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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani are slated to get married on Friday in Mumbai.</li><li>Four Indian event planners shared what it's like to plan a big celebrity wedding.</li></ul>The wedding of the year is upon us.After rounds of opulent pre-wedding festivities, <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/anant-ambani-and-radhika-merchant-to-wed-at-the-jio-world-convention-centre-in-mumbai-on-july-12/articleshow/110562426.cms">Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani</a>, the youngest son of <a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://africa.businessinsider.com/local/markets/indian-billionaire-ambani-targets-african-telecom-market-with-new-venture/vwmsmgn">Asia's richest man</a>, are slated to get married on Friday in Mumbai.Their guests, who have so far included <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ambani-pre-wedding-celebration-with-justin-bieber-performance-2024-7">Bollywood actors, Indian cricketers,</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-mark-zuckerberg-among-expected-attendees-at-indian-wedding-2024-2">international business leaders</a>, will also attend events on Saturday and a reception on Sunday.During a pre-wedding event in March, Ambani said his mom worked 18 hours a day for the four months leading up to the parties."All this is created by my mother and no one else, and my mother has gone all out for the last four months," Ambani said, per a <a target="_blank" rel=" nofollow" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmMh8KtrGaY&amp;ab_channel=BusinessToday">video</a> of the speech uploaded in March.Planning such an event takes a village, according to four wedding planners who spoke to Business Insider about what goes into organizing a multi-day Indian celebrity wedding.<h2 id="d3a9cac7-58b4-42c9-888b-817200ed450e">The biggest cost is the venue</h2>The planners BI spoke to said a typical multi-day wedding that they plan costs between five to 10 crore Indian Rupees, or about $1.2 million.Crore is an Indian term for 10 million; 1 crore rupees is around $120,000.Whether it's a big-ticket <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ambani-richest-family-in-asia-india-lifestyle-home-wedding-photos-2018-12">wedding like the Ambani's</a> or the wedding of an upper-middle-class family, the breakdown of major costs in an Indian wedding look about the same, one event planner told BI.About 40% to 50% of the budget goes to the venue, which includes catering and rooms for the guests, said Nishita Aggarwal, the founder of The Event Designer, a Delhi-based wedding planning company.Next, 25% to 30% of costs go toward decorations, which include elaborate backdrops, tents, and floor-to-ceiling floral arrangements.<div type="image" title="pink backdrop at Indian wedding" height="3508" width="5262" msid="111674066" hostid="261"></div>About 10% is spent on entertainment. The Ambanis have hired Rihanna, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ambani-pre-wedding-celebration-with-justin-bieber-performance-2024-7">Justin Bieber, </a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anant-ambani-katy-perry-backstreet-boys-pre-wedding-party-2024-6">Katy Perry, The Backstreet Boys</a>, and Pitbull for pre-wedding functions in recent months.Other families spend a lot on artists including singers and celebrity DJs, said Purvi Modgil, a destination wedding planner based in Mumbai."If you plan to call three or four of them in different core functions, that can also add up to a good cost," she said.The remaining 10% usually goes into wedding gifts and logistics for the family and guests."Now, when it comes to a high-net-worth wedding or a celebrity wedding, everything becomes 10 times or hundred times" of that cost, Aggarwal said. "There is no bar on the budget."Planners' cost estimates of the Ambani wedding varied widely, from tens of millions of dollars to hundreds of millions of dollars.Anant's older sister <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ambani-richest-family-in-asia-india-lifestyle-home-wedding-photos-2018-12">Isha Ambani</a> got married in 2018 in a similarly lavish wedding, including a Beyoncé performance. While media outlets speculated about a $100 million price tag, a spokesperson for the Ambani-owned company, Reliance, said that it cost less than $15 million, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/naazneenkarmali/2018/12/11/the-big-fat-ambani-wedding-celebrates-a-match-among-indias-billionaire-elite/#7cb474465992">per a Forbes article</a> at the time.A spokesperson for the family did not respond to a request for comment about the costs for Anant Ambani's wedding.The pre-wedding events have grabbed <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ambanis-throwing-another-pre-wedding-party-cruise-ship-2024-5">headlines</a> for months. With so many celebrities and business leaders angling for an invitation, the nuptials are also a business networking event, Aggarwal said.<h2 id="7190f45a-3ee9-4e5a-bf2a-0fef8f5de89f">Each main family member is assigned a 'shadow'</h2>Many couples don't want to host their weddings at venues where other high-profile families have already held nuptials, Aggarwal said."They want everything to be exclusive," she said. "The decor has to be something else that no one else has ever thought of. It is almost like a big movie set."For a big celebrity wedding, planners divide their staff into teams and hire hundreds of additional people leading up to and on the day of the ceremony.With chefs, waiters, light and audio teams, and decorators, about 500 people often work the event, Modgil said.The planners also assign butlers to each main family member. These staffers, called "shadows," hold their phones and gifts and ensure they stay hydrated and have everything they need."There are over 70 suppliers and vendors who we work with for each wedding," said Darshan Shroff, a Mumbai-based wedding planner. "I like to describe wedding planners in India as circus masters."<h2 id="07e84198-c3b3-4ae5-b860-565eaa82e3bd">Privacy and security are top concerns</h2>Many celebrity or influencer couples are particular about how their wedding is portrayed on the news and on social media.Planners have strict instructions that restrict posts from vendors about outfits, decor, or flowers before a set date. Most big weddings also collect the phones of their guests for privacy, and couples have teams that work with the media."You can't have too many people hanging out taking their pictures. It makes them very uncomfortable," Modgil said about celebrity guests and couples.Top security firms and even local authorities may sketch out safety plans."The minute there are some kind of celebrities, whether it's politicians or Bollywood, security becomes very important," Modgil said. "We've had separate people escorting them and even taking them back because sometimes they even get mobbed."The families and their guests are not always easy to please.Aggarwal said she has planned weddings where celebrity attendees call to confirm what type of hotel suite they will be staying in and what kind of car is coming to pick them up. Everything must match their lifestyle standard.<h2 id="f2b6f12d-16c9-4226-9b64-e59a5aa60374">Setting a blueprint for other weddings</h2>The Ambani wedding is already influencing how other Indians are envisioning and planning their own nuptials.The planners told BI that brides are asking them for the same designers that Radhika Merchant wore in her pre-wedding events, like the custom lehengas designed by Abu Jani Sandeep Khosla and Tarun Tahiliani.<div type="image" title="Radhika Merchant wore a Swarovski crystal lehenga designed by Abu Jani and Sandeep Khosla" height="691" width="1024" msid="111674067" hostid="261"></div>Planners expect the main wedding to leave an even bigger mark."Given the immense influence celebrities have, their weddings often become blueprints for future celebrations worldwide," said Bharat Jagasia, a Delhi-based wedding planner."For the Ambani wedding, I am particularly excited to see how they differentiate the main event from their pre-wedding functions," he said.The festivities are slated to kick off Friday at the Jio World Convention Centre, which is owned by the Ambani family. It can accommodate over 16,000 guests.July 12, 2024 — An earlier version of this story misstated Nishita Aggarwal's location. She is based in Delhi, not in Mumbai.

