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| Plastics Waste: Environmental Issues and Challenges |
It is noteworthy that quantum of waste is ever increasing due to increase in population, developmental activities, changes in life style, and socio-economic conditions, Plastics Waste is a significant portion of the total municipal solid waste (MSW). It is estimated that approximately 10 thousand tons per day (TPD) of plastics waste is generated i.e. 9 % of 1.20 lacs TPD of MSW in India . The plastics waste constitutes two major category of plastics; (1) Thermoplastics' and (2) Thermoset plastics. Thermoplastics, constitutes 80% and Thermoset, constitutes approximately 20% of total post-consumer plastics waste generated in India . The Thermoplastics are recyclable plastics which include; Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Low Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE), Poly Vinyal Choloride(PVC), High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene(PP), Polystyrene (PS) etc., however, Thermoset plastics contains Alkyd, Epoxy, Ester, Melamine Formaldehyde, Phenolic Formaldehyde, Silicon, Urea Formaldehyde, Polyurethane, Metalised and Multilayer Plastics etc. The environmental hazards due to mismanagement of plastics waste include the followings: |
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- Plastics carry bags, laminated pouches (including Gutka pouches) and other non-recyclable plastics are littered through out the city.
- Littered plastics spoils beauty of the city and chokes drains and make many important public places filthy.
- Garbage containing plastics when burnt may cause air pollution problem and particularly burning of plastics may emit polluting gases.
- Garbage mixed with plastics interferes in waste processing facilities and may also cause problems in landfill operations.
- Plastics waste littered at various places other than the bins set up by the local authorities, remains uncollected.
- Local vendors (vegetable, fruits and groceries) are using plastics carry bags not meeting with the prescribed specifications and such bags are not even collected by ragpickers.
- Recycling industries operating in non-conforming areas are posing unhygienic problems to the environment.
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Showing littered plastics
waste in an open plot |
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| Main Features of the Plastics Manufacture and Usage (Amendment) Rules, 2003 |
Regulation of Plastics Waste and particularly manufacture and use of recycled plastics carry bags and containers is being regulated in the country as per “Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999 and as amended in 2003. |
| According to these Rules |
- No person shall manufacture, stock, distribute or sell carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastics bags which are less than 8 x 12 inches in size;.
- No vendor shall use carry bags made of recycled plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging of food stuffs;
- No vendor shall use containers made of recycled plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging of food stuffs.
- The minimum thickness of carry bags made of virgin plastics or recycled plastics shall not be less than 20 microns.
- Carry bags and containers made of recycled plastic and used for purposes other than storing and packaging food stuffs shall be manufactured using pigments and colourants as per IS 9833:1981 entitled “List of pigments and colourants for use in plastics in contact with food, stuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water”
- Recycling of plastics shall be undertaken strictly in accordance with the Bureau of Indian Standards specification: IS 14534:1998 entitled “The Guidelines for Recycling of Plastics”
- Manufacturers of recycled plastic carry bags having printing facilities shall code/mark carry bags and containers as per Bureau of Indian standard specification: IS 14534:1998 (The Guidelines for Recycling of Plastics).
- No person shall manufacture carry bags or containers irrespective of its size or weight unless the occupier of the unit has registered the unit with the State Pollution Control Board/Pollution Control Committee prior to the commencement of production.
- The prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions of these rules related to manufacture and recycling is State Pollution control Boards in respect of States and the Pollution Control Committees in Union Territories;
- The prescribed authority for enforcement of the provisions of these rules relating to use, collection, segregation, transportation and disposal shall be the District Collector/Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district where no such Authority has been constituted by the State Government/Union Territory administration under any law regarding non-biodegradable garbage.
- Every occupier manufacturing carry bags or containers of virgin plastics or recycled plastics or both shall make an application in prescribed format for grant of registration and renewal of registration.
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