Tarun Karthick
Sri Vijaya Puram, 05 February 2025
All producers, stockists, retailers, shopkeepers, e-commerce companies, street vendors, commercial establishments (malls, marketplaces, shopping centers, cinema houses, tourist locations, schools, colleges, office complexes, hospitals, and other institutions), and the general public have been urged to stop the production, stocking, distribution, sale, and usage of identified single-use plastic (SUP) items as per the following guidelines:
As per Rule 4(2) of the PWM Rules, 2016 (as amended), “The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of the following single-use plastic (SUP) items, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene commodities, have been prohibited.” The banned items are:
- Earbuds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, and polystyrene (thermocol) for decoration.
- Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners less than 100 microns, and stirrers.
Further, as per Notification No. 186 dated 05.09.2019 issued by the Andaman and Nicobar Administration, the manufacture, storage, use, import, transportation, distribution, and sale of the following single-use plastic items are banned in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands:
- PET bottles for water and beverages, including alcohol, less than 2 litres capacity.
- Plastic-bodied cigarette lighters.
- Sachets for shampoo, conditioners, and similar personal care items, mouth fresheners, pickles, jams, sauces, spices, and condiments, below 15 ml (or equivalent in weight).
- Single-use plastic-bodied disposable pens.
- Plastic sheets/pouches (transparent/coloured/layered) used for packaging water, cooked food, gift items, etc., including bubble wraps.
Additionally, Notification No. 225 dated 24.09.2019 prohibits the use, manufacture, and sale of plastic carry bags, regardless of thickness, size, colour, and nature, in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Selling or displaying single-use plastic items on e-commerce websites is also strictly prohibited.
All concerned entities and the general public have been advised to abide by these directions. Non-compliance, if found, may be reported to the Member Secretary, Andaman and Nicobar Pollution Control Committee (ANPCC), for necessary action.