As per the officials, it is important to bring these firms on board to ensure that the campaign is a success since they have a flourishing business in the capital, which has only increased after the Covid pandemic.
The government will be organizing a roundtable conference with e-commerce companies and other stakeholders like market associations, self-help groups and industrial associations to encourage and promote the use of alternatives to SUPs.
Legal experts, MCD and enforcement officials from Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) will also be present at the roundtable, which will be held under the chairmanship of Environment Minister Gopal Rai.
‘Plastic Vikalp Mela’ organized by the government at Thyagraj Stadium will culminate on 3 July. The conference will be held at the same venue, officials told.
The concept of ‘plastic neutral deliveries’ has already been initiated in certain online platforms.
On 12 August 2021, the Union Environment Ministry had issued a notification prohibiting manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified SUP commodities, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, from 1 July 2022.
The identified SUP items consists of earbuds, plastic sticks for balloons, flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol), plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweets boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners of less than 100 microns and stirrers.
To ensure implementation of the ban, the Revenue Department and DPCC in Delhi have formed 33 and 15 teams, respectively.
Delhi generates 1,060 tonnes of plastic waste in a day, of which SUP contributes to 5.6% (or 56 kg per metric tonnes) of the total solid waste.
(With Inputs from PTI)
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