Justices R.C. Lahoti and C.K. Mahajan directed them to reply to the notices within four weeks and adjourned the case to November 3. Central government standing counsel H.S. Phoolka accepted the notices on behalf of the Union ministries. He was instructed by the court not to delay the reply.

The PIL, filed by environmental and legal activist B.L. Wadehra, urged the court to ban the use of coloured plastic bags with immediate effect and colourless bags under a time-bound programme.

Wadehra also sought a ban on the use of plastic containers for serving tea, coffee and aerated drinks in government and private offices, hotels, shops and restaurants and households.

He submitted that coloured bags are manufactured through a process of recycling old carry bags and plastic sheets and other plastic materials and passing them through titanium dioxide and other compounds based on cadmium or lead. The colours of these bags get transferred to the material carried in them, particularly food items, he pointed out.

The petition stated that titanium dioxide and cadmium or lead-based components used for manufacturing the bags were toxic and their continued use results in deformation of bones in the children, apart from their being carcinogenic. Titanium dioxide also accumulates in the kidney and arteries which may cause problems in the long run. Dr Wadehra submitted that plastic bags clog rain water drains and cause the water table to go down. Besides, cattle could be killed by the consumption of these bags, he added.

The petitioner cited the example of Himachal Pradesh government which had already banned the use of such bags and the Uttar Pradesh was likely to take a similar step soon. The manufacture, sale, storage and use of the plastic bags should be banned merely keeping the health aspect in mind as these bags are produced in most unsanitary conditions, the petition stated. He also highlighted the fact that no quality control existed in the manufacturing process and hence there was no question of any quality standards being maintained.

Each time pellets of the used shredded polythene materials were employed for recycling, the next bag becomes more dangerous, the petition said.