GUWAHATI
About 84% of the 560 locations surveyed in four cities — one each in eastern, northeastern, northern and western India — continue to use single-use plastic items, which were banned across the country three years ago.
Toxics Link, a New Delhi-based environmental research and advocacy organization, conducted a field study at specific locations in Bhubaneswar, Delhi, Guwahati and Mumbai between April and August 2025. Its study report, released on Wednesday (March 25, 2026), highlighted major gaps in enforcement and called for urgent nationwide action to strengthen implementation.
Research teams evaluated the effectiveness of the on-site ban in a variety of settings, including street vendors, juice stands, markets, small restaurants, grocery stores, places of worship, train platforms, and organized retail spaces.
According to the study, Bhubaneswar recorded the highest availability of banned single-use plastic items at 89% of the survey locations, closely followed by Delhi at 86%, Mumbai at 85% and Guwahati at 76%.
“The continued presence of banned plastic items in most places suggests that enforcement remains inconsistent. Unless implementation improves and the supply of these products is not controlled, the ban will not effectively address plastic waste and pollution,” said Ravi Agarwal, director of Toxics Link.
High customer demand
The study found a wide presence of banned single-use plastic items with sectoral variations: thin plastic bags, single-use plastic cutlery, cups, plates and straws were widely found in informal markets and small commercial establishments.
Organized malls and larger retail outlets showed significantly better compliance with the ban compared to informal markets dominated by small vendors. He attributed this to high customer demand and the higher costs of alternatives.
About 91% of retailers across survey sites reported that customers are requesting carrier bags. Interactions with retailers also revealed that 55% of customers bring their own bags, but many customers still expect retailers to provide free bags.
Satish Sinha, associate director of Toxics Link, said customer preferences are partly influencing retailers’ reluctance to switch from plastics to alternatives, including paper cups and plates, wooden cutlery, steel utensils, aluminum foil containers, bagasse plates, cloth bags and thicker reusable plastic bags above 120 microns.
“Customers perceive single-use plates and cutlery as more hygienic than reusable items. Our survey found that this perception, along with the cost advantage of single-use plastics, continues to drive their use among small and local retailers, although the intensity of this preference varies between rural and urban areas,” he said.
Stronger steps are being sought
The report called for stronger national action by all stakeholders – governments, single-use plastic manufacturers, retailers and consumers – in line with discussions at the Intergovernmental Panel on Plastic Pollution held in Geneva, Switzerland in 2025.
It recommended more robust enforcement and monitoring mechanisms with regular inspections, coordinated action between regulators and consistent penalties to ensure compliance with the ban on single-use plastics.
She also advocated improving the availability and affordability of sustainable alternatives by promoting local production, strengthening supply chains and facilitating market access for environmentally friendly substitutes.
Other proposals included support for ongoing public awareness and behavior change campaigns and targeted support and incentives for small retailers to help them switch to alternative materials.
Published – 26 March 2026 18:52 IST
