Assam Govt issues notification banning plastic water bottles below 1 litre

The Assam Environment and Forest Department has issued a notification banning the use and production of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity in the state from October 2 this year, said an official statement.

Last month, the Assam government announced that it would ban the production and use of drinking water bottles made of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) of less than 1 litre in volume from October 2 this year.

The Assam Environment and Forest Department on August 23, issued a notification, prohibiting the use or manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity in the state from October 2 this year.

"It is observed that the use of packaged drinking water bottles up to 1000 ml volume and their pollution potential is higher than packaged drinking water bottles of larger volume," the official notification said on Wednesday.

"Now, therefore, in the exercise of the powers conferred under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, in accordance with the powers delegated to the State under Section 23 of the said Act, vide Ministry of Environment & Forests, Govt. of India's Notification No. S.0.152(E) dtd. February 10, 1988, the Government of Assam has hereby prohibited the use or manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic water bottles below 1000 ml capacity in the state of Assam," added the notification.

It also stated that this notification will come into effect from October 2.

"The implementation of the prohibition of the notification shall vest in Urban and Rural local bodies, District Administration and Police department and Pollution Control Board of Assam," said the notification.