Relevance: GS III (Environment & Conservation) | Source: The Hindu

1. What is the News?

• It has been three years since India banned specific Single-Use Plastics (SUPs).
• However, a new ground-level study shows the ban has mostly failed. Experts are calling it a “toothless ban” because banned plastics are still used everywhere in our daily lives.

2. The Reality Check (Who is breaking the rules?)

A study by Toxics Link (an environmental group) found:

• Massive Failure: In four major cities (Delhi, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati), 84% of places are still openly using banned plastics.
• The Rich vs. Poor Divide: * Big malls and rich supermarkets are mostly following the rules.
  • The main rule-breakers are small street vendors, juice stalls, and local markets. They still heavily use thin plastic bags, straws, and plastic plates.

3. Why is the Ban Failing? 

• Cost of Alternatives: Eco-friendly items (like paper cups or wooden spoons) are too expensive for a poor street vendor to buy. Cheap plastic is their only affordable option.
• Stubborn Public Habits: Customers still demand and expect “free plastic bags” when buying vegetables or groceries.
• The ‘Hygiene’ Myth: People wrongly believe that a fresh plastic plate at a street food stall is cleaner and safer than a washed steel or glass plate.
• Catching the Wrong People: The police mostly fine the poor street vendors. But the big, illegal factories that actually manufacture these banned plastics are not being shut down.

4. The Law & Global Rules 

• The Indian Law: The government banned specific single-use plastics from July 2022.
• The ‘120 Micron’ Rule: You can still use plastic carry bags, but they must have a minimum thickness of 120 microns. Thicker bags do not fly away easily, can be reused at home, and are profitable for ragpickers to collect and recycle.
• The Global Effort: The United Nations (UN) is currently holding meetings to draft a worldwide “Global Plastics Treaty” to stop plastic pollution across the earth.

The “UPSC Trap”

• The “Total Ban” Trap: UPSC will try to trick you by saying, “India has completely banned all types of plastic bags.” Incorrect. India only banned specific single-use items and very thin bags. Thicker bags (above 120 microns) are legally allowed.

UPSC Value Box

With reference to plastic waste management in India and global efforts, consider the following statements:

1. The Plastic Waste Management Rules legally prohibit the use of plastic carry bags that are thinner than 120 microns.
2. India has completely banned the manufacturing and use of all types of plastics in the informal street-vendor sector.
3. The United Nations is currently negotiating to create a legally binding ‘Global Plastics Treaty’.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 1 and 3 only

(c) 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (b)