A plastic-exchange mobile van – NOIDA Authority and HCL Foundation’s initiative to reduce single-use plastic

In this, people will be given ecofriendly products (cloth bags, bamboo straw kits, etc.) in exchange of single-use plastic items including PET bottles and polythene bags. The plastic collected through this drive will be channelised to the Indian Pollution Control Association, a certified recycler for safe disposal.

The initiative was launched on July 1 by NOIDA Authority and Clean NOIDA, a flagship programme of HCL Foundation, as part of their ongoing efforts to make NOIDA India’s cleanest city. The plastic-exchange mobile van was inaugurated by Smt. Ritu Maheshwari, Chief Executive Officer, NOIDA Authority, and Alok Varma, Project Director, Clean NOIDA.

Clean NOIDA aims to sensitise residents of NOIDA about the importance of proper disposal and segregation of waste to tackle the issue of open waste dumping in the city.

It may be noted that the government of India  has banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential. The rules come into effect from July 1.  

The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, also prohibit manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy-five microns – with effect from 30 September 2021, and of bags having thickness less than one hundred and twenty microns – with effect from the 31 December 2022.