core sector communique

Recycling of Plastic Products

Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. Under these Rules, municipal authorities are responsible for setting up, operationalisation and coordination of the waste management system including collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste. They are required to set up collection centers for plastic waste and to ensure its channelisation to recyclers, create awareness, engage agencies or groups working in waste management including waste pickers and to ensure that open burning of plastic waste is not permitted. Packaged mineral water is supplied in plastic bottles which inter-alia are made from Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET). After use, these bottles can be recycled as per Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) guidelines. According to a survey by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 2008, consumption of plastic products in India was 8 million tonnes per year. The major plastic products include plastic packaging films, carry bags, containers, cups, plates, spoons, trays etc. Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) has notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. These Rules have provisions for plastic waste management, wherein municipal authorities are responsible for setting up, operationalisation and coordination of the waste management system and for performing the associated functions such as collection, storage, segregation, transportation, processing and disposal of plastic waste. The above information was given by the Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Environment and Forests, Shrimati Jayanthi Natarajan to the Parliament today.