Plastic cups, straws still in use in Capital despite SUP ban
The Hindu
Current focus is to break the manufacture and supply chain of SUP items and eventually shift to end-users: govt. official
A week after a ban on 19 single-use plastic (SUP) items kicked in, many of the banned items, including plastic cups, straws and plates were still seen being used across the city, found The Hindu.
Although a number of shops and roadside carts were using alternatives, their owners complained that the alternatives are costlier. The banned SUP items were spotted at roadside stalls or shops in Raj Ghat, ITO, Ring Road and near Vallabhbhai Patel Chest Institute.
The 19 SUP items, which were banned from July 1, include plastic and polystyrene cups, spoons, forks, knives, straws and plates, and plastic films over cigarette and sweet boxes.
Sarath*, who sells coconut water near ITO, had two stacks of plastic cups on his hand cart. “When the ban kicked in, I already had over ₹1,000 worth of plastic cups with me. Once I finish this stock, I will switch to paper cups,” he said.
Explaining that paper cups are increasing his expenditure, Mr. Sarath said, “One plastic cup costs me 60-80 paisa and a paper cup will cost me over ₹1.5.”
Mr. Sarath added that officials from the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had visited the area two days ago and told him and other vendors to transition out of the banned items by July 10.