Behind the scenes of billionaire Indian weddings: Hired 'shadows,' phone bans, and a circus master to lead the chaos

The central government has prohibited as many as 156 <keyword id="22893276" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="combination-drugs" source="keywords">combination drugs</keyword> that are often administered as painkillers, multivitamins, and antibiotics, for fever and cold, among others. In a gazette notification dated August 21, the government said that the use of the drug Fixed Dose Combination of Amylase, Protease, Glucoamylase, Pectinase, Alpha Galactosidase, Lactase, Beta-Gluconase, Cellulase, Lipase, Bromelain, Xylanase, Hemicellulase, Malt diastase, Invertase, Papain is likely to involve risk to human beings whereas safer alternatives to the said drug are available. Upon recommendations of the <keyword id="20092000" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Drugs-Technical-Advisory-Board" source="keywords">Drugs Technical Advisory Board</keyword>, the central government, in the greater interest of the public, has prohibited the manufacture for sale, sale, and distribution for human use of those drugs across the country with immediate effect. The move from the government comes after the matter was examined by an expert committee appointed by the central government, and the said expert committee considered the administration of this Fixed Dose Combination as "irrational". The Drugs Technical Advisory Board also examined the said FDC and recommended that "there is no therapeutic justification for the ingredients contained in this FDC. The FDC may involve risk to human beings. Hence in the larger public interest, it is necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of this FDC under section 26 A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940. In view of above, any kind of regulation or restriction to allow for any use in patients is not justifiable," the notification read. The list of banned drugs also includes drugs used for hair treatments, antiparasitic, skincare, anti-allergic. The medicines combined in more than one drug in a single pill are Fixed dose combination drugs FDC, these drugs are also known as cocktail drugs. The Indian Pharmaceutical Alliance supports the decision of the government. Sudarshan Jain, Secretary General, IPA told that, "this has been going for many years and there was a committee which reviewed the whole thing... This is a right step in the interest of patients and all aspects have been taken into consideration." "They have given the opportunity to give the data to support their products, so the right products will continue and when there is no data to support then companies have to withdraw it," Jain added. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/2024-tvs-jupiter-vs-honda-activa-6g-which-110cc-scooter-should-you-buy/slidelist/112730069.cms">2024 TVS Jupiter vs Honda Activa 6G – which 110cc scooter should you buy?</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/how-to/how-to-add-music-to-instagram-profile/articleshow/112732934.cms">You can now add music to your Instagram profile – here's how</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/audi-q8-facelift-launched-in-india-with-a-1-17-crore-price-tag/slidelist/112707701.cms">Audi Q8 facelift launched in India with a ₹1.17 crore price tag</a>

India bans 156 commonly used combination drugs citing possible risks to humans

In a significant move to safeguard <keyword id="19913584" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="public-health" source="keywords">public health</keyword>, the Indian government has banned 156 widely sold fixed-dose combination (FDC) drugs, many of which are used to treat common ailments such as fever, colds, allergies and pain. The banned FDCs include several popular antibacterial and pain-relief medications, which the government has declared "likely to involve risk to human beings." The ban was officially announced through a gazette notification issued by the <keyword id="19897332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Union-Health-Ministry" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Union Health Ministry" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Union Health Ministry">Union Health Ministry</keyword> on August 12. <keyword id="22891947" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="FDC-drugs" source="keywords">FDC drugs</keyword>, often referred to as "cocktail" drugs, contain a combination of two or more active pharmaceutical ingredients in a fixed ratio. While such combinations are intended to offer multi-faceted treatment, concerns have been raised about their safety and efficacy. Among the drugs on the banned list is the well-known combination of Aceclofenac 50 mg and <keyword id="20687368" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="paracetamol" source="keywords">Paracetamol</keyword> 125 mg, a popular pain reliever produced by several major pharmaceutical companies. Other banned FDCs include Mefenamic Acid Paracetamol Injection, Cetirizine HCl Paracetamol Phenylephrine HCl, Levocetirizine Phenylephrine HCl Paracetamol, Paracetamol Chlorpheniramine Maleate Phenyl Proanolamine, and Camylofin Dihydrochloride 25 mg Paracetamol 300 mg. A particularly notable ban is on the combination of Paracetamol, Tramadol, Taurine, and Caffeine. Tramadol, an opioid-based painkiller, has drawn attention for its potential for abuse and addiction, adding to the concerns surrounding its inclusion in over-the-counter FDCs. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112557689" title="The drugmaker that hopes to legalize MDMA is cutting 75% of its staff after the FDA rejected the drug" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>According to the government's notification, the Central government has determined that the use of these FDCs "is likely to involve risk to human beings," and that "safer alternatives to the said drugs are available." The decision follows an in-depth examination by an Expert Committee, which found many of these FDCs to be "irrational." The apex panel Drugs Technical Advisory Board (DTAB) also reviewed the combinations and concluded that there was "no therapeutic justification" for the ingredients in these FDCs. In light of the potential risks, the government deemed it necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale, and distribution of these drugs under Section 26A of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940. The notification emphasised that "in the larger public interest, it is necessary to prohibit the manufacture, sale, or distribution of this FDC" as regulation or restriction would not be sufficient to protect patients. This is not the first time the Indian government has intervened to address the sale of FDCs. In 2016, the Centre had announced a ban on 344 FDCs after an expert panel — established at the direction of the Supreme Court — found that many of these combinations were being sold without sufficient scientific evidence supporting their efficacy. Although that decision was contested in court by <keyword id="22603498" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="drug-manufacturers" source="keywords">drug manufacturers</keyword>, it set a precedent for regulatory scrutiny of FDCs in India. In June 2023, 14 FDCs from the original list of 344 were also banned. Many of the drugs included in the recent list of 156 were part of this original 344-drug combination ban, reinforcing the government's continued efforts to remove unsafe and unjustified medications from the market. Several of the banned products had already been discontinued by manufacturers, but the new regulations ensure that these combinations will no longer be available for sale in India, further emphasising the government's commitment to public safety and rational drug use. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112374485" title="Govt waives clinical trial requirement for several drugs approved in select countries" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

