A plastics ban Tamil Nadu tried in 2002 and stepped back from
In May 2002, the Tamil Nadu government introduced a Bill that sought to restrict the use of disposable plastics across the State. The Tamil Nadu
In May 2002, the Tamil Nadu government introduced a Bill that sought to restrict the use of disposable plastics across the State. The Tamil Nadu Plastic Articles (Prohibition of Sale, Storage, Transport and Use) Bill, 2002, aimed to curb the growing use of non-reusable plastic items such as carry bags, cups and packaging materials. Less than a year later, in January 2003, the Bill was withdrawn following recommendations from a Select Committee, after months of debate involving industry, environmental groups and political parties. Concerns over plastic waste had been building for some time. On March 9, 2001, The Hindu reported that the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) had asked municipal corporations to reduce the use of “use and throw” plastics, as they choke drains and affect soil and groundwater. By 2002, plastics had become a visible part of municipal waste streams, raising concerns over disposal, public health and environmental damage. Also Read: How Tamil Nadu’s tryst with plastic ban came a cropper A Bill that sought to limit use Introduced on May 7, 2002, the Bill proposed a ban on the sale, storage, transport and use of non-reusable plastics due to the rapid increase in disposable plastic consumption and its impact on groundwater contamination and rainwater percolation. Violators caught selling, storing or transporting non-biodegradable plastics were to pay fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000, while users were to be fined between ₹100 and ₹500.
Selling, storing, distributing or transporting magazines or periodicals packed in plastic wrappers could attract fines between ₹1,000 and ₹5,000. The Bill also stated that no owner or person in charge of any food establishment could use or permit the use of plastic articles, with violations attracting fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹50,000. In an interview to Frontline, a sister publication of The Hindu, the then TNPCB Chairperson Sheela Rani Chunkath explained the State had chosen not to rely on thickness-based regulation. “We need to ban plastic throwaway carrybags irrespective of their thickness,” she said, adding that the aim was to “attack particular uses of plastics rather than specific plastics”. The Bill did not ban manufacturing, which she said would be difficult within existing legal frameworks: “Manufacturing cannot be banned because it is interpreted as an infringement of fundamental rights.” However, the Bill faced resistance soon after its introduction in the Assembly. Parties such as the Congress Jananayaka Peravai and Tamil Maanila Congress objected to it outright and called for a phased approach. Industry bodies strongly criticised the move and warned of its impact on livelihoods, arguing that the focus should be on waste management rather than banning plastics. Environmental groups, however, welcomed the Bill as a necessary step. A day after its introduction, on May 8, 2002 the government decided to refer the Bill to a Select Committee following objections.
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