Tough law soon to curb carry bags

Printing of publicity material on carry bags not allowed

The draft bye-law for plastic waste (management and handling) of Mangalore City Corporation approved by its council recently has said that plastic carry bag shall not be used as a means of advertisement of any product or trade.

It proposes to impose pollution cost of Rs. 500 on any retailer issuing plastic carry bags to consumers free of cost or sold unauthorised plastic carry bags for the first offence. The corporation will cancel the trade license for the second offence. The council will have to ratify the bye-law in its meeting this month.

Manjunath R. Shetty, Environment Engineer at the corporation, told

The Hindu that once the council ratified it, it would be sent to the Government for approval. The council could implement the bye-law following the approval. It said: “…the pollution cost would be realised for “effective control of use/sale/distribution of unauthorised carry bags and/or issuance of free plastic carry bags.”

Rates

The bye-law proposes following rates (given in bracket) at which retailers are expected to sell:

For carry bags measuring, 9 x 12 inches, 9 x 15 inches, 10 x 14 inches (Re. 1); those measuring 13 x 16 inches and 16 x 20 inches (Rs. 2); 17 x 25 and 20 x 26 inches (Rs. 3); 24 x 30 (Rs. 4); and bags measuring above 30 inches on any one side (Rs. 5).

It said that no person, including manufacturer, distributor, and vendor should use or pack carry bags made of recycled plastics or compostable plastics (which are yet to be proved safe) for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging of food stuffs.

No person should manufacture, stock, distribute, or sell any carry bag made of virgin or recycled or compostable plastic, which was less than 40 microns in thickness.

It said that each plastic carry bag and multilayered plastic pouch or sachet should have the information prescribed in the bye-law (which has given the details) printed in English or in local language.

The draft said that plastic material, in any form, should not be used in any packaging for packing gutkha, tobacco, and pan masala in all forms.

The corporation has drafted the bye-law following a decision taken at the State’s plastic waste advisory committee meeting in Bangalore earlier this year. The committee wanted all city corporations to enact a bye-law for including plastic waste management and handling rules 2011 and get it approved by their respective councils.