Nepal's Tolerance For Micron Plastic: Understanding The Limits

Nepal has made several attempts to ban plastic bags, including a ban in Kathmandu in 2015. However, thin polyethene bags are still widely available in the country. Since June 2018, the Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association has claimed that its companies have been producing bags over 30 microns thick, which is the legal limit. However, some companies are still creating plastic bags under 30 microns thick, and many are not registered as legal. This has led to confusion among plastic retailers and wholesalers, who are unsure whether the plastic they purchase is legal to use.

Plastic bags thinner than 30 microns are banned in Nepal

Despite the ban, thin polyethene bags are still prevalent in Nepal. The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association President, Sharad Sharma, claims that the association's companies have been producing bags over 30 microns thick since the law change. However, Sharma also acknowledges that some factories continue to create plastic thinner than 30 microns for profit, and that there is illegal import from neighbouring countries like China and India.

The issue of thin plastic bags is not unique to Nepal. Many countries have struggled to effectively ban or reduce their use. In Nepal, there have been several attempts to address the problem, including a ban in Kathmandu in 2015, which was met with resistance from the Nepal Plastic Manufacturers Association.

The lack of proper labelling on plastic bags and the difficulty in determining their thickness have also contributed to the challenge of enforcing the ban. Consumers and retailers often find themselves unsure if the plastic they are purchasing or selling is legal. As a result, thin plastic bags continue to be widely used in Nepal, despite the efforts to eradicate them.

The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association has been producing bags over 30 microns thick

Nepal has made several attempts to ban plastic bags, including in Kathmandu in 2015. However, thin polyethene bags are still widely available in the country.

The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers Association has been producing bags over 30 microns thick since June 5, 2018, according to its president Sharad Sharma. Sharma claims that the association's companies have not been making plastics thinner than this. The government has allowed the sale of plastics thicker than 30 microns, but the Department of Environment maintains that these bags can only be used outside the Valley.

Despite these regulations, some factories in Nepal continue to produce plastic bags thinner than 30 microns. Sharma alleges that many of these companies are not legally registered and that illegal plastic is being imported from neighbouring countries such as China and India.

The lack of proper labelling on plastic bags makes it difficult for retailers and wholesalers to determine whether the plastic they purchase is legal to use. This confusion is further compounded by the fact that suppliers often sell plastic bags claiming they are 40 microns thick, when in reality, they may be thinner.

The government has allowed the sale of plastics thicker than 30 microns

Nepal has made several attempts to ban plastic bags, including in Kathmandu in 2015. However, the government has allowed the sale of plastics thicker than 30 microns. The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association President, Sharad Sharma, claims that the association's plastic companies have been producing bags over 30 microns thick since June 5, 2018, when the law was amended. Sharma states that the government has allowed the sales of these thicker plastics, but the Department of Environment maintains that the initial law clearly states that these bags can only be used outside the Valley.

Despite these regulations, thin polyethene bags are still prevalent in Nepal. Sharma suggests that illegal plastic imports from China and India, where they have been banned, are contributing to the problem. Additionally, some factories in Nepal continue to produce plastic thinner than 30 microns for profit, and there are also illegal imports from neighbouring countries.

The lack of proper labelling on plastic bags adds to the confusion among plastic retailers and wholesalers, who are unsure whether the plastic they purchase is legal to use. As a result, thin plastic bags continue to be used in Nepal, despite efforts to ban them.

Plastic bags don't always come with proper labels, making it hard to know if they're legal

Plastic bags in Nepal must be thicker than 30 microns. However, many plastic bags don't come with proper labels, making it hard to know if they are legal. The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association President Sharad Sharma claims that the association's plastic companies have been producing bags over 30 microns thick since June 5, 2018. Sharma says the government has allowed the sales of plastics thicker than 30 microns, but the Department of Environment is still adamant that those bags can only be used outside the Valley.

Despite these regulations, thin polyethene bags are still prevalent in Nepal. Sharma notes that illegal plastic imports come from China and India, where they have been banned. Additionally, some factories in Nepal continue to produce plastic thinner than 30 microns for profit, and many of these companies are not even registered as legal.

The lack of proper labelling on plastic bags contributes to the challenge of enforcing the law. Plastic retailer Raj Kumar Shrestha highlights this issue, stating that suppliers sell them plastic claiming it is 40 microns thick, but they later realise it is only 20 microns. This confusion among retailers and wholesalers about the legality of the plastic they purchase underscores the need for better labelling and stricter enforcement of the law.

Nepal has made several attempts to ban plastic bags, with Hetauda taking the lead in 1998, followed by Pokhara in 2010, and Kathmandu in 2015. However, the 2015 ban was met with resistance and lobbying from the Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association, resulting in its withdrawal. The country's efforts to reduce plastic use are ongoing, but the prevalence of thin plastic bags and the lack of proper labelling remain significant challenges.

The Kathmandu ban on plastic bags in 2015 was tricky to enforce

In 2015, Nepal banned plastic bags smaller than 20 x 35 inches and thinner than 40 microns. Outside the Valley, the ban is applicable to plastic that is thinner than 30 microns. The Kathmandu ban on plastic bags in 2015 was tricky to enforce. The Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association had lobbied the Supreme Court to withdraw a previous attempt to reduce plastic use in 2013. The 2015 ban was also difficult to enforce because plastic bags often don't come with proper labels, leaving retailers and wholesalers confused about whether the plastic they purchase is legal to use or not.

Despite the ban, thin polyethene bags are still everywhere in Nepal. In 2019, the Nepal Plastic Manufacturers' Association President Sharad Sharma claimed that the association's plastic companies had been producing bags over 30 microns thick since June 5, 2018. However, Sharma also acknowledged that illegal plastic imports come from China and India, where they have been banned. In addition, there are factories in Nepal that continue to create plastic less than 30 microns thick for profit, and many of these companies are not even registered as legal.

Proper monitoring of plastics was done in and out of the Valley immediately after the 2015 ban was enforced, and 20 factories, retailers, and wholesalers within the Valley were fined for breaking the law. However, the Gorkha earthquake on April 25, 2015, diverted attention from the ban, and it was forgotten. The ban has since been reintroduced, but implementation remains doubtful.

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