156 ‘combination medicines’ containing Cetirizine, Paracetamol and other common drugs banned by Centre

<ul><li><keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Elon-Musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword> has hit out at Apple for its partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI.</li><li>Apple at the WWDC on Monday announced that it is integrating ChatGPT on its devices.</li><li>Musk has threatened to ban Apple devices at his companies for both employees and visitors.</li></ul> Apple made a slew of announcements around<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-jumps-on-the-ai-bandwagon-apple-intelligence-chatgpt-integration-ai-powered-siri-and-more/articleshow/110896546.cms"> artificial intelligence (AI)</a> at its<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ios-18-announced-with-apple-intelligence-improved-privacy-controls-customisable-home-screen-and-more/articleshow/110883233.cms"> Worldwide Developers Conference</a> (WWDC) on Monday and as expected, the Cupertino tech giant also announced a partnership with ChatGPT maker OpenAI. While Apple fans cheered the announcement of this partnership, Tesla cofounder Elon Musk criticised the move and even went on to threaten to ban Apple devices. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="What is Apple doing?" comment="subhead" text="What is Apple doing?">What is Apple doing?</cmsannotation> Apple has partnered with OpenAI to bring ChatGPT integration to Apple devices. As part of this partnership, ChatGPT, powered by GPT-4o will be available on iOS, iPadOS and macOS later this year. ChatGPT will be available as a chatbot and Siri will send questions to ChatGPT with your consent if it is unable to answer them itself. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Elon Musk comes down heavily on Apple’s AI push" comment="subhead" text="Elon Musk comes down heavily on Apple’s AI push">Elon Musk comes down heavily on Apple’s AI push</cmsannotation> Elon Musk has come down heavily on Apple’s partnership with OpenAI. He has even threatened to ban Apple devices at his companies if Apple integrates OpenAI at the OS level. Not just this, Musk went on to say that visitors at his companies will have to deposit their Apple devices at the door and then they will be placed in a Faraday cage. For those unaware, a Faraday cage is a shield made of conductive material that blocks electromagnetic fields. It's used to protect electronics and people from electromagnetic interference or radiation. This can be used to completely cut off any communication between the device and the outside world. Responding to a post by Tim Cook on X talking about Apple Intelligence, Musk said “Don’t want it”. “Don’t want it. Either stop this creepy spyware or all Apple devices will be banned from the premises of my companies,” Musk said in a post on X. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Elon Musk uses Indian meme to hit out at Apple" comment="subhead" text="Elon Musk uses Indian meme to hit out at Apple">Elon Musk uses Indian meme to hit out at Apple</cmsannotation> Musk has hit out at Apple for trusting OpenAI with user data. He said, “It’s patently absurd that Apple isn’t smart enough to make their own AI, yet is somehow capable of ensuring that OpenAI will protect your security &amp; privacy!” “Apple has no clue what’s actually going on once they hand your data over to OpenAI. They’re selling you down the river,” Musk added. <div type="twitter" handle="elonmusk" handlename="elonmusk" favoritecount="0" retweetcount="0" id="1800272349134279011"></div> Musk also posted an image from an Indian movie to say that user data from iPhones will go to Apple and then the same will be taken by OpenAI. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Musk is open to partnering with Samsung for an X phone" comment="subhead" text="Musk is open to partnering with Samsung for an X phone">Musk is open to partnering with Samsung for an X phone</cmsannotation> Over the years, Musk has at various times expressed interest in making an X phone. Amid his ongoing posts against Apple, Musk said “It is not out of the question” when a user<a href="https://x.com/WR4NYGov/status/1800363471122665701"> said</a> that Musk will partner with Korean smartphone maker Samsung to manufacture an X phone. Apple’s share price drops after WWDC Keynote It’s not just Musk that is unhappy with Apple. The company’s share price closed 1.91% below opening after the WWDC Keynote ended. The company’s share price closed at $193.12. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/apple-jumps-on-the-ai-bandwagon-apple-intelligence-chatgpt-integration-ai-powered-siri-and-more/articleshow/110896546.cms">Apple jumps on the AI bandwagon – Apple Intelligence, ChatGPT integration, AI-powered Siri and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/ios-18-announced-with-apple-intelligence-improved-privacy-controls-customisable-home-screen-and-more/articleshow/110883233.cms">iOS 18 announced with Apple Intelligence, improved privacy controls, customisable home screen and more</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/webstories/maruti-suzuki-retakes-the-top-selling-car-spot-top-10-selling-cars-in-india-in-may-2024/slidelist/110863547.cms">Maruti Suzuki retakes the top-selling car spot – Top 10 selling cars in India in May 2024</a>

Elon Musk hits out at Apple’s partnership with OpenAI, threatens to ban Apple devices

It was a calm Sunday afternoon until comedian <keyword id="20947562" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Kunal-Kamra" source="keywords">Kunal Kamra</keyword> took to his X handle and began criticising the service quality of <keyword id="19897349" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-Electric" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Ola Electric" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Ola Electric">Ola Electric</keyword>’s S1 series scooters, posting a photo of several <keyword id="23448953" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ola-scooters" source="keywords">Ola scooters</keyword> gathering dust at a dealership, seemingly awaiting repairs. Kamra expressed concern about the state of Ola’s service, asking whether Indian consumers "deserve this". He also tagged Minister Nitin Gadkari and the Department of Consumer Affairs for comment. Ola CEO <keyword id="19914967" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Bhavish-Aggarwal" source="keywords">Bhavish Aggarwal</keyword> then stepped in and responded to Kamra, saying that his tweet is a paid one and that he can pay him even more. <h2>Ola CEO Bhavesh Aggarwal and Kunal Kamra's war of words</h2>"Since you care so much, @kunalkamra88, come and help us out! I’ll even pay more than you earned from this tweet or your failed comedy career," Aggarwal wrote, adding that Ola was working to expand its service network and clear backlogs. A war of words thus ensured and Twitter currently stands divided. On one hand, people are accusing Aggarwal of being arrogant and on the other hand, some users are advising the OLA CEO to not indulge in the heated debate. Kamra also fired back, sharing a video clip of a well-received stand-up show, calling the Ola CEO "arrogant and substandard." He went further, challenging Aggarwal to offer refunds to any customers who purchased an Ola scooter in the last four months but were dissatisfied. “People not being able to get to their workplace need your accountability,” Kamra wrote. Aggarwal dismissed Kamra’s challenge, claiming that Ola already has support programs for customers facing delays, stating, "If you were a genuine one, you’d have known." He invited Kamra to come "do some real work" instead of engaging in “armchair criticism.” The most recent tweet by Aggarwal, at the time of writing this story, reads, "Comedian ban na sake, chaudhary banne chale. Do your research better next time. And the offer to come and help us out in our service center remains open. Take up the challenge. Maybe you’ll learn some real skills for a change." <div type="image" title="ola" msid="113985177" hostid="261" sizebytes="452180"></div> <h2>What does the internet say? </h2> The online spat, while entertaining for some, exposed real frustrations from Ola customers, many of whom chimed in, echoing concerns about service quality and sharing their own experiences. What started as a battle of words between two public figures quickly turned into a larger conversation about accountability in India's growing electric vehicle market. "Its all fun and all Bhavish sir. But with all the complaints of people the Bhavishya of OLA Scooter is not looking good. Rather than hitting out on Kunal personally try using the platform to tel people the plan to solve the 80k and growing complains," a user wrote while another added, "Maybe instead of fighting with him, you should better start making good quality vehicle in the first place so as that they don’t break down so frequently that you need so many service centres and service personal." Here are some other reactions: <div type="image" title="google (3)" msid="113985018" hostid="261" sizebytes="381638"></div> On the other hand, few users are also siding with Aggarwal. "Kunal Kamra has a rare disease of poking everywhere where he can revive his sinking career! Ignore these stuffs @bhash , you’ve built an amazing company," a user wrote while another added, "Founder mode on."

‘Comedian ban na sake, Chaudhary banne chale’: Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal after Kunal Kamra criticises Ola EV service

