Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has issued a strong advisory urging strict compliance with the ban on Single-Use Plastic (SUP) items, as many prohibited products continue to be used in markets and by the public despite a nationwide prohibition in effect since July 1, 2022.
In an official notification dated June 23, 2026, the Board reminded all stakeholders that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of identified single-use plastic items through the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021.
The OSPCB had earlier issued public notices in February 2022 and February 2023 directing the complete prohibition of these items in the state, yet violations persist.
The prohibited items include ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, and polystyrene (Thermocol) used for decoration. Other banned products are plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straws, trays, wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, cigarette packets, and PVC banners less than 100 micron thickness.
Additionally, plastic carry bags thinner than 120 micron (excluding compostable and biodegradable ones) and non-woven carry bags below 60 GSM are also prohibited.
The advisory clearly outlines the responsibilities of different stakeholders. Retailers and vendors have been directed not to sell or stock any prohibited single-use plastic items, including thin plastic carry bags, plastic sheets below 50 micron, PVC banners below 100 micron, non-woven carry bags less than 60 GSM, and thermocol products.
These materials should also not be used for serving, storing, transporting, dispensing, or packaging any items or consumables. Any violation will attract penalties as per the bye-laws of local bodies and may lead to fines up to one lakh rupees under Section 15 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986.
Waste generators, including the general public, have been advised to minimize the generation of plastic waste, stop littering, segregate waste at source within their premises, and hand it over to Urban Local Bodies, Gram Panchayats, or authorized agencies. They must also pay the user fees or charges specified by local bodies for plastic waste management services.
Owners of religious places, institutions, event organizers, hotels, restaurants, cafes, mobile food counters, vans, and caterers have been asked to provide adequate dustbins for collection and storage of segregated waste within their premises. They must ensure proper segregation and management of waste generated during events or daily operations and hand it over regularly to local authorities or authorized recyclers without any littering.
The Board has appealed to citizens to adopt eco-friendly alternatives to single-use plastics. These include using cloth or jute bags instead of polythene bags, reusable bottles instead of PET bottles, and cutlery made of palm or sal leaves, fibre, steel, or brass instead of plastic or thermocol items. Paper-based containers and wrappers are also recommended as sustainable packaging options.
The notification ends with a strong appeal to citizens: “Let’s take a pledge for a SUP-free environment.” This fresh directive reflects the state government’s continued efforts to reduce plastic pollution and promote responsible waste management practices across Odisha.
