Sikkim government asked to ban plastic bags

GANGTOK, Sikkim: Sikkim Pollution Control Board has recommended the Government of Sikkim to ban plastic bags of less than 75 microns thickness by the end of 2022.

The board, in a meeting, has recommended banning the plastic bags of less than 75 microns thickness and to introduce a complete ban on single-use plastic items such as plastic bags, candy sticks, earbuds ice-cream sticks, thermocol cutlery, wrappers, and packing films by July 1. The board recommended the state to make preparations to phase out plastic bags of 120 microns thickness and allow only those that have labels on them, describing their specifications.

The meeting was attended by the officials from the Sikkim Pollution Control Board, representatives from the seven civic bodies in the state and the other elected representatives of state. Proposed recommendations are in compliance with the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, which were amended in 2021, and aimed to control the manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of single-use plastic by 2022.