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A Programme on “Environmental Management Capacity Building Technical Assistance Project”,Sponsored by Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India.

INDIAN CENTRE FOR PLASTICS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

MANAGEMENT OF PLAST ICS ,POLYMER WASTES AND

BIO -POLYMERS AND IMPACT

OF PLAST ICS ON THE

ECO -SYSTEMVolume 4 • Issue 1 • Jan.–Mar. 2006For Internal Circulation only

ICPE in PLASTINDIA 2006The world’s 2nd largest plastics trade fair recently organized byPlastindia Foundation during 9th-14th February, 2006 at PragatiMaidan, New Delhi, was an insight on latest developments in thefield of Plastic Raw Materials, Machinery, Accessories, Moulds & Dies,and new products, besides, international conference and sitebeautification.

RECYCLING PAVILIONtion for most of the visitors ofPlastindia 2006. Truly, a visitor com-mented “Recycling Pavilion isthe Heart of Plastindia 2006”.An estimated 2 to 2.5 lakh personsvisited the stall which includedpeople from industry, common

citizens, Govt. officials, NGOs,school children, etc. Display ofrecycling products was speciallyfocussed to create awareness andeducate people of benefits andtrends in recycling plastics intofinished goods.

The dignitaries who visited the stallincluded:

Shri Kapil Sibal – Minister of Sci-ence & Technology and Minister ofOcean Development, Govt. ofIndia, appreciated the efforts put inby the plastic industry to put “Plas-tics in the right perspective”. Hespent almost one hour at the stall.

Shri H. Handique, MOS, Chemi-cals and Fertilizers, Govt. of India.

Mrs. Satwant Reddy, Secretary,DCPC, Mrs. Radha Singh, Secre-tary, Ministry of Agriculture, Shri K.Raghunathan, Chief Secretary, DelhiGovernment, Shri Jagdish Mukhi,Leader of Opposition, Delhi Govt.,Mr.Mukesh Kakkar, Jt.Secretary,DCPC and many others.

• Handloom Charkha and Bitu-men Road Modification weredeclared as the Stars of Attractionat Recycling Pavilion. These twogenerated maximum interest in anumber of visitors.

• Out door products like fencing,pallets supplied by Plastoplene,Kolkatta were also appreciated bythe people.

• Wood-free plastic pencils weredistributed especially to schoolchildren.Sample of Tar Road with Plastics Waste

Recycling Pavilion highlighting therecycling practices in India with livedemos had been a centre of attrac-

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• A quiz programme was organizedat regular intervals covering mul-tiple choice questions on PlasticsRecycling and other issues.Answers for all the questions wereavailable on display panels. Luckydraw winners amongst all the

correct entries were awarded eacha br iefcase. Response wastremendous and ensured that allthe panels were well read by com-mon populace.

• Fuel from Plastics Waste was abreakthrough invention. In the

process of conversion of wasteplastics into fuels, random de-polymerization was carried outin a specially designed reactor inthe absence of oxygen and in thepresence of coal and certain cata-lytic additives.

Glimpses of Recycling Pavilion

Handloom products from Plastics Waste

Samples of product made withMultilayer Plastics Waste

Winners of Quiz Competition School students on a visit toRecycling Pavilion

Representative from Kenya in discussionwith ICPE and PIF Members

Representatives from Canada in discussionwith ICPE official

Ambassador of DPR Korea (2nd fromleft) in the Recycling Pavilion

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Some of the Display Panels at theRecycling Pavilion at Plastindia 2006

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Globalization has become the key word in today’svirtually borderless world. Free flow of information, skillsand materials are the attributes of globalization that arecrucial to strategic initiatives of the organizations.

India has been performing exceptionally well and overthe years has emerged the 2nd fastest growing economy.India accounted for ~20% of Asian and ~10% of Globalgrowth in last two years.

Galloping per capita income, demographics with bulg-ing working age group, superior intellectual capital andcompetitive labour force has transformed India into an‘Outsourcing Heaven’. Global competitiveness in termsof effective productivity and intellectual capabilities hastransformed India into a strong manufacturing base anda Global service and knowledge hub. Strong leaps inBusiness / Knowledge / Engineer ing ProcessOutsourcing has transformed India into best offshoringlocation in the world.

Today, we are expecting Indian economy to grow ataround 8% and at the same time Indian plastics indus-try would be growing at around 14-15%.

Plastics are used for high touch to hi-tech applicationsand have moulded the modern world and transformedthe quality of life. Plastics play an important role in allwalks of life and are established as a creative, cost-effective, performance-oriented alternative to manyconventional materials.

