Key facts
- The Kerala cabinet decided in November 2019 to ban the manufacture, sale and storage of single-use plastics from 1 January 2020 (Onmanorama, 21 November 2019).
- Fines under the 2020 state ban were ₹10,000 for a first offence, ₹25,000 for a second, and ₹50,000 plus cancellation of the permit for a third.
- The Centre notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules on 12 August 2021, and its ban on identified single-use plastic items took effect on 1 July 2022 (PIB).
- On 17 June 2025 a Kerala High Court special bench banned single-use plastics such as small water bottles, straws, plates and cups in hilly tourist areas and at government functions, weddings, hotels and auditoriums from 2 October (Onmanorama).
- PIB says carry bags thinner than 75 microns were banned nationally from 30 September 2021, and those thinner than 120 microns from 31 December 2022.
The 2020 state ban
At a cabinet meeting on Thursday, 21 November 2019 (the date of Onmanorama’s report), Kerala decided to ban the manufacture, sale and storage of single-use plastics from 1 January 2020. The list was broad. According to Onmanorama it covered:
- plastic carry bags and non-woven bags;
- plastic table sheets and cling films; disposable cups, plates, spoons and forks; stirrers; plastic-coated paper cups;
- thermocol and Styrofoam decorations; plastic flags and bunting; plastic garbage bags;
- plastic water pouches and juice packets; PET drinking-water bottles below 300 ml; PVC flex; and plastic packets.
Exemptions covered plastics for export, pharmaceutical packaging, and compostable plastics carrying the IS/ISO 17088:2008 mark. Fines were ₹10,000 for a first violation, ₹25,000 for a second, and ₹50,000 plus closure for a third. These applied to manufacturers, wholesalers and small traders alike. District collectors, sub-divisional magistrates, Pollution Control Board officials, local-body secretaries and officers appointed under the Environment Protection Act, 1986 were all empowered to act.
Timeline
| Date | What happened | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 21 Nov 2019 | Kerala cabinet decides on single-use plastic ban | Onmanorama |
| 1 Jan 2020 | State ban takes effect; fines ₹10,000 / ₹25,000 / ₹50,000 | Onmanorama |
| 12 Aug 2021 | Centre notifies Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 | PIB |
| 30 Sep 2021 | National ban on carry bags thinner than 75 microns | PIB |
| 1 Jul 2022 | National ban on identified single-use plastic items takes effect | PIB |
| 31 Dec 2022 | National ban extends to carry bags thinner than 120 microns | PIB |
| 18 Jul 2024 | State announces stricter action on banned plastics after the Amayizhanjan canal tragedy | Onmanorama |
| 15 Mar 2025 | High Court orders strict enforcement, awareness drives and a complaints app within three months | Onmanorama |
| 17 Jun 2025 | High Court bans single-use plastics in hill tourist areas, at government functions, weddings, hotels and auditoriums, from 2 October | Onmanorama |
The national rules catch up (2021–2022)
The Union environment ministry notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules on 12 August 2021. According to PIB, they banned the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use items from 1 July 2022. The list included earbuds with plastic sticks, balloon and candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, plastic flags, thermocol decorations, plates, cups, cutlery, straws, trays and stirrers. Carry bags under 75 microns were banned from 30 September 2021 and those under 120 microns from 31 December 2022. Kerala’s 2020 list was already wider, so for residents the main change in 2022 was a second, national layer of enforcement. Pollution around Kalamassery has a longer history of its own, mostly industrial; see the Eloor pollution timeline and Kalamassery in 2025.
Enforcement waves, 2024–2025
In July 2024 a sanitation worker died while cleaning the waste-choked Amayizhanjan canal in Thiruvananthapuram. At a meeting led by the Chief Minister, reported by Onmanorama on 18 July 2024, the government said it would take strict action against the use of banned plastic bags and items. It also said vehicles used to dump waste could lose their registration. The same report noted that the High Court had struck down a 2023 state ban on thinner plastic bags. We did not find the date of that ruling.
The courts then stepped in. On 15 March 2025, Onmanorama reported, a High Court division bench of Chief Justice Nitin Jamdar and Justice S. Manu, hearing a public interest case on plastic manufacturers’ registration, ordered strict enforcement of the state’s directions. The court required the Pollution Control Board to hold awareness meetings and to launch a mobile app for citizens to report violations within three months. It also required manufacturers, importers and processors to register under the 2016 rules. The state order the court relied on had local bodies helping the board identify violators, with district enforcement squads carrying out inspections. On 17 June 2025, a special bench of Justices Bechu Kurian Thomas and Gopinath P, which oversees waste management in the state, went further. It banned plastic food containers, plates, cups, straws, sachets and bakery boxes in hilly tourist areas with high footfall. At government functions, and at weddings, auditoriums, hotels and restaurants across the state, it banned water bottles under 5 litres, soft-drink bottles under 2 litres, straws, plates, cups and cutlery, and made compliance a licence condition. The order was to apply from 2 October, Gandhi Jayanti.
We could not confirm how fully the 2 October 2025 restrictions were enforced, or whether later orders changed them. Check current rules with the local body before planning an event.
Why it matters near the NAD signal
Day to day, the ban is why Kalamassery shops ask whether you brought a bag, and why takeaway curry comes in steel tiffins or paper containers. For hostel residents it also affects waste: Kerala separates waste at source and collects plastics through local bodies. See waste disposal in Edathala and Kalamassery, the 2024 waste law history, the Brahmapuram fire of 2023 and the Kalamassery history archive. Residents of Ashraf Gents Hostel, which has a shared kitchen, can keep a cloth bag and a tiffin there for shopping.
Frequently asked questions
When did Kerala ban single-use plastic?
From 1 January 2020, after a cabinet decision in November 2019.
What are the fines?
Under the 2020 state ban: ₹10,000 for a first offence, ₹25,000 for a second, and ₹50,000 plus closure for a third.
How is the national ban different?
The national ban on identified single-use items took effect on 1 July 2022 and covers a shorter list. Kerala’s state ban, which covers more items, was already in force.
What did the High Court order in 2025?
On 17 June 2025 it banned single-use plastics such as small water bottles, straws, plates and cups in hilly tourist areas and at government functions, weddings, hotels and auditoriums, from 2 October.
Are compostable bags allowed?
The 2020 notification exempted compostable plastics certified to IS/ISO 17088:2008. Check for the mark.
Related guides
Sources
- Onmanorama: Single-use plastic ban in Kerala from New Year (21 November 2019)
- PIB: Ban on identified single use plastic items from 1st July 2022
- PIB: Ban on single use plastic (December 2022)
- Onmanorama: Amayizhanjan canal tragedy – plastic ban to be tightened (18 July 2024)
- Onmanorama: Kerala HC orders strict action against illegal manufacturers, sellers (15 March 2025)
- Onmanorama: Kerala HC bans single-use plastics in hilly tourist spots (17 June 2025)
Facts about Ashraf Gents Hostel come from the hostel’s own profile and photos; rates are indicative and confirmed on the call. Last reviewed . How we write these guides: editorial notes. Map embeds © Google.
Cite this guide: Ashraf Gents Hostel. “Kerala’s Single-Use Plastic Ban: 2020 to Today.” Published 8 October 2026. https://ashrafgentspghostel.adserr.com/kerala-single-use-plastic-ban-history/ Plain-text (Markdown) version · quoting with a link back is welcome.