canva; BCCL)

As the ban on identified single-use plastic (SUP) items kicked in on July 1, the Environment Ministry said that it hoped the cost of alternative products would come down as these cheaper plastic items are phased down completely.

Admitting that the alternatives (to plastic) are generally more expensive than SUP, the Ministry said plastic is a commonly available product, and petro-based plastic products are comparatively cheaper.

"The alternatives may be more expensive as long as the SUP items exist in the market. With the ban coming into effect, the scale of production of alternatives will go up, and their cost will come down," a top official from the Ministry said.

Asked if the government is planning to support or incentivize industry shifting to alternatives (Incubator support), they replied that to encourage the transition from the manufacturing of banned SUP items, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) is providing support to enterprises under various schemes of the Ministry.

As to the progress in the development of standards for biodegradable plastics, the Ministry official said a tentative/ provisional Indian Standard had been notified by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) to assess the biodegradability of plastics in varied conditions.

As reported by IANS on the day it was published, i.e. on June 17, the notification by the BIS, under the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, will help manufacturers of products to determine the ultimate aerobic biodegradability of plastic materials and thereby enable them to replace their existing practices for upgraded standards.

**

The above article has been published from a wire agency with minimal modifications to the headline and text.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives.