Plastic Waste Management

Reference

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has launched a national audit of around 800 plastic-waste recyclers across the country. The decision comes after four plastic-recycling companies in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka issued over 6 lakh fake pollution-free trading certificates.

Plastic Pollution in India

• According to the Plastic Waste Makers Index 2019 report, India was the thirteenth largest investor in single-use plastic polymer production globally.
• India's Reliance Industries producing 3 million tonnes of single-use plastic waste is ranked eighth in the list of polymer manufacturing companies.
• India ranks third globally, contributing 5.5 million tonnes of single-use plastic waste annually.
  • India produces an average of 4 kg of single-use plastic waste per person per year.
• According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), India fails to effectively manage 85% of its plastic waste.
  • This type of waste is predominantly single-use and is often disposed of improperly by dumping it on the roadside or burning it.
• According to the annual report of the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules (PWM), 2016, India generated 34.6 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in the year 2019-20 and 41.2 lakh tonnes in the year 2020-21.

Efforts for scientific management of plastic waste

Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016

Objectives:

• To motivate plastic waste generators to take necessary steps to minimise the generation of plastic waste
• To make efforts to prevent the spread of plastic waste
• To ensure segregated storage of waste at source
• To take steps to collect segregated waste in accordance with the rules
• The rules prescribe the responsibilities of:
• • The rules prescribe the responsibility of local bodies, gram panchayats, waste producers, retailers and street vendors for the management of plastic waste.
  • The PWM Rules, 2016 prescribes Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) on producers, importers and brand owners and EPR applies to both pre-consumer and post-consumer plastic packaging waste.

Entities obligated for EPR:

• Manufacturers of plastic packaging
• All imported plastic packaging and/or importers of plastic packaging of imported products
• Brand Owners: which includes other than online platforms/marketplaces and supermarkets/retail chains, which are micro and small enterprises as per the criteria of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India.
• All other plastic waste processors (PWP) except cement kilns and road construction

Plastic packaging categories covered under EPR:

• • Rigid plastic packaging
  • Flexible plastic packaging of single layer or multilayer (more than one layer with different types of plastic), plastic sheets or covers made of plastic sheets, carry bags, plastic pouches or pouches
  • Multi-layer plastic packaging (at least one layer of plastic and at least one layer of material other than plastic)
  • Plastic sheets or similar material used for packaging, as well as carry bags made of compostable plastic
• Key features of PWM Rules:
  • The thickness of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic should not be less than 120 microns after 31 December 2022.
  • Carry bags or plastic packaging made of recycled plastic can be used for packaging of food items only as per FSSAI standards and guidelines.
  • Pouches made of plastic material cannot be used for storage, packing or sale of gutkha, tobacco, pan masala.
  • The thickness of plastic sheet or equivalent wrapping the commodity should not be less than fifty microns, except where the thickness of such plastic sheet affects the functionality of the product.
  • A mechanism has been put in place to enable manufacturers, brand owners and importers to offset the amount of plastic waste introduced by them in the Indian market to fulfil their EPR obligation.
    • The government allows the sale and purchase of surplus EPR certificates.
  • Any plastic packaging that cannot be recycled or used as an alternative source of energy is being phased out.
  • Manufacturers of plastic cannot sell or provide raw material to any unregistered producer.
  • Local bodies have been made responsible for setting up the necessary infrastructure for recycling plastic waste.

Challenges of Plastic Waste Management

• Poor track record: Norms are not effectively regulated by the Central and State Pollution Control Boards. This is confirmed by the frequent violations of plastic rules in major cities like Delhi, Bengaluru.
  • Plastic waste recyclers obtain far more EPR certificates than the plastic they recycle.
• Corruption: The prevalence of corruption hinders effective implementation of rules and fails to impose adequate sanctions on violators. India ranks 93rd out of 180 countries in the Corruption Perceptions Index for 2023.
• Strength: Rules seek to limit the use of plastic, but the widespread inclination towards it cannot be easily reduced due to its low price and unavailability of cost-effective alternatives.
  • Also, the informal structure of waste collection hinders a strong link between waste collectors and processing plants.
• Lack of global commitment: Currently, no dedicated international instrument exists that is specifically designed to prevent plastic pollution throughout the entire plastic lifecycle.

Measures to Reduce Plastic Waste

• Promoting bio-plastics: The government should support the manufacture of sustainable bioplastics. These plastics can decompose into water, carbon dioxide and biomass by the reaction of organisms, usually microbes.
• Awareness: The public should be made aware of the adverse effects of plastic use by collaborating with NGOs.
• Examples from other countries: In January 2016, Antigua and Barbuda banned the import, manufacture and trade of plastic shopping bags. In the first year, the ban contributed to a 15.1% reduction in the amount of plastic discarded in landfills in Antigua and Barbuda
  • In 2008, the Rwandan government banned the manufacture, use, sale and import of all plastic bags. Plastic bags were replaced by paper bags and citizens also started using reusable bags made of cotton.
• Green employment: The government should provide sustainable employment opportunities to waste pickers by giving them green jobs. This will significantly improve the processing of plastic waste in the country and reduce landfill creation.
• Monitoring implementation of management rules: An independent environmental regulator, as envisaged by the Supreme Court, should be created to monitor the judicious implementation of waste management rules.