Important to have alternatives to banned single use plastic items: Minister Choubey
PremiumMinister Choubey said startups and innovators are providing solutions for environmental problems as well as assisting in economic development of the country.
New Delhi: Availability of alternatives to banned single use plastic items is extremely important, said minister of state for environment, forest and climate Change, Ashwini Kumar Choubey on Tuesday.
Addressing the conference of start-ups and innovators working on eco-alternatives to banned single use plastics and air quality management in Chennai, the minister said startups and innovators are providing solutions for environmental problems as well as assisting in economic development of the country.
“One start-up has made packaging material from rice stubble. The innovation not only addressed plastic pollution but will also help in reducing pollution caused by the burning of rice stubble. Another startup developed flexible packaging material from sea weeds."
The government is giving focus on supporting innovators and startups through various schemes such as the Start-up India Mission.
He said that the strategy adopted by the government to tackle unmanaged and littered plastic waste has two pillars. First is to ban single use plastic items which have high littering potential and low utility, and second is the implementation of extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging. “Promotion of innovation and startups for elimination of single use plastics will help us address the problem of littered and unmanaged plastic waste in the country."
The conference has been jointly organized by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, and Government of Tamil Nadu. Many startups and innovators from across the country working in the area alternatives to banned single use plastic items and air quality management are participating in the conference.
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