Nagaland amends plastic waste management rules

The Nagaland Government has [partially] modified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified by the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change. The new rule bans identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.

In a notification, 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.

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.