ITC Hotels to ban single-use plastic from December 31

Tobacco and FMCG major ITC has decided to stop the usage of single-use plastic in all its hotels by the end of this year. "ITC Hotels has been adopting sustainable practices for over two decades with responsible luxury as its guiding premise - delivering authentic indigenous experiences, which are in harmony with the environment and society", said Dipak Haksar, ITC Hotels' chief executive. Haksar further said that ITC Hotels was one of the first firms to introduce glass bottles in the year 2012.

ITC, on Monday, also launched campaign against single-use plastic in several schools and colleges in Guntur. The company has also formed special teams to visit educational institutes to spread environmental awareness in various cities.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing UN General Assembly session, also talked about global warming and pollution. He said that he was pleased to let the world know that India was in the midst of a major drive to end the use of single-use plastic.

Also, in Singapore-India Hackathon on Monday, PM Modi clarified that his government is campaigning against single-use plastic and not a plastic-free India as interpreted by some people in the country.

Single-use plastic is disposable plastic like polythene bags, straws, food wrappers, plastic drinking bottle, sachets, etc. Every year India generates 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste,of which 43 per cent is single-use.

Also read: PM Narendra Modi UNGA Speech: 'India to crack down on single-use plastic'

Also read: Ban on single-use plastic: What products, industries will be hit?