The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified guidelines on expanded producers’ responsibility on plastic packaging under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility coupled with the prohibition of identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high dustbin capacity from 1st July 2022, are important steps to reduce the pollution caused by plastic waste in the country.
In a tweet message, Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav, while briefing about the development said that the guidelines will promote the development of new alternatives to plastics and provide a roadmap for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging. do.
The guidelines provide a framework to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste, promote the development of new plastic alternatives, and provide the next steps for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging. Reuse of rigid plastic packaging material has been mandated in the guidelines to reduce the use of fresh plastic material for packaging.
The use of recycled plastic materials along with an enforceable prescription of minimum levels of recycling of plastic packaging waste collected under the EPR will further reduce plastic consumption and support recycling of plastic packaging waste.
The EPR guidelines will promote formalization and further development of the plastic waste management sector. In a significant first, the guidelines allow the sale and purchase of surplus Extended Producer Responsibility Certificates, thus establishing a market mechanism for plastic waste management.
The implementation of EPR will be done through a customized online platform which will act as the digital backbone of the system. The online platform will allow tracking and monitoring of EPR liability and will reduce the compliance burden for companies through online registration and filing of annual returns. To ensure monitoring on the fulfillment of EPR obligations, the guidelines have prescribed a system of verification and audit of enterprises.
The Guidelines lay down a framework for the levy of environmental compensation based on the polluter payment principle, in respect of non-fulfillment of extended producer responsibility targets by producers, importers and brand owners with the aim of protecting and improving environmental quality and preventing Control and reduce environmental pollution. The funds raised will be used for the collection, recycling and end-of-life disposal of environmentally sound plastic waste.
Under these producers, importers and brand owners can operate schemes like deposit return system or buy back or any other model to prevent mixing of plastic packaging waste with solid waste.
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