Sikkim: Govt asked to ban plastic bags for a plastic-free state

The Sikkim Pollution Control Board (SPCB) has recommended the state government to prohibit the use of plastic bags with a thickness of less than 75 microns by the end of this year.

It also recommended the government to phase out plastic bags with a thickness of less than 120 microns in the following phase of its efforts to make Sikkim a plastic-free state.

The suggestions were made during a meeting called by the Sikkim Pollution Control Board (SPCB) with elected representatives and executives from the state's seven municipal entities.

The meeting discusses strategies for phasing out single-use plastic items as well as establishing enforcement techniques for the efficient execution of the Plastic Waste Management Rules (PWM) of 2016 and later legislation.

The SPCB advised that the state government only allow plastic bags with labels indicating their specifications.

It advocated for the formation of a task team to monitor the state's use of plastic.

Single-use plastic products such as earphones, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice cream sticks, thermocol cutlery, wrappers, packaging films, invitation cards, PVC banners, and stirrers, among others, shall be phased out beginning July 1.

Market inspections should be conducted on a regular basis to ensure compliance, according to the report.