Ban on single-use plastic comes into force in urban Odisha

Ban on single-use plastic came into effect in all urban areas of Odisha on Wednesday on the occasion of 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

Manufacture, sale, trade, import, storage, transportation and distribution of single-use plastics are prohibited as per a notification issued by Odisha Forest and Environment Department on September 30, an official said.

The ban is imposed on polythene carry bags of any shape, thickness and size (excluding compostable), Polyethylene Terephthalate (Pet/Pete) bottles of less than 200 ml capacity, he said.

Also banned are single-use disposable cutleries made of thermocol (polystyrene), polyurethane and similar products, of plastic such as dish, spoon, cup, plate, glass, fork, bowl, pouch to store liquid and container of any size and shape except for packing and selling of milk and other ancillary milk products and thermocol decorative materials.

The vendors will not be allowed to use polythene sheets of less than 50-micron thickness for storing, transporting, dispensing or packaging of any article or commodity or food items, consumables, packaging of milk and milk products and edible oil in a sealed manner.

This, however, excludes any plastic carrying and transporting garbage and containers like cup for milk products including curd and ice-creams, polythene packing materials used in healthcare sector like medicines, blood transportation bags, syringes, sample and specimen bags, resalable bags, medical instruments and accessories, the notification said.

Forest and Environment Secretary Mona Sharma also asked the officials to avoid the use of plastic items in their respective offices and ensure strict compliance of the rule by others in the state.

The cinema halls were asked to exhibit slides in their theatres regarding the restriction on plastic use in the state for one year from the date of issue of this order.

State Pollution Control Board has been assigned the job of closing down industries producing plastic products not confirming to the stipulations of this order within the municipal corporations/municipalities to which it applies.

Anybody including the vendor possessing any materials, which are prohibited under this order, shall dispose of those articles within one month from the date of publication of the order, the notification said.

Earlier on Gandhi Jayanti last year, the state had imposed a ban on plastic usage in six major cities -- Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Berhampur, Rourkela, Sambalpur and Puri.