The Delhi government will assist aid startups by providing alternatives to single-use plastic to the best of its potential.

The Delhi government organised a Training Program on ‘Single-Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management’ today.

Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai inaugurated the training program that was organised in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program.

On the occasion, Rai said the Delhi Government will assist aid startups by providing alternatives to single-use plastic to the best of its potential.

He further said that awareness campaigns are necessary to stop dependency on single-use plastic items.

While addressing the UNEP’s training program on Single-Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management, the Delhi Environment Minister said, “The Environment Ministry under the leadership of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is taking all appropriate steps against pollution. The Summer Action Plan on the lines of the Winter Action Plan has also been started by the department against the increasing pollution in Delhi. To limit the usage of single-use plastics, a public awareness campaign is required as well as a mass movement. Unless other options are promoted, it will be impossible to eliminate single-use plastics.”

“The usage of single-use plastic contributes significantly to pollution. Plastic forks, straws, polythene, plastic glasses, and other single-use plastics that cannot be reused are discarded. Many individuals try to destroy it by burning it or dumping it in the ground which poses a major hazard to air, water, and land contamination. In such a situation, adequate information is needed for the effective management of plastic waste, not only for those who produce this waste but also for those who pick it up and manage it. This UNEP training programme will provide better information to the people working in this field as well as it will be easier to adopt the legal process related to it,” he further added.

Rai informed, “Delhi Government will provide assistance to startups offering alternatives to single-use plastic, for which an action plan has been prepared. To curb single-use plastic and implement the Plastic Waste Management Act, the Delhi Government has drawn up a framework for adopting several alternative models. Along with this, the government will also provide assistance to those who start low on alternative models of single-use plastics.”