Cigarette butts among 12 plastic items that could be banned by Centre: report

New Delhi: The Centre, which has waged a war on single-use plastic, is planning to impose a ban on 12 items, including small plastic bottles used for beverages, thermocol and cigarette butts.

The government, however, has not come up with a timeline to enforce it but Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said that it would be banned in a phased manner.

The list compiled by government to ban includes: thin carry bags (less than 50 microns), non-woven carry bags, small wrapping/packing films; straws and stirrers; cutlery: foamed cups, bowls and plates; laminated bows and plates; small plastic cups and containers (less than 150 ml and 5 grams); plastic sticks for ear buds, balloons, flags and candies; cigarette butts; expanded polystyrene; small plastics for beverages (less than 200 ml) and roadside banners (less than 100 microns).

The country's top anti-pollution body is preparing a road map for India to completely eliminate single-use plastic-- which is harmful for environment--by 2022.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said in his Independence Day speech that the first step towards freeing India from single-use plastic will be taken on October 2, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.