The people of Tamil Nadu have half a year to zero in on alternatives to plastic bags and containers with the state government today (Tuesday) announcing a ban on manufacture, sales, storage and use of disposable plastic effective from 1 January 2019.
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said at the state legislative assembly that the decision was based on the recommendations of an expert panel constituted by former chief minister J Jayalalithaa in this regard.
However, disposable plastic used for packaging milk, curd, oil and medical utilities, will be exempted, Palaniswami said.
The ban included plastic carry bags, plates, cups, flags, small plastic sachets used in packaging water, among others, according to the Chief Minister, who announced the clamp on World Environment Day (4 June).
The disposal of such plastic material affected the flow of waste water and drainage and deeply affected the ground water table, the Chief Minister pointed out.
Maharashtra too banned the use of plastic bags in March this year.
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