America has long had a plastic problem. It's an urgent question — what do we do with the 40 million tons of plastic waste we produce annually? One year of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/disposable-face-mask-waste-toxic-poison-water-nanoplastics-pollution-health-2022-2">plastic waste</a> is roughly enough to smother the entirety of Manhattan a meter deep, and it has to go somewhere. For years, the answer was simple: Make a lot of it, dump most of it in the landfill, and make the rest of it someone else's problem — the US regularly exported 7 million tons a year to China alone. Some of it was melted into lesser plastic; the rest was incinerated or buried.But then, in 2018, China cut off plastic imports.Now, America is coming to terms with a hard truth: Plastic was never designed to be recycled and there's no profitable way to recycle 91% of it. The environmental impacts have been disastrous. About 430 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, accounting for 14% of global oil demand. The refinement of plastic alone emits up to 235 million tons of greenhouse gases a year. Most of that plastic breaks down into <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/microplastics-risks-heart-attack-stroke-study-2024-3">microplastics</a> that make their way into the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/expert-how-i-keep-baby-family-safe-toxic-plastic-microplastics-2023-1">air, rain, and our bodies</a>. Almost 95% of America's water supply contains plastic fibers.While the US, the UK, and other European countries responded to China's ban by sending their waste to places like Thailand and Malaysia, those countries then followed China in cutting off waste imports. The message was clear: The Global South would no longer be a dumping ground for the West.<div type="image" title="A scavenger drinks water while collecting plastic waste to sell to a recycling center at a landfill in Medan, North Sumatra, Indonesia in March 2024" height="3333" width="5000" msid="109561992" hostid="261"></div>America is now scrambling to find alternatives. One approach peddled by oil corporations like Chevron and Exxon has been to turn plastic into crude oil, which they say extends the life of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/north-americas-largest-waste-hauler-investing-in-a-plastic-recycler-2022-9">plastic that would've otherwise ended up in a landfill</a>. As these companies look to replace projected lost revenue from the phasing out of fossil fuels, they're lobbying to blanket the country with 150 plants that specialize in pyrolysis, a form of chemical recycling that melts plastic down into crude oil to be used for fuel and petrochemicals, as well as to make lesser-quality plastics. While advocates champion these facilities for breaking down hard-to-recycle plastics that other <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ai-recycling-startups-aluminum-plastic-valuable-materials-2024-4">recyclers toss aside</a>, critics condemn them for emitting toxic particles, relying heavily on government subsidies, and acting as a greenwashed alternative to addressing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/plastic-recycled-into-bricks-ivory-coast-conceptos-plasticos-2023-2">the plastic problem</a>.As they're pitched as an innovation set to bring us a "circular economy" of plastic that allows us to stop making new plastic and just reuse what we have, marketing for pyrolysis and recycling overlooks a glaring fact: Plastic production doubles every 15 to 20 years.This isn't sustainable, Tim Miller, a vice president at the Ohio plastic-recycling center Royal Paper Stock, told me, adding: "But I don't know how to stop it." Pyrolysis is another sign of America's plastic paralysis.In the years after World War II, plastic flooded the marketplace as a cheap alternative to otherwise scarce and finite materials. It was hailed as a democratic harbinger of a new, utopian age of capitalism, fueling the subsequent decades of cheap consumerism that became synonymous with the American dream."The continuous flow of oil fueled not just cars but an entire culture based on the consumption of new products made of plastics," Susan Freinkel wrote in her book "Plastic: A Toxic Love Story."Plastic went from being practically nonexistent in 1940 to being consumed at a rate of 30 pounds a person each year by 1960. Just as quickly, it became a target of environmental movements protesting litter, garbage-filled oceans, and landfills brimming with plastic. Oil and chemical companies responded by looking into whether recycling was realistic or, more importantly, profitable. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled">It wasn't</a>. So companies shifted the blame for the pollution onto consumers. The "Crying Indian" commercial, funded by beverage and packaging corporations, aired in 1971, showing a Native American character crying at the sight of litter.The messaging worked. As companies expanded plastic into every facet of life, recycling became the due diligence needed to sustain our hyperconsumption. We didn't worry about plastic bottles because the recycling truck carried them off to a new life. Companies like Coca-Cola and Nestlé slapped "100% recycled" and "100% recyclable" labels on their packaging to appear sustainable. Just last year, the Plastics Industry Association launched a million-dollar ad campaign, "Recycling Is Real," claiming that it's "not only real, but feasible and economical."While recycling is real, the vast majority of plastic isn't recycled, mostly due to how expensive it is to clean and sort it effectively. A 2022 report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found only 9% of all plastic ever produced had been recycled; 72% ended up in landfills or the environment. Unlike aluminum or glass, the plastic that can be recycled rarely results in replacing one recycled water bottle with another.<div type="image" title="Recycling sorters at Recologys Recycle Central sort out pieces of flimsy and film plastic destined for landfill in 2019 in San Francisco" height="4480" width="6720" msid="109561996" hostid="261"></div>Instead, it's a process of downcycling — turning plastic into lesser plastics like plant containers or bins before they are relegated to a landfill. By downcycling a tiny portion of plastic waste, companies can genuinely reuse a relatively small share of plastic, while convincing consumers that the industry has created a circular economy of infinitely recycled plastic. Never mind that products advertised as being made from recycled plastic are made almost entirely out of new plastic or that almost all the 300 pounds of plastic every American consumes each year (10 times as much as in 1960) ends up in a landfill, in the ocean, or incinerated.Larry Thomas, a former president of what's now called the Plastics Industry Association, told NPR in 2020: "If the public thinks that recycling is working, then they are not going to be as concerned about the environment." And if they aren't worried about the impact of plastic on the environment, they won't threaten the plastics industry.Since 2018, the fossil-fuel and plastics industries have faced two harsh realities: Oil is being phased out in favor of clean, renewable energy, and plastic waste can no longer be exported to developing nations in the South. To replace their fuel losses, oil companies are going all in on plastic. The International Energy Agency predicted in 2018 that petrochemical products like plastic would outpace trucks, aviation, and shipping in oil demand by 2050. In a recent report, ExxonMobil predicted that petrochemicals used largely for plastics and fertilizer would account for nearly all of the oil industry's growth by 2050, replacing industrial fuel demand, which is projected to decrease. To keep expanding plastic production, however, it needs to look sustainable.<div type="image" title="A Good Year sign in Akron, Ohio" height="960" width="1200" msid="109562000" hostid="261"></div>Akron, Ohio, which hosts about one-quarter of the country's polymer companies, is ground zero for this push. Designated by the Biden administration as the only "tech hub" in Ohio, the city has received tens of millions of dollars from the CHIPS Act, which it hopes to use to create a circular economy around plastic.In 2012, Alterra Energy opened America's first large-scale plastic-pyrolysis facility. According to its website, Alterra converts "plastics back into their original building blocks to produce new plastics and other valuable products." The crude oil produced by the Akron facility is shipped to petrochemical companies around the globe to be purified and made into new plastics. But it's unclear how effective this process is.A study published in 2023 by researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory found that the economic and environmental impact of turning pyrolysis oil back into plastic was actually far worse than it was to make brand-new plastic. As a result, they said, pyrolysis oil is "typically reintegrated into the petrochemical industry where only a small fraction is used for closed-loop recycling."<div type="image" title="The Alterra Energy facility in Akron, Ohio" height="960" width="1200" msid="109562003" hostid="261"></div>"It has had, let's say, limited success," Miller, the Royal Paper Stock vice president, said about pyrolysis. "No one yet in the United States that I know of is just cranking in plastic and pumping out oil." He pointed to a pyrolysis facility in Oregon that just announced it would shut down after tens of millions of dollars in losses.Residents in Akron are split on the impacts of the Alterra facility. On the one hand, pyrolysis melts plastic to be reused instead of sending it to the landfill or incinerator. On the other, it emits cancerous pollutants such as mercury, benzene, and arsenic, and props up the very fossil-fuel companies that are driving the climate crisis.<div type="image" title="Kelley Sayre in front of her garage in Akron, Ohio" height="1500" width="1200" msid="109562007" hostid="261"></div>"Akron's going for 'the green city on the hill,'" Kelley Sayre, a fourth-generation Akron resident, told me, "but it's really 'the greenwashing city.'"Vicky Abou-Ghalioum, the lead petrochemicals organizer of Buckeye Environmental Network, has been working with Akron residents concerned about the environmental and health impacts of chemical recycling, but it's proved challenging in a city ruled by polymers. "People are afraid to talk about plastic," she told me. Her organization has been pushing the EPA to address the influx of planned pyrolysis facilities in Ohio, arguing that they're bad for the environment and people, and aren't even profitable.In a statement to Business Insider, Alterra Energy said its Akron facility is profitable and diverts over 100,000 pounds of plastic each day from landfills. "We operate in a heavily regulated industry and are in compliance with those requirements," the company said in response to concerns about toxic emissions. It also said one of its customers uses Alterra's oil product exclusively for making new plastic.Despite the problems of pyrolysis, many manufacturers hail it as a sustainable miracle. Companies such as Eastman Chemical Co. see chemical recycling as the solution to recycling or composting 50% of their plastic packaging by 2025, and the American Chemistry Council claims the growing industry is necessary for fostering what it calls "<a target="_blank" href="https://www.americanchemistry.com/chemistry-in-america/news-trends/press-release/2022/america-s-plastic-makers-encourage-congressional-focus-on-advanced-recycling-to-achieve-circularity">plastics circularity</a>." But these companies face an uphill battle. Former Mayor Mike Bloomberg of New York City launched an $85 million campaign in 2022 to stop over 120 proposed petrochemical facilities. "Petrochemical plants poison our air and water — killing Americans and harming the health of entire communities," Bloomberg said in a statement.In the plastic-recycling industry, pyrolysis is seen as a well funded but failing experiment. A 2023 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.beyondplastics.org/publications/chemical-recycling">report</a> by Beyond Plastics and the International Pollutants Elimination Network found that the 11 pyrolysis facilities in operation in the US required massive public subsidies, most couldn't operate at full capacity, and only two of the plants sold the crude oil to be used exclusively for plastic production. Most of it was sold to make fuels and chemicals. Based on their findings, they argued that pyrolysis was ultimately "a public relations distraction to prevent plastic regulation and prop up the profits of the petrochemical/plastics industry."Though the conundrum of plastic grows more dire by the day, there are signs of hope. In early <a target="_blank" href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/press-release/historic-day-campaign-beat-plastic-pollution-nations-commit-develop">2022</a>, the UN adopted a resolution that could send shock waves throughout the entire plastic-disposing world. Heads of state, environment ministers, and UN representatives agreed to end all plastic pollution with a legally binding international plastic treaty to be officially adopted later this year. "Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic," Espen Barth Eide, Norway's then-minister for climate and the environment, said in the announcement. "With today's resolution we are officially on track for a cure."The resolution would establish an agreement addressing plastic at every level, from production to recycling, in an attempt to reduce plastic pollution worldwide. Organizations such as the international coalition Break Free From Plastic have said that cutting the production of plastic has to be on the table. "The oil and gas industry sees plastic as its primary growth market and is investing billions of dollars in new and expanded facilities," the organization wrote in a 2022 statement. The group recommended bans on single-use plastics, a plastic tax, and regulations that prioritize plastics that can be recycled."Reduction in the production of plastic is entirely possible," Abou-Ghalioum of Buckeye Environmental Network told me. She pointed to the more than 500 cities and 12 states that have banned plastic bags, reducing the number of bags used by the billions. "It's talked about how we rely on plastic for so many things, and it just feels like a marketing ploy to make us reluctant to shift away from it," she said. "We had everything we ever needed before plastic."The tough reality is that the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/landfill-plastic-area">9.5 billion tons of plastic</a> with us will be here for hundreds of years. But how many millions of more tons are added will be determined by the types of solutions we arrive at today.<a target="_blank" rel="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/taylor-dorrell">Taylor Dorrell</a> is a writer and photographer based in Columbus, Ohio.

