Urban Indians averse to single-use plastics, 78% want complete ban: Survey

Majority of urban Indians are willing to take a tough stand on plastics with 78 per cent favouring a complete ban on single use plastics, says a new survey by market research firm Ipsos.

Over 80 per cent urban Indians polled said they will hold the manufacturers accountable for the recycling and re-use of packaging produced by them, according to the survey titled "A Throwaway World -- the challenge of plastic packaging and waste".

"Indians displaying a tough stand is an off shoot of the tough measures taken by the government, especially on single-use plastics, with the Prime Minister himself leading the campaign. There is wide awareness and behavioral change taking place among Indians," Neetu Bansal, Client Officer, Ipsos India, said in a statement.

In his Independence Day speech, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had expressed his concern on single-use plastics and urged the people to join the movement to collect littered plastic waste along the roadside.

The survey, however, revealed that awareness around recyclability of plastics and its limitation is known to lesser number of Indians.

Majority (57 per cent) of urban Indians feel that all forms of plastics can be recycled, while 55 per cent global citizens echo a similar view.

The survey, conducted between July 26 and August 9, involved 19,515 adults from 28 countries.