All these inherent advantages of India led to the themeof ‘Access Opportunities’ for this 6th InternationalPlastics Exhibition and Conference.

I am pleased to say that over a period of two days wehave tried to cover all the major issues concerned withthe sustainable development of the Plastics industry.Right from strategic perspective by leading global con-sultants and industry stalwarts to trade related issues likeglobalization and commodity futures, best practices likesix sigma to technological developments in various fields.

Thus the Conference will focus on 3 “I”s : Informa-tion, Ideation and Innovation, which are key growthpillars in the knowledge millennium.

I hope that the Conference will facilitate to strengthendynamic partnership between the creators of wealthand people engaged in generation of ideas throughpower of networking , which will enable all of us totransform India from “Ideas Incubator” to “Ideas– Superpower”.

This abstracts volume covers salient points from all thecontributors and I am sure this will certainly serve as areference handbook for everyone.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all thecontributors for their valuable papers and also mycolleagues on the Conference Committee for bringingout such an outstanding reference volume.

I wish everyone a successful and informativeConference.

Welcome Addressat the International Conference

Sujit BanerjiChairman, ASCENT Committee,Plastindia 2006 andExecutive Secretary / Member,Executive Committee of ICPE

Plastindia 2006 – International Conference

The aim of this Conference is to bring togethereminent scholars, consultants, professionals andindustry experts for a fruitful engagement onvarious issues concerning the plastics industry. AsPlastics constitute a burgeoning sector, this Confer-ence will go a long way in charting a path for itsgrowth. The Conference is expected to go a longway in providing directional solutions for many ofthe important issues facing the industry today.

Prof. Anup K. GhoshCo-Chairman – Technical Committee, and

Invitee Member of ICPE Executive Committee

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ICPE Film –Living in the Age of Plastics

ICPE has produced an audio-visualeducational film on the variousbenefits of plastics for the mankind.The film also highlights and analy-ses issues relating to plastics andenvironment.

Brief abstract of the film:

Historians have named different periods inhistory as the Stone Age, the Bronze Age, theCopper, Iron, and Steel Ages, according to thematerial most used in those particular periods ofhuman history, to manufacture various items ofutility. Today, we come across plastics at every phase

plastics are substantially lighter than conventionalpackaging materials like tin, glass or steel. PET bottlesand PE pouches for drinking water reduce the risk ofwaterborne diseases and provide improvement in thehealth sector.

The versatility of plastics has allowed creating anefficient, pilfer-proof hygienic and cost-effectivepackaging of commodities, required by common manin day-to-day life.

We all are fortunate to be living in this Plastics Age. It isour responsibility to ensure its proper use and disposal.

Every single individual across the globe will only standto gain from this wonder material.

of life, be it packaging or agriculture, healthcare or hightechnology. The rich and the poor, the young and theold, the urban and the rural … all depend upon plasticsfor a variety of their necessities. Considering thisevolution, and looking to the popularity and useful-ness of plastics today, our Age could rightly be calledthe Age of Plastics.

Plastics are: • Lightweight • Flexible • Nontoxic• Convenient • Adaptable • Economical • Safe• Reusable • Hygienic • Recyclable.

Packaging is one of the most visible use of plastics. InIndia, about 50% of the consumption of plastics goesfor packaging. Apart from conserving natural resources,use of plastics in packaging saves transportation fuel as

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ICPE Combined EC-GC Meeting

The last ICPE combined EC-GC Meeting of the Year2005-06 was held on 25th March, 2006 at ICPE’s newoffice premises at Kushesh Mansion, 2nd Floor, 22,Cawasji Patel Street and 48/54, Janmabhoomi Marg,

Fort, Mumbai. The members were happy with thespacious Conference Room in the new office andopined to hold future meetings of ICPE in the newConference Room.

New Office Premises of ICPE

From February 2006, ICPE Head Office at Mumbaihas shifted to a new premises having a larger space inthe Fort area of Mumbai. The change of address was

communicated to all concerned and the same wasindicated in the last issue of Eco-Echoes.

Lecture Meeting on “Recycling of Plastics”

Mr. T. K. Bandopadhyay, Technical Manager, ICPE,presented a technical paper on Recycling of Plastics atthe Lecture Meeting organized by Indian PlasticsInstitute at AIPMA Auditorium, Andheri, Mumbai, on17th March, 2006.

