Environment Ministry notifies amended Rules on plastic waste management

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The Environment Ministry has notified the amended rules on plastic waste management that prescribe a central system for the registration of producers and importers.

The ministry has notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018, which specifies phasing out of those multi-layered plastics (MLPs) that are "non-recyclable, non-energy recoverable or with no alternate use", an official statement said.

MLPs are made up of a layered composition of various types of plastics.

Based on several representations received from various stakeholders, the ministry had constituted a committee on issues faced with regard to the implementation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and the Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016.

The committee deliberated on several issues related to the rules and its implementation by various stakeholders, and submitted its recommendations to the ministry after which the amended rules were notified.

"The amended rules lay down that the phasing out of Multilayered Plastics (MLP) is now applicable to MLPs that are non-recyclable, or non-energy recoverable, or with no alternate use," the statement said.

The ministry notified the amended rules on March 27.

The amended rules also prescribe a central registration system for the registration of producers, importers and brand owners.

"The centralised registration system will be evolved by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the registration of the producer /importer/brand owner.

"While a national registry has been prescribed for producers with presence in more than two states, a state-level registration has been prescribed for smaller producers/brand owners operating within one or two states," it said.

The rules also lay down that any mechanism for the registration should be automated and should take into account ease of doing business for producers, re-cyclers and manufacturers.

In addition, Rule 15 of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018, on “explicit pricing of carry bags” has been omitted.