CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -India will ban manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, all across the country from July 1, 2022.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Ministry of Environment, Forests, and Climate Change (MOEFCC) has recently released the Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules 2021. According to which, recycled plastic or products made of recycled plastic can be used for storing, carrying, dispensing, or packaging ready-to-eat or drinks.

Detailed explanation-3: -From July 1, 2022, India banned single-use plastic items that have low utility but are frequently littered around, such as plastic straws. The aim of the ban is to curb plastic pollution, since single-use plastic harms terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

Detailed explanation-4: -A one month long pan India enforcement campaign was undertaken for implementation of ban on identified single use plastic items from 1st to 31st July 2022.

Detailed explanation-5: -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.