Representational Image; Photo Courtesy : World Wildlife Fund

Single-use plastic bags can contaminate soil and water, posing significant risks to both humans and wildlife. Given its negative impact, stakeholders and governments around the globe are undertaking decisions to prohibit its use, reducing marine and land-based plastic pollution as well as the amount of waste going to landfill, which is directly related to greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, citing the need to keep the environment safe and free of hazardous elements, the Nagaland Government has imposed a “Ban on Single-Use Plastics”.

According to an official statement issued on Monday, the state government has undertaken the decision in partial modification to its notification No.UDD/7-GEN/07/2018 dated 29.11.2018 and 17.06.2019 and in pursuance to the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change on August 12, 2021, in the Gazette of India prohibiting identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.

“The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than 75 (seventy-five) microns in thickness w.e.f. the 30th September 2021 and 120 (one hundred and twenty) microns in thickness w.e.f. the 31st December 2022. Further, a non-woven plastic carry bag shall not be less than 60 Gram Per Square Meter (GSM) w.e.f. the 30th September 2022.” – the statement further reads.

The order further mentioned that manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of following single-use plastic, including – polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited w.e.f. the 1st July 2022.

Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (Thermocol) for decoration have been prohibited across the state. 

Meanwhile, p lates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) banners less than 100 micron, stirrers have also been banned.  

The government asked all individuals, institutions, commercial establishments, educational institutions, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, religious institutions and faith-based institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halts, etc. and central and state government departments, agencies, commissions, PSUs, Missions, etc. including military and paramilitary in the state to abide the order.

The order said the district administration, sub-divisional administration and urban local bodies will decide and levy penalties on the defaulters in their jurisdiction.

Meanwhile, a District Task Force (DTF) has already been constituted in the respective district, which will strictly monitor and function as squads for vigilance purposes and ensure the imposition of the ban on stocking, distribution, sale and use of all single-use plastics below the permissible specification and stipulated timelines.