Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, on Tuesday, announced that plastic will be banned in the state from January 1, 2019.

Speaking in the Tamil Nadu assembly, he said that former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa had introduced the Tamil Nadu Plastic Articles (Prohibition of Sale, Storage, Transport and Use) Bill in 2002 with a view to curb the menace of non-biodegradable plastic on the environment. The bill was then sent to the House Select Committee for further discussion after pressure from the plastic industrial lobby.  

“This committee had recommended the ban of non-biodegradable and single-use plastic and had recommended the use of natural environmental-friendly products like banana leaves and lotus leaves. It has also recommended restricting the use of plastic for daily-use products like milk, curd, oil and medicines,” he said.

The ban aims to free Tamil Nadu from the use of plastic papers, covers, plates, cups, straws and flags. The ban also aims to stop industries from manufacturing and selling these items.

Enlisting the dangers that use of plastic has on the environment and on animals, the Chief Minister said, “With the vision of gifting a plastic-free Tamil Nadu to our future generation, the government hereby bans the use of plastic goods of all sizes (microns).”

Mentioning how the late Chief Minister’s ‘Rain Water Harvesting’ scheme had replenished the groundwater table with the cooperation of the people, he requested people to cooperate and participate to make this ban a success too.

Watch the Chief Minister's statement in the assembly.