CHENNAI: Burning plastic waste in any public or private open spaces in Chennai may soon attract a fine of Rs 1000 to Rs 10,000. This is one of the provisions in the city corporation’s newly released draft plastic waste management bylaws, aimed at addressing the menace of plastic waste.
The corporation has invited the civilians to give their opinions on the draft before it takes steps to implement the new law.
The draft bylaws have several other provisions regarding usage of plastic covers and bags. The plastic sheet used for packaging, wrapping the commodity shall not be less than fifty microns in thickness except when the thickness of such plastic sheets is essential for the functionality of the product, stated the bylaws.
The city corporation has drafted the bylaws for implementing the Plastic Waste Management Rules that was notified by the Central Government in 2016. The bylaws are available for the public on the Corporation’s website. Any suggestions may be submitted within a period of 30 days, either in writing or in person, to the zonal officers of the respective zones or to the Regional Deputy Commissioners.
Similarly, bulk waste generators who fail to recycle PET (Polyethylene terephthalate) bottles may also have to shell out a fine ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000. These bulk generators are expected to install and maintain reverse Vending Machine or any other appropriate system of recycling PET bottles as approved by the Central or State Pollution Control Boards.
The draft also states that waste generators to pay an integrated user fee for plastic waste management and that event organiser who conduct events that involve food services in plastic or multilayered packaging, in open spaces, shall segregate and manage the waste generated.
Extended producer responsibility:
The draft also puts the onus of collecting the plastic waste generated due to products on the producers. “Primary responsibility for collection of used multi-layered plastic sachet or pouches or packaging is of Producers, Importers and Brand Owners who introduce the products in the market. They need to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to their products,” the draft stated.
The producers must submit their plans to collect the waste to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board while applying for Consent to Establish or Operate or Renewal. Further, all producers shall submit an application to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board for grant of registration, for production of plastics, it states.
Further, the bylaws state that every person engaged in recycling or processing of plastic waste shall register with the Public Health Department under intimation to the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board by the 30th April of every year.
The manufacturers would be fined Rs 1000 if the name, registration number of manufacturer and thickness in case of multilayered packaging is not labeled as “Recyclable” or “compostable” printed in English mandatorily.
Carry bags made from compostable plastics with ISO code should be printed with “compostable” tag in English mandatorily and any number of other languages as optional.
Fine proposed in the draft bylaw for various violations: