India has recently passed legislation that will ban the use of disposable plastic products in Delhi and its surrounding territory. The new regulation is being driven by the need to tackle air pollution in the capital principally caused by the illegal mass burning of plastic and waste at three local rubbish dumps at Okhla, Gazipur and Bhalswa.
In an effort to reduce waste at these dumping sites, single-use plastic items such as cutlery, bags, cups have been prohibited by the National Green Tribunal. Plants that fail to comply with the new rules will face a fine of up to 500,000 rupees per incident (£6,000) while individual vegetable vendors or slaughterhouses that illegally dump rubbish in public will pay 10,000 rupees (£120).
