IT IS difficult to be constantly conscious of the steep environmental cost of a petite plastic straw nestled in the box of a packaged drink, an inconspicuous plastic carry bag, or a candy wrapper. These are things that we encounter every day, consume without a thought and then throw away. But in their case, “out of sight” does not mean “out of the ecosystem”.
The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, released on August 12 by the Union government, is aimed at tackling these silent rubble-makers. Through the amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, the Centre by 2022 hopes to phase out 20 single-use plastic items that have low utility but entail a high environmental cost (see 'What will be banned', p25). A closer look however suggests several glaring shortcomings in the amended rules.
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