Submit ‘action taken report’ on phasing out SUP items by July 30, Delhi govt asks schools

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government on Monday asked all schools in the national capital to submit "action taken report" on phasing out single-use plastic items and plastic waste management by July 30. In a circular, the Directorate of Education (DoE) listed actions to be taken by all the schools, including displaying "single-use plastic-free school' on the main gate and at prominent places inside their premises.

The Centre banned the manufacturing, import, stocking, distribution, sales and use of identified single-use plastic (SUP) commodities, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, from July 1, 2022. Among the actions, the directorate has asked schools to list alternatives suggested or used by students after the ban on SUP items. The directorate has also urged schools to display a bartan bhandar (utensil store) board and the items included in the store set up in the schools.

The Delhi government had earlier asked all schools to set up a separate room, known as bartan bhandar, within their premises to store reusable utensils as part of its plan to phase out SUP items. The schools should also prepare a list of items suited as the best alternative for SUP commodities found/discovered by students after visiting the three-day fair organised for phasing out SUP at Thyagraj Indoor Stadium, according to the directorate.

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The government has communicated that no flex board made of plastic be used for any activity. "All the heads of schools of govt/govt aided/pvt unaided recognized schools of DoE (Directorate of Education) are requested to submit the ATR (action taken report)...to their respective deputy director of education (DDE)-district till 30.07.2022," the circular read. "Subsequently, all the DDEs (District) will submit the compiled ATR in format-II, along with the certificate (Annexure-II), in hard copy to the Science & TV Branch, Directorate of Education, Lajpat Nagar-IV, GNCT of Delhi... by 3rd August, 2022 positively," it added.

In a bid to reduce pollution, India has banned 19 SUP items, including earbuds, plastic sticks for balloons, flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene (thermocol), plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packaging films around sweets boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, plastic or PVC banners of less than 100 microns and stirrers.

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Plastic bags of thickness less than 75 microns are also prohibited under the Plastic Waste Management Rules. Their thickness will have to be increased to 120 microns from December 31 this year. Plastic wrapping material less than 50 microns in thickness and plastic sachets used for selling and storing tobacco and pan masala are also not allowed. Delhi generates 1,060 tonnes of plastic waste per day. Single-use plastic is estimated to be 5.6 per cent (or 56 kg per metric tonne) of the total solid waste in the national capital.