Introduction:
There are various uses of plastic, it is due to its special physical and chemical properties. But increasing use of plastic is becoming a warning to all of us as it is very harmful to our environment. According to the resources, the major part of waste every year is plastic. It is studied that about one million plastic bags are deposed off in water bodies, land every year. Due to this alarming issue Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011took into its ambit management of plastic waste. These rules were further copy-edited in 2016[1].
In the year 2014, Swach Bharat Mission emerged. Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organization (CPHEEO) Manual on Solid Waste was reviewed by Swach Bharat Mission’s National Plan, in addition to this many new rules were made in relation to waste management.
Need for having a separate set of Plastic Waste Management Rules?
There has been an immoderate use of plastic in our country and it is becoming an alarming danger for our waste stream. Therefore noticing the threat which plastic carries against the environment, the need for a separate set of rules dealing only with plastic waste was the need of the hour. The rules were to be made to deal with the management of plastic waste and not for plastic itself. Plastic is very harmful to the environment because it does not decompose rather breaks into small-small pieces and stays with nature for a very long period of time this results in various health issues.
This is the reason why plastic waste is considered are very dangerous for the environment. Since plastic carries with it exceptional qualities therefore it became the first choice for many people around the world and therefore waste due to plastic is increasing day by day.
Rules related to plastic waste management[2]
The very first rule related to the management of plastic waste emerged in 2011. This was called the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules (2011).
The government in the year 2016, modified the rules of 2011. The Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016 is the most effective measures taken against the utilization of plastic in our country. The most noteworthy attribute of the 2016 rules is that the people engaged in the manufacturing of plastic and the retail establishments that utilize plastic as their essential constitute are bound by the law to adhere to the process of gathering back the waste generated from plastic known as ‘Extended Producer Responsibility’.
In India it is not possible to completely ban plastic, therefore we need strong rules regarding its management.
The government of India aims at it by making some rule:
- Pre-registration Fee Collection: according to this there should be a prescribed fee, which needs to be gathered by the process of pre-registration of the producers, importers of plastic carry bags, and also sellers for vending the plastic in the market area, to aid initiation of a waste management system.
- Responsibility of Waste Generators, Extended Producer’s Liability and Collect back system: There is a requirement for the procedure for gathering plastic waste which is to be adhered to by the generators, importers of such waste who have launched plastic in the market within the 6 months of notification of 2016 rules.
- Use of the Plastic Waste: The Rules counseled to promote the use of waste generated by plastic for construction of roads, walls etc or to convert such waste into oil. It also aims to entertain new ideas for disposing the plastic waste.
- Restriction: To restrict the buyers to buy plastic rules asked to thicken the plastic bags to make them more expensive so that people could resist themselves to buy plastic bags due to increased value.
- Scope of Application: The Rules counsel the local bodies and Village panchayat to function with accountability in carrying out the system for waste management for villagers.
- Responsibility of purchasers: The fine is inflicted upon the sellers to provide goods in bags made of plastic or use plastic covers that are not up to 2016 rules.
- Reuse of plastic waste: The waste generated from the plastic should be reused and recycled.
According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, there was an unqualified fine imposed for carrying plastic bags but this was removed with the aid of a rectification.
What is different in Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016?
- These rules took into their ambit rural areas as they are no longer safe from this plastic pollution. Village Panchayat is given the duty to make people follow these rules.
- For the very first time, producers and importers of plastic are under some sought of responsibility toward this waste as they need to pre-register themselves and have to pay fix amount of fee.
- The person arranging public assembly is liable for all littered plastic waste due to such gathering, he need to manage it all, it is his responsibility.
- The sheets made of plastic are used for packing and covering the goods, which are later left behind to do away with this use of plastic sheets except which are permitted are forbidden. Rules are also made to deal with such kind of plastic waste.
- It is for the first time when producers and the owner of the plastic waste are made responsible for the management of this waste.
- The producer is responsible to propose the strategy endo by State Development Department, before this is done their registration will not be renewed or accepted by State Pollution Control Board (SPCBs).
- The carry bag made of plastic will only be available to the sellers who have paid a prescribed fee for pre-registration. This fee will be used later for the management of plastic waste.
- There is a type of plastic that is hard to decompose the rules of 2016 give the responsibility to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) who make certain rules for the management of such rules.
Objectives of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016
The rules of 2016 come up aiming at certain objectives regarding the management of plastic waste at different levels.
These objectives are:
- These rules aim to raise the minimum density of carrying bags made of plastic from 40 to 50 microns, this will make the recycling process easier and will also increase the price of the carry bags therefore people will resist themselves to buy them.
- To enlarge the extent of the application to rural from urban area since waste from plastic is moving towards cities also.
- To make the producers and generators aware that they need to take responsibility towards the waste management system.
- The producers and importers of plastic waste have to contribute toward the plastic waste management system by pre-registration system the government, which helps the government to accumulate the fee for selling these plastic bags in the market
- It was also emphasized that plastic waste can also be used for making road according to the Indian Road Congress, waste generated from the plastic can also be used to make oil.
Therefore the main focus is to manage plastic waste rather than to completely ban it as it is not possible in a country like India.
Effectiveness
Despite the launching of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 which are mirrored as very efficient and effective in paper failed to achieve their target with respect to many towns and cities, there are many different reasons for its failure.
Even the big Municipal Corporations failed to play their part as per the procedure laid down in the rules. There task as to segregate the different type waste from plastic example, the plastic waste which is recyclable from one which is otherwise.
According to the study of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, the consumption of plastic increased 11 kg as in 2014-15 to 20 kg as in 2020 (per capita). The consumption of plastic which has a very low recovery rate increased by 43%.
Conclusion
The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 brings with it the strictest set of rules regarding the management of plastic waste. These rules do not leave any room open for a mistake, the rules set the liability of the producer which means that plastic waste is on the eye since its birth this helps to curb the plastic waste. The rules try to curb plastic waste at every step of its use.
A separate set of rules are made for plastic waste which does not decompose easily. Therefore it can be said that rules fit with the need.
But the issue is regarding the implementation of these rules, rules are of no use unless they are implemented.
Therefore there needs to be strict implementation of the rules made for the management of plastic waste. Policies are to be made in support of these rules.
References:
[1] Plastic Waste Management Rules,2016, Vikaspedia, https://vikaspedia.in/energy/environment/waste-management/plastic-waste-management-rules-2016#:~:text=The%20Plastic%20Waste%20Management%20Rules%2C%202016%20aim%20to%3A,and%20recycle%20of%20plastic%20waste
[2] Pratishtha Mandal, A gist of plastic waste management rues, 2016, ipleaders, https://blog.ipleaders.in/a-gist-of-plastic-waste-management-rules-2016/
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