Free tool
Single-use plastic checklist for Indian food service
Print it, walk your store cupboard with it, and tick off each SKU. Six steps, six item formats, and the exact paperwork an inspector asks to see.
How do I check my business against India's plastic rules?
Audit SKU by SKU, not supplier by supplier. List every disposable stick, stirrer, pick and bud you buy, mark the ones on the restricted list, replace each with the bamboo format of the same dimensions, and file the GST invoice naming the item and its HSN code as evidence.
- The rules name items, not industries
- Bamboo formats match plastic dimensions, so equipment stays
- HSN 1401 for sticks, 4602 for paddle and flag picks
- The invoice is the evidence — keep it filed per SKU
Six steps
- 1List every disposable stick, stirrer, pick and bud SKU your sites actually buy — including anything a franchisee or a contract caterer orders directly.
- 2Mark each SKU against the restricted-item list below. The rules name items, not industries, so audit SKU by SKU rather than by supplier.
- 3For each restricted SKU, record the bamboo format that matches its dimensions, so equipment, cup sizes and inserters do not have to change.
- 4Order a sample pack of each replacement and run it on the line before committing a volume order.
- 5Switch, then file the GST invoice for every replacement. The invoice naming the item and HSN code is the evidence an inspector asks for.
- 6Re-run this checklist whenever you add a menu item or a new site, because a single non-compliant SKU is enough to fail a check.
Item-by-item replacement table
| Restricted item | Bamboo replacement | HSN | Evidence to file |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic coffee / tea stirrers | Bamboo stirrer, 6 mm wide × 1.3 mm thick, 90 / 110 / 120 / 140 mm | 1401 | GST invoice naming the bamboo stirrer and its length |
| Plastic candy and lollipop sticks | Bamboo lollipop stick at matching length | 1401 | GST invoice; batch record if you pack food on the stick |
| Ear buds with plastic sticks | Bamboo-stick ear bud | 1401 | GST invoice; pack artwork stating bamboo stem |
| Plastic sticks for balloons and flags | Bamboo flag pick / paddle pick | 4602 | GST invoice naming the pick format |
| Plastic cutlery, forks and picks | Bamboo paddle pick, fork or cutlery | 4602 | GST invoice; supplier declaration of material |
| Coated or plastic-tipped skewers | Untreated bamboo skewer, 2.5–6.0 mm | 1401 | GST invoice; supplier confirmation of no coating or wax |
This checklist is practical guidance from a manufacturer, not legal advice. Check the current text of the Plastic Waste Management Rules for the authoritative list.
Questions this checklist answers
- Is bamboo allowed under India's single-use plastic rules?
- Yes. The restrictions name identified single-use plastic items. Bamboo equivalents of those stick formats — stirrers, candy sticks, flag sticks, ear buds — are permitted, which is why food businesses switched format by format.
- What paperwork proves my replacement is compliant?
- A purchase invoice naming the item and its material, ideally with the HSN code: 1401 for bamboo sticks and 4602 for paddle and flag picks.
- Do I need to change my packing equipment?
- Usually not. Bamboo formats are made to the dimensions of the plastic items they replace, so automatic inserters and cup sizes generally accept them unchanged.
Work out the volumes with the plastic-to-bamboo switch calculator.
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<a href="https://www.greenlifebamboo.in/tools/plastic-checklist">Single-use plastic checklist for Indian food service</a> by GreenLife BambooPlain-text attribution: Single-use plastic checklist for Indian food service — GreenLife Bamboo, https://www.greenlifebamboo.in/tools/plastic-checklist