Analysis
India bans the import of certain single-use plastic items
Nov 4, 2025
India has banned the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and use of certain single-use plastic items that have low utility and high waste generation since July 1, 2022 and reported on the results of measures taken.
In line with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's clear call to phase out single-use plastic items by 2022, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, Government of India, issued the "Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021," in August 2021.
The Indian government has taken decisive steps to reduce pollution from single-use plastic. The list of banned items includes:
- Ear sticks with plastic pins
- Plastic balloon pins
- Plastic flags
- Candy sticks
- Popsicle sticks
- Polystyrene for decoration purposes
- Plastic plates, cups, glasses, cutlery like forks, spoons, knives
- Straws
- Trays,
- Wrapping or packaging foils for candy boxes
- Invitation cards
- Cigarette boxes
- Plastic or PVC banners with a thickness of less than 100 microns
- Stir sticks
The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, also prohibit the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale and use of:
The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules also prohibit the manufacture, import, storage, distribution, sale, and use of plastic carrier bags with wall thickness less than seventy-five microns. Effective December 31, 2022, plastic carryout bags with walls less than 120 microns thick will also be banned.