Prime Minister Urges Consumers to Shun Low-quality Plastics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has urged people to desist from using inferior quality plastic materials as they adversely affect the environment, particularly marine and wild life. Addressing the nation in the 44th edition of the monthly radio programme Mann ki Baat, the Prime Minister said India is the official host of this year’s International Environment Day on June 5 with the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’.

“While trying to understand the importance of this theme, we should all ensure that we do not use low-grade polyethylene and low-grade plastics and try to curb the negative impact of plastic pollution on our environment, on our wildlife and our health,” he said. A number of Indian States have already banned the use of plastic bags made of low-grade polythene as they remain in the environment for thousands of years. Each year, it is said, over 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide and nearly 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans annually.