Plastic Flowers Not Banned, Says Union Government to Bombay High Court
In a significant development, the Union government has informed the Bombay High Court that plastic flowers are not included in the list of banned single-use plastic items, citing their low littering potential and minimal utility. The Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) filed an affidavit in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by the Growers Flowers Council of India (GFCI), which sought a ban on plastic flowers, particularly those under 100 microns in thickness, due to their contribution to environmental pollution.
The GFCI’s PIL argued that plastic flowers, which are often discarded after use, contribute significantly to waste accumulation and should be prohibited under the same regulations that ban other single-use plastics. They pointed out that plastic flowers, particularly those less than 100 microns thick, are difficult to decompose and cause severe environmental harm. The Bombay High Court had earlier issued notices to the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB), the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and the MoEFCC, seeking their response to the demand for a ban. In October 2024, the court questioned the Centre about whether it had considered the recommendations of the CPCB for banning plastic flowers.
In its affidavit, the MoEFCC clarified that an expert committee set up by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC) had identified 40 single-use plastic items for detailed analysis, but plastic flowers were not among them. The MoEFCC explained that the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, do not specify a minimum thickness requirement for plastic flowers, contrary to what was argued by the petitioners. The government emphasised that the claim regarding difficulties in decomposing plastic flowers due to their thickness was misleading.
Furthermore, the affidavit stated that the petitioner’s assertion about plastic flowers violating the 100-micron thickness requirement was not valid, as no such provision exists in the rules. The MoEFCC reiterated that the primary criteria for banning plastic items are their high littering potential and low utility, which, in this case, do not apply to plastic flowers. The petition also referenced the Maharashtra government’s notification of March 8, 2022, which banned various single-use plastic items, but plastic flowers were not included in the list. The court’s ongoing examination of the matter continues as the MoEFCC maintains that plastic flowers, based on current guidelines, do not meet the threshold for a ban.
