Single use plastics and their products have been banned since 1st July 2022. Still after single use plastic ban, it is not a hidden fact that the items made from single use plastics are widely available in the market and used daily. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) needs to take more stringent measures to curb the use of single-use plastic from the market. To support the ban and prevent the use of such items, CPCB has launched an app which will facilitate users to complain about the use of banned single use plastic products. The ban extends from manufacturing to the use of SUP products.

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What is Single Use Plastic?

The single use plastic is defined in the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016. Rule 3 (va) defines it as below-

“Single use plastic commodity means a plastic item intended to be used once for the same purpose before being disposed of or recycled.”

These kinds of products are inefficient and cause harm to the environment because of their non-degradable nature. These are just bought and thrown away in the trash after use. SUP is the category, where most plastic waste is generated in the least time because of their use and throw nature.

Role of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB)

The Central Pollution Control Board, popularly known as CPCB, controls different types of pollution in the country and advises the government to take appropriate measures for the same objective. Plastic waste is responsible for a large chunk of pollution and accumulates in daily waste collection. CPCB implements the provisions dictated in the Plastic Waste Management Rules and other guidelines as prescribed by the government from time to time.

Single Use Plastic Ban (SUP) by the Government of India

The government of India did single use plastic ban in India by amending the Plastic Waste Management Rules in 2021. This amendment talks about implementing the ban on SUPs from 1st July 2023. The products covered under the ban are as follows-

The updated Plastic Waste Management Rules prescribe a ban on the manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of above mentioned plastic items, including those made of polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities. Although the ban is implemented on single use plastic items, it does not apply to items made of compostable plastic.

Read Our Blog: Plastic Waste Management Draft Rules, 2022

Implementation of SUP Ban by CPCB

For the implementation of the single use plastic ban, CPCB has started monitoring the sites to inspect whether they use single use plastic items or not. For mass awareness, the Prime Minister of India has also announced the ban on single use plastic commodities from the national stage in 2018 on environment day and in 2019 on Independence Day. Apart from their efforts to curb SUP plastic usage in the country, they have launched an app to spread awareness and include the population in this battle against plastic pollution. This app is SUP - CPCB and can be downloaded from the store.

How Does SUP CPCB App Help In Implementation?

The SUP app provides a facility for GPS Location based marking of the sites using banned single use plastic products. The users can directly complain about such usage through the app. Then the system assigns an officer to inspect such premises and take appropriate measures.

How to file a report using the SUP App of CPCB?

You can use the following steps to file a complaint to CPCB about the usage, stock, manufacturing, distribution, sale and import-

• The app provides a map view of your current location, where you can choose the pinpoint location of the premises you wish to report.
• To file a report, you must choose the banned items from the given list first.
• You can choose multiple items to report. There is a list of all the items mentioned above.
• After selecting the items, you will be moved to the next step, where you need to choose the category for the report.
• You can choose from manufacturing, usage, sale, storage and distribution. If the report does not fall into any categories, you can choose the ‘other’ option and write down your clarification.
• Then you can add pictures as evidence for your complaint.
• After adding pictures of the location, you can write a short description of your contention, which the assigned officer will review.
• In the end, user details are also added. Pressing the ‘send complaint’ button shares the complaint with the grievance redressal system.
• The system assigns an officer to the complaint based on the given location. He visits and inspects the premises and takes appropriate action against the responsible person.

Other Features of SUP CPCB Application

You can also check the status of your complaint using the same mobile application. You can search complaints with the complaint number you received after a successful report or go to the ‘My Complaints’ tab for a quick status check. It will show the progress and result of your complaint.

Read Our Blog: Why Single-Use Plastics Considered Bad - What You Can Do About It

Alternatives to Single Use Plastic

There are alternatives we can use to avoid the usage of single use plastic ban products. Once we stop using these items, the producers will stop producing as sales decrease. Some alternatives to the major plastic products are as follows-

• We can use reusable woven carry bags to carry goods while shopping.
• We can use reusable plates, cups and glasses instead of single use plastic counterparts.
• Candy and Ice Cream producers should shift to a different packaging than the plastic sticks they currently use.
• Compostable plastic should be used wherever possible, and paper can also be used for purposes like straws, advertisement banners, etc.

Conclusion

The government's policies and implementation by the Central Pollution Control Board are appreciable. They have not only taken action against the single use plastic but also actively monitored its implementation locally. Whenever the grievance redressal system receives a complaint, it assigns an Urban Local Body Official to deal with the matter, who is further responsible for taking appropriate actions against the offender. It helps catch the offenders and develop a sense of patriotism in the youngsters as they actively participate in the campaign to make our country green and clean. Such awareness will be proved very beneficial in the long run.