Guwahati: Nearly three years after India enforced a nationwide ban on single-use plastics (SUPs), Guwahati may be performing better than other major cities, but the ground reality suggests that the ban remains far from effective.
A study by Toxics Link, titled Revisiting Single Use Plastic Ban, found that banned plastic items are still available in 76% of surveyed locations in the city, pointing to persistent gaps in enforcement.
Among the four cities surveyed—Delhi, Mumbai, Bhubaneswar and Guwahati—the Assam capital recorded the lowest incidence of banned SUPs.
However, the numbers remain concerning, with more than three-fourths of marketplaces continuing to use restricted plastic products, compared to 86% in Delhi, 85% in Mumbai and 89% in Bhubaneswar.
A closer look at Guwahati reveals a mixed pattern of compliance across sectors. The survey findings indicate relatively better adherence compared to larger metros, but violations remain widespread, particularly in the informal economy.
Several categories—including food stalls, juice shops, coconut water sellers, railway stations, bus stops, vegetable vendors, weekly markets, cigarette shops, decorative item stores and tourist spots—recorded 100% presence of banned SUPs, reflecting poor or no compliance.
Partial compliance was observed among street vendors (90%), community food services (86%), religious spots (90%), toy shops (80%), grocery stores (83%), markets (83%), small restaurants (78%), card shops (60%) and sweet shops (60%), suggesting only limited progress in reducing plastic use.
In contrast, ice cream vendors and wholesale markets showed relatively high compliance, with just 14% SUP presence, while malls and banner shops achieved full compliance with zero use of banned plastics, indicating stricter adherence in organised sectors.
Notably, the worst-affected segments were coconut water sellers, cigarette shops, weekly markets and vegetable vendors, where viable alternatives were largely absent.
This highlights a key challenge—while enforcement drives are ongoing and local manufacturing of banned plastics has reduced, the continued supply of cheap alternatives and the lack of affordable substitutes keep vendors dependent on SUPs.
The problem is particularly pronounced in high-volume, consumer-facing segments such as street food and takeaway services, where convenience and cost considerations outweigh regulatory compliance.
As a result, banned items such as thin plastic carry bags, disposable cutlery, cups and straws remain widely used across the city.
Beyond compliance concerns, the continued use of SUPs poses serious environmental and health risks. Plastics are non-biodegradable and persist in the environment for centuries, eventually breaking down into microplastics that contaminate soil, water and food chains.
The report also highlights the presence of harmful chemicals such as BPA and phthalates, which pose risks to human health.
India banned 19 categories of single-use plastics in July 2022, including plastic cutlery, straws, polystyrene items and thin carry bags. However, the study reveals that 84% of surveyed locations across cities still had banned plastics in circulation, with overall compliance at just around 16%.
The findings suggest that enforcement alone will not be sufficient. Experts underline the need for affordable alternatives, tighter monitoring of supply chains and greater public awareness to reduce dependence on single-use plastics.
While Guwahati may be ahead of other cities in relative terms, the report underscores a broader reality—the single-use plastic ban has yet to translate into meaningful change on the ground, especially in the informal sector that drives everyday consumption.
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