Free plastic bags may soon be a thing of the past

PANAJI: As part of its ‘plastic-free Goa’ mission, the government has started out by banning the use of all plastic carry bags less than 50 microns thick. Officials, however, said that the prohibition — which has been imposed in Panaji, Margao and Mapusa so far — is only a stricter implementation of the central government’s Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016.
The ban on sale of plastic bags below 50 microns is expected to increase the cost per bag for retailers and vendors, making it harder for them to hand out the bags free of cost to consumers. A hefty annual registration fee of Rs 48,000 for vendors seeking to continue dispensing plastic carry bags is expected to either deter them further, or pressurise them into passing the added cost to the customer.

Under the central government’s rules, the aim of collecting a registration fee from retailers and vendors is to help municipal bodies invest in a more systematic process to dispose plastic waste.

An eco-friendly product that can completely substitute plastic in all its uses has not yet been found. In the absence of a suitable alternative, it was thought impractical to impose a blanket ban on the use of plastic all over the country. The rules have, therefore, provided for the improvement of plastic waste management systems.

“On our part, we have carried out awareness drives in the run-up to the implementation of the ban. However, there is no need to remind plastic bag manufacturing units, vendors and retailers, as the instructions issued are as per what are already provided in the central government’s Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016,” director of the department of science, technology and environment, Levison Martins, said.

There are around 50 plastic bag manufacturing units operating in Goa.

The Corporation of the City of Panaji (CCP) has made it mandatory for businesses seeking renewal of their trade licences to pay the annual Rs 48,000 registration fee or give an undertaking stating that they will not dispense any plastic bags at their premises.

Margao Municipal Council began cracking down on violators from Monday.