India has imposed a ban on single-use plastics in effort to tackle the country's rapidly increasing levels of plastic pollution. The ban includes straws, cutlery, ear buds, packaging films and cigarette packets, among other products. Companies and plastic manufacturers have complained about the ban, lobbying for items to be removed and saying that they were not given adequate time to prepare. India has imposed a ban on single-use plastics on items ranging from straws to cigarette packets to combat worsening pollution in a country whose streets are strewn with waste. Announcing the ban, the government dismissed the demands of food, beverage and consumer goods companies to hold off the restriction to avoid disruptions. Plastic waste has become a significant source of pollution in India, the world's second-most populous country.