To reinforce the plastic ban in Mumbai, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has decided to take action against hotels and restaurants still using single-use plastic for home delivery of food. The civic body first plans to meet hotel owners’ associations to explore other options for use, and chart a road map to eliminate use of plastic. It will also propose options such as using steel containers for delivery.

A senior civic official said, “The BMC is discussing proposing alternatives to restaurant owners, such as steel tiffin boxes, Alternatives for cutlery will also be proposed.”

Polythene bags, single-use plastic tiffins, and aluminium foils used for packaging food for delivery lands up in household garbage or clogs drains on the streets, said the official. The Maharashtra government banned usage of single-use plastics in 2018 but the rules were relaxed amid the pandemic. However, the state announced that the ban will be reinforced from July 1, 2022, and added a few more items to the list, such as paper cups and plates that are coated with plastic or aluminium.

Presently, plastic packaging polythene bags, plastic containers, spoons, cups, straws, are banned for use in Maharashtra. Last month, BMC started taking action against shops and small establishments.  Gurbaxis Singh, president of Hotel and Restaurants association of Western India, said, “Unlike other times where BMC starts taking action against restaurants, it is a welcome change if they are inviting us for a discussion. Most of our restaurants and hotels do not use plastic anymore. Some small eateries give sides in plastic bags which needs to stop.”

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