Plastic and Waste Management Issues:

It is estimated that approximately 4-5 % post-consumer plastics waste by weight of Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is generated in India. The plastics waste generation is more i.e. 6-9 % in USA, Europe and other developed countries due to their consumption habits. As per data available on MSW, approximately, 4000-5000 tonnes per day post-consumer plastic waste is generated, however, pre-consumer waste or scrap is directly utilized in the industry itself.

The plastic waste constitutes two major categories of plastics:

1. Thermoplastics
2. Thermoset plastics

Thermoplastics, constitutes 80% and Thermoset, constitutes approximately 20% of total post-consumer plastics waste. The Thermoplastics are recyclable plastics which include; PET, LDPE, PVC, HDPE, PP, PS etc. However, Thermoset plastics contains Alkyd, Epoxy, Ester, Melamine Formaldehyde, Phenolic Formaldehyde, Silicon, Urea Formaldehyde, Polyurethane, Metalised and Multilayer Plastics etc.

The major problem in plastic waste management is of:

1. Collection
2. Segregation
3. Disposal

Current Scenario:
At present, the plastic waste disposal is done through unorganized sectors i.e. Ragpickers and Kabariwaslas. More importantly, the collection, segregation and to an extent disposal system is carried out through unscientific method which creates environmental problems as well as an “Eyesore”. Therefore, there is need to re-organize the whole recycling process and in this context, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has highlighted this issue to an extent by developing new recycling technique as well as developed innovative technologies for disposal of plastics waste such as “utilization of plastic waste in road construction” and “re-engineering the recycling process”.

Features of the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999 (as amended 2003):

1. These rules are applicable in all the States/Union Territories;

2. The prescribed authority for enforcement of these Rules in the States are State Pollution Control Boards and in the Union Territory, the Pollution Control Committees;

3. No vendor shall use carry bags/containers made of recycled plastics for storing, carrying, dispensing, or packaging of foodstuffs;

4. No person shall manufacture, stock, distribute or sell carry bags made of virgin; or recycled plastics which are <8´ 12 inches in size and <20 micron in thickness;>or recycled plastics which are <8´ 12 inches in size and <20 micron in thickness; Carry bags/containers made of virgin plastic shall be in natural shade or white;

5. Every Plastics manufacturing and recycling unit shall be registered with concerned State Pollution control Board/Pollution Control Committee fulfilling consent conditions.

Prescribed Authority:

1. 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;

2. 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.

Source: Central Pollution Control Board of India