The Karnataka State Pollution Control Board has warned manufacturers, suppliers, transporters, and general public of penal action if they use of single-use biodegradable and oxo-biodegradable plastic products.
In the public notice dated February 21, the KSPCB Member Secretary said the State government, vide notification in March 2016 and June 2022, banned manufacture, supply, storage, transport, sale, and distribution of plastic carry bags made of polymer, bio-degradable, and compostable material. Carry bags of all thickness are banned in the State.
It further stated that the Rule 4(H) of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules 2016 notified by the Ministry of Environment and Forest and Climate Change stipulates that manufacturers and sellers of biodegradable and compostable plastic commodities have to be certified by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). The CPCB, till date, has not issued certificate for bio-degradable products and no exemption has been given to oxo-biodegradable plastics. Banned single-use plastic material claiming to be bio-degradable and oxo-biodegradable are sold in the market.
Stating that manufacture, supply, storage, transportation, and usage of bio-degradable and oxo-biodegradable single-use plastic products and carry bags was violation of PWM Rules, the notice warned stakeholders of penal action for violation of the direction.
A senior KSPCB official told The Hindu that the public notice has been issued to make all waste producers aware of their responsibility in processing of single-use plastics. “Compared to other Sates, Karnataka is placed better in processing single-use plastic products. We are trying to further strengthen this mechanism,” the official said.
Producers, importers, and brand owners, he said, have been asked to register on the centralised EPR (Extended Producers Responsibility) Portal developed by CPCB. The plastic waste processing units namely material recovery facility (MRF) operators, recycled product manufacturers, and plastic co-processing units are also registered on the portal. “CPCB regularly monitors waste generation and its processing,” the official added.
Dilraj Alva, Managing Director of Mangaluru-based Mangala Resource Management Pvt. Ltd., said its MRF facility in Karkala in Udupi district has been processing 120 tonnes of single-use plastic every month since last 18 months. A new MRF started operation in Mijar on February 24. At MRF, they collect and segregate around 20 different types of plastic material, bail it, and transport it to facilities that recycle or reuse it.
Manufacturers of potato chips and other eatables available in multilayer plastic packets were funding operation of the MRFs. The other single-use plastic products producers are yet to involve in processing of plastic waste, Mr. Alva said.
T. Murthy, senior project manager of Saahas Zero Waste, said they were running the MRF in Jigani in Anekal taluk of South Bengaluru where dry waste from six municipalities was being processed. They are giving technical know-how in setting up of MRFs, he said.
