Guwahati: Nearly three years after India imposed a nationwide ban on single-use plastics (SUPs), Guwahati appears to be performing better than several major metros. However, enforcement gaps continue to undermine the effectiveness of the ban, with restricted plastic items still widely available across the city.
A study by environmental NGO Toxics Link, titled “Revisiting Single Use Plastic Ban”, found that banned plastic items were present in 76% of surveyed locations in Guwahati. Although this is lower than figures recorded in Delhi (86%), Mumbai (85%), and Bhubaneswar (89%), the findings highlight persistent non-compliance.
The survey points to uneven adherence across sectors. While Guwahati fares relatively better overall, violations remain widespread, particularly within the informal economy. Several categories—including food stalls, juice vendors, coconut sellers, railway stations, bus stops, vegetable vendors, weekly markets, cigarette shops, decorative stores, and tourist sites reported complete (100%) presence of banned SUPs, indicating negligible compliance.
Partial compliance was observed in segments such as street vendors (90%), community food services (86%), religious places (90%), toy shops (80%), grocery stores (83%), small restaurants (78%), and sweet shops (60%). On the other hand, organised sectors demonstrated stronger adherence, with malls and banner shops reporting zero use of banned plastics. Ice cream vendors and wholesale markets also showed relatively high compliance, with only 14% presence of restricted items.
The study identifies coconut sellers, cigarette shops, weekly markets, and vegetable vendors as the worst-affected segments, largely due to the absence of viable and affordable alternatives. Despite a decline in local manufacturing of banned plastics, the continued availability of low-cost substitutes and weak supply chain regulation keep vendors reliant on SUPs.
High-consumption sectors such as street food and takeaway services remain key contributors to ongoing violations, where convenience and cost often outweigh regulatory compliance. Items such as thin plastic carry bags, disposable cutlery, cups, and straws continue to be widely used.
Beyond enforcement concerns, the report underscores the environmental and health risks posed by continued plastic use. Non-biodegradable plastics persist for centuries and break down into microplastics, contaminating ecosystems and food chains. The presence of harmful chemicals such as BPA and phthalates further raises public health concerns.
India banned 19 categories of single-use plastics in July 2022. However, the study found that 84% of surveyed locations across cities still had banned items in circulation, translating to an overall compliance level of just around 16%.
Experts say enforcement alone will not be enough. The report calls for affordable alternatives, stricter monitoring of supply chains, and greater public awareness to reduce dependence on single-use plastics.
While Guwahati leads in relative terms, the findings underline a broader challenge—the single-use plastic ban has yet to achieve meaningful on-ground impact, particularly in the informal sectors that drive daily consumption.