Dimapur: The Nagaland government has partially modified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change, banning identified single-use plastic items which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.
In a notification on Thursday, the state urban development department said the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of earn/bag made of virgin or recycled plastic will not be less than 120 microns in thickness with effect from December 31.
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It also said a non-woven plastic carry bag will not be less than 60 grams per square meter with effect from September 30.
The notification said manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, commodities will be prohibited from July 1.
It said plastic items such as earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, stirrers and cigarette packets and plastic or polyvinyl chloride banners less than 100 microns will be banned from July 1.
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All other clauses mandated in the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016 and Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 should be strictly adhered to, the department said.
It asked all individuals, institutions and commercial establishments that include educational institutions, offices, hotels, shops, restaurants, religious institutions, faith-based institutions, industrial establishments, banquet halls and central and state government departments, agencies, commissions, PSUs in the state to abide by the ban. Any breach will be liable for penalties, it added.
The department further notified that the Governor of Nagaland is pleased to impose a ban on single-use plastic in the state to eradicate the menace of plastic and the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by the rampant use of plastics.