China stopped taking our plastic. Now America is drowning in it. 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The European Union wants to sanction three Chinese companies for supporting Russia, according to reports.</li><li>It's also sizing up firms based in Hong Kong, India, Serbia, and Turkey, per Bloomberg and the FT.</li></ul>The European Union wants to sanction three Chinese companies due to their ties to Russia, according to reports by <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-02-12/eu-proposes-curbs-on-three-chinese-firms-for-aiding-russia">Bloomberg</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ft.com/content/183af737-ef65-4cea-9b27-06c384a5accd">the Financial Times</a>.It’s also sizing up a business based in India and firms from Hong Kong, Kazakhstan, Serbia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, and Thailand, the outlets said, citing a draft proposal that hasn’t been made public yet.The EU reportedly wants to ban companies from doing business with the listed parties, which it believes could be aiding the Kremlin in its war in Ukraine.Member states voting through the plan would mark the first time that the trading bloc has imposed restrictions on Chinese and Indian businesses since Russia invaded its neighbor in February 2022.In the aftermath of that attack, the EU, the US, and other Western countries rushed to sanction Moscow, by cutting Russia’s banks out of <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-swift-sanctions-russia-ukraine-invasion-global-banking-system-2022-2">the SWIFT payments system</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/researchers-say-oil-price-cap-imposed-russia-didnt-exactly-work-2023-2">capping oil prices</a>. The EU alone has imposed 12 sanctions packages over the past two years.Meanwhile, China and India are yet to roll out similar restrictions and have instead stepped up their <a target="_blank" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/china-india-russian-oil-crude-moscow-war-ukraine-volumes-kpler-2023-4">purchases of Russian crude</a>.In April 2023, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen <a target="_blank" href="https://www.eeas.europa.eu/delegations/china/president-european-commission-ursula-von-der-leyen-visits-china_en?s=166">traveled to Beijing</a> to warn China’s leader Xi Jinping not to support Russia’s war efforts."This visit is taking place in a challenging and increasingly volatile context, in particular because of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," she said in a <a target="_blank" href="https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/statement_23_2147">press conference</a>. "China's position on this is crucial for the European Union.""We also count on China not to provide any military equipment, directly or indirectly, to Russia. Because we all know, arming the aggressor would be against international law. And it would significantly harm our relationship," von der Leyen added.

Chinese and Indian companies are about to be hit by sanctions because of their ties to Russia, reports say

<ul><li>The Indian government has banned 232 applications over “data storage” issues and “money laundering.”</li><li>Out of 232 apps banned, 138 are betting apps, and 94 are quick-loan apps.</li><li>The banned apps include credit applications such as <keyword id="6591942" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lazypay" source="Orion">LazyPay</keyword> and Kissht.</li></ul> The Indian government recently banned 232 betting and loan applications linked to China and other countries, cracking down on gambling and quick loan apps over “improper data storage” and “money laundering” concerns. In addition to Chinese apps, the ban included Indian ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ (BNPL) apps such as LazyPay and Kissht. Out of the 232 apps banned by the Ministry of Electronics and Information &amp; Technology (MeitY), 138 are betting and gambling apps and 94 are quick-loan-providing apps. According to a<a href="https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/tech/technology/govt-blocks-232-foreign-apps-including-chinese-for-gambling-money-laundering/articleshow/97620408.cms"> report</a> by Economic Times, the government has said that the apps have been banned as they contain materials “prejudicial” to the sovereignty and integrity of India. “These apps contained material which is prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India,” an official familiar with the matter said. While some of the apps banned have Chinese links, the list also includes Indian applications such as LazyPay and Kissht. Currently, there is no information from the government why apps such as PayU’s LazyPay and Kissht were banned in the country. Some of the apps banned were involved in predatory lending, wherein such apps offered quick funds to people in emergencies, and subsequently, Soon after the announcement, LazyPay’s website was blocked, with the notice – “The website has been blocked as per the order of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under the IT Act, 2000.” While the website is now accessible, the company’s app has stopped working. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Customers raise concerns about the app not working" comment="subhead" text="Customers raise concerns about the app not working">Customers raise concerns about the app not working</cmsannotation> LazyPay customers have taken to social media platforms to complain about LazyPay’s app not working. The company is following a template, asking users to message them about the issue. One issue that has arisen after the ban on LazyPay is the fate of existing customers. Currently, there is no clarity about the ban and the possibility of the issue being resolved. This has resulted in existing customers being concerned about the money they borrowed from the company. Business Insider India has reached out to PayU for a comment on the ban on LazyPay and to know the impact on existing customers who have borrowed money from the company. We will update the story after receiving a response from the company. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/swiggy-cracks-down-on-password-sharing-allows-users-to-use-same-account-on-only-two-devices/articleshow/97548345.cms">Swiggy cracks down on password sharing, allows users to use same account on only two devices</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/samsung-galaxy-s23-s23-plus-and-s23-ultra-price-availability-india/articleshow/97544314.cms">Samsung Galaxy S23, S23 Plus, and S23 Ultra priced starting at ₹74,999 in India</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/detectgpt-to-help-teachers-detect-content-generated-using-chatgpt-by-students/articleshow/97438221.cms">DetectGPT to help teachers detect content generated using ChatGPT by students</a>

