List of all single-use plastic items to be banned from July 2022

New Delhi, Aug 28: In line with the clarion call given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central government has banned the use of select single-use plastic items, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commoditieswith effect from July 2022.

The government has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which prohibits identified single use plastic items which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.

"The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022."

• Ear buds with plastic sticks
• Plastic sticks for balloons, Plastic flags
• Plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers
• Polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration
• Plates, cups, glasses
• Cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays
• Wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets
• Candy sticks and ice-cream sticks

In order to stop littering due to light weight plastic carry bags, with effect from 30th September, 2021, the thickness of plastic carry bags has been increased from fifty microns to seventy five microns and to one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022. This will also allow reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.