Plastic Waste Management Authorisation

Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011 is a regulatory framework that provides with bye-laws for management of plastic waste generated on daily basis in our country.

Plastic waste, another sin in the society, needs proper ways to be sorted out. The same way a term of Plastic Waste Management and Segregation techniques has been introduced. One needs enough of knowledge and awareness to be called skilled enough to be into plastic waste management. Let us get into detail of the main term derived as: Plastic Waste Management.

Plastic Waste (Management & Handling) Rules 2011 has prescribed provisions that emphasis on plastic waste minimization, recycling, source segregation and allowing maximum collection of plastic waste from households, factory units and other business units. In order to sustain the country and its environment.

Applicability of Plastic Waste Management & Handling Rules

Plastic Waste (Management & Handling) Rules are applicable on every waste generator, local bodies, Gram Panchayat, Importers as well as on producers.

Specifically, it’s the utmost responsibility of local bodies to set up Plastic Waste Management system with assistance from Producers and Brand Owners.

Definitions of important terms as per Plastic Waste Management Rules (PWM)

• Waste generator – a person or any industry, institution, factory, commercial establishment (like Indian Railways, Airports, Port and Harbour establishments) producing waste will be termed as a waste generator.
• Local body–an association such as municipal corporation, nagar palika, nagar nigam, municipal council including notified area committee or any local body constituted under statute like gram panchayat where the basic management is assigned to such agency.
• Importer – a person who imports fresh plastic, used plastic or plastic products from outside India having an Import Export Code number that is necessary for importing plastic.
• Producer – a person who has a business of manufacturing plastic bags, multi-layered packaging, plastic sheets and other plastic products.
• Brand Owner – a person or any organization selling and trading commodities under a registered brand label like ITC, Fortune, Samsung, Haldiram, Bikaner Sweets etc

CONDITIONS TO BE OBEYED FOR PWM CERTIFICATE

To manufacture or import carry bags, plastic sheets or multi layered packaging, here are the conditions to be strictly followed: –

1. The nature of carry bags and plastic packaging shall be natural, without adding pigments or using those prescribed under Indian Standard.
2. The creation of carry bags produced with recycled plastic shall be not be as such which is consumed for storing, carrying any food items.
3. The thickness of carry bags made of virgin or recycled plastic shall not be less than fifty microns.
4. The thickness of plastic sheets which are generally used for wrapping any commodities shall also be not less than fifty microns.
5. It is the duty of manufacturer to not provide plastic or plastic products as a raw material to any producer who has not opted for registration with State Pollution Control Board.
6. Plastic sachets should be made as such that can’t further be used for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala.
7. Complying with Indian Standards for recycling of plastic waste.
8. Thickness provision shall not be applicable for compostable plastic but complying with Indian Standards is must. And before manufacturing or selling plastic carry bags, it’s a necessary obligation for manufacturers and sellers to obtain certificate from the Central Pollution Control Board.
9. Industrial Chemicals of plastic chemicals like Vinyl Acetate, Maleic Acid, Vinyl Chloride Copolymer must not be used in packaging guthka, pan masala and tobacco.

How Plastic Waste Management will be done?

1. Plastic waste materials or products which are capable of being recycled must be transported to registered recyclers while complying with Indian Standards.
2. Local Bodies shall be responsible for encouraging the usage of plastic waste (not recycled) for road construction process as per Indian Road Congress guidelines.
3. For processing and disposing thermo set plastic (a plastic which once moulded can’t be re-shaped) one shall follow the guidelines issued from time to time by the Central Pollution Control Board.
4. The inactive chemicals shall be disposed by following Solid Waste Management Rules, 2000 being updated time to time.

Marking and Labeling Rules of Plastics products

• Required details to be printed on plastic carry bags and multi-layered packaging are:

1. For Carry Bags: Name, Registration No. of Manufacturer and thickness of bag
2. For Multi-layered Packaging: Name and Registration No. of Manufacturer
3. Compostable plastic derived carry bags: Name and Certificate Number.

• Recycled carry bags shall have a label or mark “recycled” printed on it and shall conform to Indian Standards: IS 14534: 1998, Guidelines for Recycling of Plastics.

And compostable plastic derived carry bags shall have a label or mark “compostable” and shall conform to the Indian Standard: IS 17088:2008, Specification for “Compostable Plastics”.

Designated Authority Functioning Under PWM Certificate

The State Pollution Control Board and Pollution Control Committee is authorised for implementing the provision of registration, manufacture, processing and disposal of plastic products or plastic waste and multi-layered packaging.

The Secretary-in-charge of Urban Development of the State or a Union Territory shall have the authority for complying with the provisions of rules relation to waste management by waste generator, use of plastic carry bags, plastic sheets, covers made of plastic sheet sand multi-layered packaging.

The Gram-Panchayat shall have the authority to enforce the rules relating to waste management by the waste generator, use of plastic carry bags, plastic sheets, plastic sheet covers and multi-layered packaging in rural area of the State or a Union Territory.

All the authorities referred above shall take assistance of the District Magistrate or the Deputy Commissioner within the territorial limits of the jurisdiction of the concerned district.