Mumbai: BMC seizes 87 kg of single-use plastic, imposes fines worth Rs 2.95 lakh

The BMC has formed 24 different five-member teams, one for each word, for this drive and various establishments like malls, shops, hawkers and other units are being checked, an official said.

In 2021, the Centre issued a notification banning the manufacture, use, sale, transportation, handling and storage of single-use plastic, the release said.

It said as per the government notifications, all kinds of with and without handle carry bags of all thicknesses, non-woven polypropylene bags having weight less than 60 grams per square metre (GSM), plastic and PVC banners of less than 100 microns, plastic and thermocol used for decoration are banned.

Plastic dishes, bowls, containers, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery items, straws, stirrers and containers and bowls used for packaging in hotels and restaurants are also banned as per the notification, the release highlighted.

As per the release, disposable dishes, cups, plates, glasses, cutlery, bowl and containers with plastic coating or plastic lamination are banned along with sweets packing boxes, invitation cards, cigarette box coverings, plastic sticks used for balloons, plastic flags, earbuds made of plastic and ice-cream sticks are also banned.