After Chinese apps, the Indian government cracks down on Indian betting and quick loan apps—here’s why

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A few states and some countries are passing laws to combat plastic waste.</li><li><keyword id="11892889" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="california" source="Orion">California</keyword> is the fourth US state that will make companies pay for packaging waste.</li></ul>The first half of 2022 has seen a wave of new policies cracking down on <keyword id="12318689" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="plastic-pollution" source="Orion">plastic pollution</keyword> in the US and countries like <keyword id="6356687" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="canada" source="Orion">Canada</keyword> and <keyword id="11892747" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="india" source="Orion">India</keyword>. In recent weeks, California became the fourth state that will force companies to pay for cleaning up packaging waste, while Canada and India have banned the production and import of certain <keyword id="14446315" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="single-use-plastic" source="Orion">single-use plastic</keyword> products. Advocates say the momentum feels like a turning point in the global fight to eliminate the eight million metric tons of plastic waste <a href="https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/">that flows into oceans each year</a>. According to the United Nations, this is the equivalent of dumping a garbage truck every minute. The vast majority of plastic never gets recycled and ends up in landfills, in incinerators, or as litter on land and in waterways. The US <a href="https://nap.nationalacademies.org/read/26132/chapter/1">is the world's largest contributor</a> to the problem despite representing <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/us-population/">less than 5% of the global population</a>."The public is increasingly making the connection between plastic and so many other issues, which is expanding the coalition of groups and individuals who care deeply about this," Anja Brandon, a US plastics-policy analyst at the nonprofit Ocean Conservancy, said. "That, in turn, is expanding the number of policymakers who recognize plastic pollution as critically important." Brandon said those connections include how plastic is made from the fossil fuels that drive the climate crisis. Local governments in the US often build plastic-manufacturing plants, landfills, and incinerators <a href="https://blogs.newschool.edu/news/2022/05/tishman-environment-and-design-centers-work-reveals-most-incinerators-pollute-low-income-and-communities-of-color-and-worsen-climate-change/">in marginalized communities</a>, which then disproportionately expose these communities to pollution. Researchers are also discovering tiny particles of plastic — known as microplastics — <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/microplastics-detected-in-human-blood-180979826/">in human blood</a> and stool, raising questions about potential health effects.The <keyword id="11896309" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> push has led some big brands and plastic makers to promise to make more recyclable or compostable packaging and to channel money toward local infrastructure so producers can get their materials back and reuse them. "We're investing in new technology to make sure the percent of recycled content in packaging increases and designing things to be lighter," Jen Ronk, the senior sustainability manager at Dow North America Packaging &amp; Specialty Plastics, said. The company <a href="http://www.businessfor2030.org/dow">also pledged to spend more than $1 billion</a> on efforts to manage plastic waste. Here's a rundown of the latest action: <h2>California</h2>On June 30, California Gov. Gavin Newsom <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220SB54">signed the most aggressive restrictions</a> on plastic in the country into law. By 2032, producers must use 25% less plastic in packaging for items like shampoo, food containers, and cups. Ocean Conservancy estimates that this provision alone will <a href="https://oceanconservancy.org/news/sb54-california-righting-ship-leading-u-s-ocean-plastic-pollution-crisis/">reduce plastic production by 23 million tons</a>, or 26 times the weight of the Golden Gate Bridge. By the same date, at least 65% of plastic must be recycled, a major jump from the <a href="https://sd26.senate.ca.gov/index.php/news/press-release/senator-allen-introduces-bill-phase-out-unsustainable-single-use-plastics">less than 15% that is recycled today</a>. "We know that to reduce the plastic-pollution crisis, we have to make less in the first place and reuse more through a circular economy," Brandon said, adding that the <keyword id="14446313" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="california-law" source="Orion">California law</keyword> is the first to address both sides of that equation. Plastic makers will pay $5 billion into a state fund to mitigate the environmental and health impacts of pollution from their products, as well. The industry will pay for collecting, sorting, and recycling waste through a fee on packaging, which will shift the burden away from taxpayers who now fund municipal-waste management. That policy, known as extended-producer responsibility, has picked up steam over the last year as Maine, Oregon, and most recently <keyword id="11918419" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="colorado" source="Orion">Colorado</keyword>, passed similar legislation. <h2>Colorado </h2>In June, the state passed its own extended-producer responsibility law that <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colorado-to-tax-bottles-and-packaging-for-recycling-2022-6">slaps a fee on packaging such as bottles, food wrappers, and cardboard</a> to help fund recycling and keep waste out of landfills. Colorado's statewide <a href="https://cdphe.colorado.gov/colorado-recycling-totals">recycling rate for all materials is 15%</a>, less than half the national average of 32%. The law itself doesn't set mandatory recycling targets, but brands and packaging makers have to develop some for 2030 after they form a nonprofit to run the new recycling program.The law got rare public endorsements from big business, including Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, and Walmart. They joined forces with environmental groups like Recycle Colorado, the World Wildlife Fund, and the Sierra Club. <h2>Canada</h2><a href="https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/managing-reducing-waste/reduce-plastic-waste/single-use-plastic-guidance.html">On June 22, the government announced</a> it would ban companies from making and importing certain single-use plastics by the end of the year as part of a sweeping effort to fight pollution and the climate crisis.Most plastic grocery bags, silverware, and straws fall under the ban, with a few exceptions for medical needs. According to the government, Canadians throw away more than 3 million tons of plastic waste every year and the country only recycles about 9% of it. "Companies don't make Canada-specific packaging or US-state specific packaging," Brandon said. "They are trying to maximize efficiency in a globalized supply chain, so these policies will have far-reaching ripple effects."<h2>India </h2>On July 1, India's government announced a ban on single-use plastics covering 19 items that are most likely to wind up as litter, such as straws, cups, and some disposable bags. The ban makes it illegal to make or import these products.According to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/07/01/1109476072/india-plastics-ban-begins">the Associated Press</a>, thousands of other plastic items aren't covered, though the federal government has set recycling targets for manufacturers. According to its federal pollution watchdog, India generated more than 4.1 million metric tons of plastic waste in 2020. This decade the country is also trying to reduce the amount of greenhouse-gas emissions per unit of gross domestic product — known as carbon intensity — by 45%. Curbing plastic manufacturing can help India meet that target, said advocates of the ban.

