SDC hosted an online dialogue with national experts Swati Singh Sambyal from UN Habitat India and Gautam Mehra from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ). The discussions focused on the nuances of the Single Use Plastic Ban campaign, emphasizing the need to explore alternatives and learn from best practices in other states in the country.
To ensure the success of the Single Use Plastic Ban campaign, which commenced on July 1, 2022, states must focus on alternatives, state action plans, research, recycling, and public participation. Some states are making progress in this regard, while others, including Uttarakhand, have much ground to cover. There's a valuable learning opportunity for Uttarakhand from the successful Single Use Plastic Ban campaign launched in Uttar Pradesh.
Swati Singh Sambyal, Waste Management Specialist at UN Habitat India, highlighted that the current ban on 19 single use plastic items accounts for approximately 2 to 3% of total single use plastic waste. She emphasized the need for extensive research, study, and work plans to develop alternatives responsibly. Swati cautioned against inadvertently adopting options that may create bigger problems in the future, emphasizing the importance of advanced planning for the collection and disposal of chosen alternatives. She advocated for public awareness campaigns encouraging the shift from single-use to multi-use products.
Gautam Mehra, Senior Technical Adviser at GIZ, provided insights into ongoing efforts to ban single use plastic in various states. Notable initiatives include the Yellow Bags campaign in Tamil Nadu and the installation of Bag ATMs in markets. Gautam highlighted the success of the five-day RACE campaign on single use plastic conducted by his organization and the Uttar Pradesh state government. As part of this initiative, a plastic collection competition was organized for municipal bodies, with over 700 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the state participating.
SDC Founder Anoop Nautiyal acknowledged the progress made but emphasized that significant work lies ahead. Drawing inspiration from the participation of over 700 Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in the UP campaign, he expressed optimism about implementing a similar campaign in Uttarakhand's 102 ULB’s.
Watch the full conversation below on our YouTube channel.
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