The state of Uttar Pradesh has decided to deploy a new ‘RACE’ strategy to orderly implement the nationwide single-use plastic ban. An approach of Reduction, Awareness, Circular Solutions and (Mass) Engagement, RACE will be launched on June 29, across all UP districts as a targeted 5-day drive, preceding the enforcement of the pan-India ban on July 1. Reportedly, the awareness campaign will run across public places, railway stations, vacant plots of land, ghats and drains, offices, educational institutions, markets, mandis and bus stations to completely discourage the use of prohibited plastic products.

It has been seen that the Centre has time and again announced ban and embargoes on single-use plastics. However, due to lack of awareness and alternatives, plastic has sooner or later found its place in the market and among households. This is exactly where the new RACE strategy is expected to bring a change.

RACE will propagate the idea of a plastic-free community. It will bring about behavioural changes among people and encourage them to use alternatives of banned items that include plastic sticks used in earbuds, ice cream, plastic cutlery and thermocol used in decoration.

Besides raising public awareness about the ban, through radio channels and other systems of information dissemination, the campaign backed by the principles of ‘reuse, reduce and recycle’ will also focus on collecting single-use plastic and recycling or upcycling them, officials informed.

Reportedly, a graded prohibition action plan will be followed to pursue the ban, stopping the use of plastic wrapping and packaging material in the first phase and then of carry-bags made of virgin (pure polymer) or recycled plastic of less than 120 microns thickness, by December 31.