Fighting our plastic problem: Bans and recycling mandates gain steam in the US and abroad

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Swastika Chandra had her Uber account banned because of her name.</li><li>Uber eventually apologized to the Australian woman and reinstated her account.</li></ul>An Australian woman was banned from using Uber after the company deemed her first name to be offensive.Swastika Chandra tried to order food from Uber Eats last year, but when she typed in her name, a pop-up told her it violated the company's terms and she'd have change it, she told <a target="_blank" href="https://9now.nine.com.au/a-current-affair/uber-bans-sydney-woman-from-using-service-because-of-her-first-name/2771dd1f-b9fd-4ba6-8045-671145bc0c02">A Current Affair.</a>Uber's guidelines restrict names that contain potentially offensive words.Swastika comes from a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-the-swastika-went-from-symbol-luck-emblem-of-evil-2023-3">Sanskrit word</a> meaning good fortune or well-being. It's a symbol that has been relevant to many religions across Asia, like Jainism and Buddhism, long before it was co-opted by Adolf Hitler and the Nazis and became associated with antisemitism."They don't know that the Hindus used it for thousands of years before Hitler used it in the wrong way," Chandra said. Her name was common in Fiji, where she grew up, and which has a large Indian population."I'm very proud of my name. I believe in the good that comes with it and I'm not changing it for anyone," she told ACA.Five months later, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-ceo-value-drivers-pandemic-valentines-strike-2024-2">Uber</a> reinstated her account and apologized to Chandra. However, it took interventions by the Hindu Council of Australia and the New South Wales attorney-general, according to ACA."We have apologised to Ms Chandra for the inconvenience this caused her, and we appreciate her patience as we reviewed the matter, which took longer than we hoped it would," Uber told the program.Uber is no stranger to these types of moderation issues. In 2021, it deactivated a number of accounts of transgender drivers over what it deemed to be <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/uber-block-deadname-some-transgender-drivers-account-photo-update-app-2021-12">fraudulent profile pictures</a> taken after the drivers had transitioned.The company also faced backlash last year after the owner of a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/palestinian-restaurant-uber-eats-canada-labeled-as-israeli-levant-pizza-2023-12">Palestinian restaurant</a> in Toronto said Uber Eats had suddenly labeled his restaurant as Israeli. Uber Eats previously told Business Insider that the "unintentional" issue had been fixed.

A woman called Swastika got an apology from Uber after it banned her because of her name

<ul><li>The Indian environment ministry issued a letter to states and union territories informing them that there is no imminent ban on single-use plastics. </li><li>It also clarified that the ban would not affect multi-layered packaging, normally used for food and beverages. </li><li>The document shared by ministry outlines action points to achieve the goal of eliminating single-use plastic by 2022. </li></ul>Companies in India were anxious about the government implementing a nation-wide ban on plastic but it seems there are no plans to announce any such restrictions — for now. The environment ministry issued a document to states and union territories (UTs) clarifying that there is no ban on single-use plastics but that the country is still planning on eliminating their use by 2022, according to <a href="https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/plastic-curbs-to-spare-multi-layered-packaging/cid/1709407">The Telegraph</a>, "There is now a need to take it (the awareness) to a new level and ensure that by 2022, we eliminate single-use plastic from our society," stated Environment Secretary Chandra Kishore Mishra in the letter. The ministry outlines that states need to implement legislative interventions and behavioural changes to wean people away from consuming <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/In-some-countries-people-face-jail-time-for-using-plastic-bags-Here-are-all-the-places-that-have-banned-plastic-bags-and-straws-so-far-/articleshow/68712914.cms">single-use plastics</a>. Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s call to action during India’s 73rd <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/topic/Independence-day">Independence Day</a> had businesses in India worried about the potential economic impact. If such a ban were to be implemented, it would affect <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/here-are-all-the-things-you-wont-be-able-to-use-after-india-bans-single-use-plastics/articleshow/71375802.cms">everyday items</a> like plastic cups and plastic plates at food stalls, packaging on biscuits and sodas, and small bottles. Food and beverages are safe The environment ministry also clarified that any planned guidelines to curb the consumption of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=single+use+plastic&amp;sortorder=score&amp;curpg=1">single-use plastic</a>s will not apply to multi-layered plastic packaging, which is commonly used to package products like food and beverages. During the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/indian-pm-endorses-iit-camera-to-catch-inattentive-mps-in-parliament/articleshow/71376832.cms">Singapore-India Hackathon</a> at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT-M) on 30 September 2019, Modi clarified that he was exclusively campaigning against single-use plastic and not a plastic-free india. "Some people, by mistake, are talking about plastic-free India. I have not said this. I have said that single-use plastic, which comes to use only once, causes a lot of problems," explained Modi. The environment ministry pointed out that only <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/which-states-in-india-have-banned-plastic/articleshow/70218756.cms">five states</a> — Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh — currently have legislation in place to regulate plastic waste. It has asked other states to plan on introduce restrictions on plastic use to curate a list of products that they plan to on restricting. It also clarified that there may not be a requirement to ban plastic bottles, like the ones used for packaging water and sodas, and that the focus should be on making sure the bottles are recyclable and can be reprocessed. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/ecommerce/article/amazon-flipkart-and-bigbasket-are-racing-to-eliminate-single-use-plastic-from-their-supply-chain/articleshow/71402437.cms">Big Basket ahead of e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart in eliminating single use plastics</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/science/environment/news/here-are-all-the-things-you-wont-be-able-to-use-after-india-bans-single-use-plastics/articleshow/71375802.cms">Here are all the things you won't be able to use after India bans single-use plastics</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/mount-everest-will-turn-into-a-plastic-free-zone-by-2020-as-nepal-bans-it/articleshow/70780916.cms">Mount Everest will turn into a plastic-free zone by 2020 as Nepal bans it</a>

You Searched For "indian companies plastic ban" and got 11 results

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