The Ministry Of Environment Forest And Climate Change has recently announced the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021. These new regulations are set to affect several sectors and specifically target items of single-use plastic identified as having low utility and high potential for littering. Aiming to curb environmental pollution, the rules will be implemented starting from the 1st July, 2022.
The New Rules
According to the newly enacted rules, the manufacturing, importing, stocking, distributing, selling, and using of specific single-use plastics will be prohibited from 1st July 2022. This ban, however, does not extend to goods made from compostable plastic. A timeline of ten years from the date of notification has been allocated for industries to comply with bans on other plastic commodities.
Currently, the permitted thickness of plastic bags is 50 microns. This will be increased to 75 microns from 30th September 2021, and further increased to 120 microns from 31st December 2022. Thicker plastic bags are easier to handle as waste, and their recyclability is higher.
Legal Framework for Banning Plastic
The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, currently prohibits the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags and plastic sheets less than 50 microns in thickness in the country. The 2021 amendment rules modify these existing regulations from 2016.
Implementing Agency
The Central Pollution Control Board, mutually with state pollution bodies, will supervise and implement the ban, identify breaches, and impose penalties according to the Environmental Protection Act, 1986.
Compostable Plastics
In place of conventional plastic derived from petrochemicals and fossil fuels, compostable plastics, made from renewable sources like corn, potato, and tapioca starches, cellulose, soy protein, and lactic acid, are encouraged. These are non-toxic and decompose into carbon dioxide, water, and biomass when composted.
Single-Use Plastics and Reasons for the Ban
Single-use plastics are used only once before they are discarded or recycled. Despite being cheap and convenient, plastic takes hundreds of years to disintegrate. Out of 9.46 million tonnes of plastic waste produced annually in our country, 43% is single-use plastic.
Petroleum-based plastic is non-biodegradable and usually ends up in a landfill or the ocean. During decomposition, it releases toxic chemicals that enter our food and water supply. Addressing this pollution from single-use plastic items has become a significant environmental challenge for all countries, including India.
Initiatives to Curb Plastic Waste
To mitigate plastic pollution, numerous initiatives like Swachh Bharat Mission, India Plastics Pact, Project REPLAN, Un-Plastic Collective, GoLitter Partnerships Project and more have been undertaken.
Way Forward and Sustainable Alternatives
Efforts towards economically viable and ecologically sustainable alternatives are crucial. The promotion of alternatives like cotton, khadi bags and biodegradable plastics is necessary. An increase in research and development, as well as investment, is needed for discovering sustainable options.
Circular Economy
Countries must adopt circular economic practices throughout the plastic value chain to lessen plastic pollution. A circular economy focuses on reusing, sharing, repairing, remanufacturing and recycling resources, minimising resource use, waste generation, pollution and carbon emissions.
Behavioural Change
A change in citizens’ behaviour is imperative. Individuals can contribute by not littering, assisting in waste segregation and waste management.
Extended Producer Responsibility
At a policy level, the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) must be advanced. EPR places a significant responsibility on producers, both financial and physical, for treating or disposing of post-consumer products.