Single-use plastics (SUPs), or disposable plastics, are products that are used only once before they are thrown away. This is the dictionary definition of SUPs. But this definition is not useful when it comes to banning and phasing out SUPs. The reason is simple: it is practically impossible to ban all SUPs, as we do not have viable alternatives for many. That is why no country in the world has come out with a regulation to ban all SUPs. In fact, the effort in most countries has been to target the most problematic ones. But to identify the most problematic SUPs, we need to define and categorise them for regulatory purposes.

In India, we do not have a national categorisation of SUPs. In the absence of this, states are defining SUPs on their own, and the differences between them are quite stark. Considering that India is a single market, such differences are creating market distortions as well as hampering the enforcement of regulations. Let me illustrate this by comparing the rules of four major states - Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Maharashtra - that have banned some SUPs.

Maharashtra

It has the most comprehensive legislation on banning and managing SUPs. It has banned plastic carry bags, plastic and thermocol cutlery and dish / bowl used to package food in hotels / takeaways, non-woven polypropylene bags, pouches for liquids and decorative materials made from plastics and thermocol. For other SUPs, it has prescribed buyback schemes as part of the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) of companies. Companies have been asked to put in place a buyback scheme for PET bottles and plastic packaging materials of more than 50-micron thickness. It has given exemptions to plastics used for packaging medicines. Also, it has allowed the use of compostable plastics for nurseries, horticulture, agriculture and handling of solid waste. Therefore, the state has classified SUPs into three categories - products that are banned, products that are allowed with EPR and products that are exempted.

Odisha

Like Maharashtra, Odisha has also categorised SUP products into three categories. It has banned carry bags, bottled water of less than 200 ml volume, disposable cutlery made of thermocol and plastics and decorative materials made of thermocol. It has exempted plastics used in nurseries, horticulture, agriculture and health sector and those used for packaging of milk and milk products. It has imposed EPR on PET bottles. Interestingly, Odisha has applied this regulation to only major cities.

Tamil Nadu

It has defined ‘use and throwaway plastics’ and banned them. The items included by Tamil Nadu is quite specific and doesn’t figure in the list of other states. For instance, Tamil Nadu has banned plastic flags, plastic sheets used for spreading on the dining table and plastic coated teacups. Tamil Nadu has given exemptions to plastics used for forestry and horticulture nurseries and packaging of milk and milk products, oil, medicine and medical equipment. So, Tamil Nadu has categorised SUPs into two categories - products that are banned and products that are exempted.

Uttar Pradesh

Uttar Pradesh has only one category of SUPs - products that are banned. Its list of banned products includes all kinds of carry bags and disposable cutlery. This ban is only enforceable in urban and industrial areas.

As one can see, there is a vast difference in how states have categorised SUPs. But, from these diverse categorisations, one can also discern a trend. We can synthesise the differences to arrive at a national classification of SUPs. I see four categories under which we can place SUPs…

Category 1 - Products that should be banned: These include all kinds of carry bags, disposable cutlery, straws, pouches for liquids and small bottled water, decorative materials and flags etc.

Category 2 - Products that can come under buyback EPR scheme: These include PET / PETE bottles, plastic packaging used by hotels and takeaways, milk pouches and food packaging of more than 50-micron thickness, big plastic bottles of body care products and medicines etc.

Category 3 - Products that can come under non-buyback EPR scheme: These can include multi-layered plastics, small sachets and bottles etc. Companies producing these products will have to work with local authorities to ensure maximum recovery and recycling / end-use of these products.

Category 4 - Products that can be exempted: These include compostable plastics, plastics used in nurseries, horticulture, agriculture and the health sector.

I believe that the above is a good starting point to start the discussion in the country on the categorisation of SUPs. Once we have agreed on the categorisation, we can design a national regulatory plan for its management.

Chandra Bhushan is an environmentalist and a researcher, writer and campaigner for sustainable development. He was honoured with the Ozone Award by UN Environment in 2017 for his contributions to climate change mitigation and ozone layer protection. The views expressed here are personal.

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