Assam environment and forest department has issued a notification to prohibit the use and production of plastic water bottles with a capacity of less than 1000 ml in the state starting from October 2 of this year.
Last month, the Assam government had announced its intention to ban the production and usage of drinking water bottles made from Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with a volume of less than 1 litre, and this notification now formalizes that decision.
The notification issued by the Assam environment and forest department on August 23 explicitly bans the use, manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, and sale of plastic water bottles below the 1000 ml capacity threshold in the state. The reasoning provided for this ban is that smaller packaged drinking water bottles are associated with higher pollution potential compared to larger-volume bottles.
The notification invokes the powers vested under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, and makes reference to the authority delegated to the State under Section 23 of the same Act, as per the Ministry of Environment & Forests, Government of India’s Notification No. S.0.152(E) dated February 10, 1988. It is this authority that empowers the Assam government to enforce this prohibition.
This ban will officially take effect from October 2, giving stakeholders time to adjust and comply with the new regulations. The responsibility for implementing this prohibition will be shared among Urban and Rural local bodies, the District Administration, the Police department, and the Pollution Control Board of Assam, as outlined in the notification.
