India has decided to ban single-use plastics on ships sailing in its waters, effective immediately.
According to the country’s Directorate General of Shipping, plastics including cutlery, plates and cups, are prohibited on board Indian ships and foreign ships when in India.
The current ban includes other plastics, such as bottles, bags and dispensing containers for cleaning fluids. The country also announced that, with effect from January 1, 2020, additional single-use plastics would be added to the list.
Over the years, India has actively collaborated in the work of the UNEP, including for the prevention of marine pollution. The Directorate General of Shipping cited International Maritime Organization as saying that marine litter “presents a huge problem in our oceans,” with some scientists warning that, by 2050, the quantity of plastics in the oceans could outweigh fish.
The country opted for the ban in order to avoid future pollution through non-responsible manner of single-use plastics disposal.