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Plastics Waste Management at Mahabaleshwar

ICPE has been working in close co-operation withMaharashtra Plastics Manufacturers Association andMahabaleshwar Giristhan Parishad for the awareness ofthe citizens – local as well as visitors on proper way ofdisposal and collection of dry waste with specialattention to Plastics Waste. As per the programme, allplastics waste are being collected and segregated anddirected towards recyclers through a network of plasticwaste collectors and traders. The project has gainedmomentum and there has been a considerable

improvement in the plastics waste collection and disposalsystem. ICPE representatives are closely following upwith the local authorities and NGOs for a largerawareness in the area.

Picture showing Mr. Rajiv Tolat, Hon. Treasurer of ICPEwith a large collection of PET Bottles which earnslivelihood for the waste collector as well as keeps thearea clean.

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World Packaging Organisation (WPO)Programme atIndian Institute of Packaging (IIP), Mumbai

A 3-week Residential Programme on PackagingTechnology as Viewed in Developing Countries wasorganized for World Packaging Organisation, byIndian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai, dur ing7th-28th March, 2006.

Mr. T. K. Bandopadhyay, Technnical Manager, ICPE, wasinvited to make a presentation on Packaging Waste andEnvironmental / Eco Issues.

Reproduced below are highlights of his presentation.

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Questions & Answers in the Lok Sabha ofIndian Parliament onPlastics and the Environment

Plastic Innovation Parks

Unstarred Question No. 2602Shri Subodh Mohite :

(a) Whether the Government pro-poses to set up a Plastic Inno-vation Park in the country; and

(b) If so, the details thereof alongwith its locations, State-wise?

Answer: Shri Kapil Sibal, Min-ister of Science and Technologyand Minister of Ocean Devel-opment:

(a) No Sir.

(b) Question does not arise.

Environment Commission

Unstarred Question No. 2361Shri Tukaram Ganpatrao RengePatil :

(a) Whether the government hasput up any proposal for settingup Environment Commissionfor early disposal of cases relatedto the environment;

(b) If so, the details thereof; and

(c) The time by which the finaldecision is likely to be taken inthis regard?

Answer: Shri Namo NarainMeena, Minister of State in theMinistry of Environment &Forests

(a) to (c):There is no proposal for settingup of Environment Commis-sion for early disposal of thecases related to the Environ-ment. However, The LawCommission, in its 186th Re-port, has inter alia recom-mended establishment of sepa-

rate ‘Environment Courts’ ineach State, consisting of judi-cial and scientific experts in thefield of environment, for deal-ing with environmental dis-putes besides having appellatejurisdiction in respect of appealsunder the various PollutionControl Laws. These recom-mendations are under consid-eration in consultation with theM/o Law & Justice.

Bio-Medical Waste

Unstarred Question No. 2407Shri Eknath M. Gaikwad:Shrimati Nivedita Mane:Shri Kirti Vardhan Singh:Shri Ravi Prakash Verma:

(a) Whether injection needles andsyringes as also used cotton ofhospitals are being recycled/reused causing health hazards:

(b) If so, whether the Governmenthas taken any action to checksuch recycling/reuse of hospi-tal wastes;

(c) If so the details thereof; and

(d) If not, the reasons therefor?

Answer: Shri Namo NarainMeena, Minister of State in theMinistry of Environment &Forests

(a) The Ministry of Environment& Forests had notified the Bio-Medical Waste (Management &Handling) Rules, 1998, accord-ing to which Bio-MedicalWaste has been classified into10 (ten) categories. The treat-ment and disposal methods foreach category have been indi-cated in Schedules I & II of theRules.

The used injection needles, sy-ringes, etc., are classified as Cat-egory No.4 in the Rules andthe same are required to be dis-infected by chemical treat-m e n t / a u t o c l a v i n g /microwaving and mutilation/shredding. The purpose ofchemical treatment is to disin-fect the used needles, syringes,etc., and the purpose of muti-lation/shredding is to preventany unauthorized re-use of thesame. The items contaminatedwith blood and body fluids in-cluding cotton, dressings, etc.,are classified as Category No.6in the Rules and the same arerequired to be incinerated ordisinfected by autoclaving/microwaving. The used injec-tion syringes, needles, used cot-ton, dressings, etc., are not al-lowed for re-use and the sameare required to be treated anddisposed of strictly in accor-dance with the above men-tioned Rules.

These Rules make it manda-tory for every occupier of aninstitution generating bio-medical waste to take all stepsto ensure that such waste ishandled without any adverseeffect to human health and en-vironment. The Rules also re-quire such waste to be segre-gated, packaged, labelled,treated and disposed of in ac-cordance with the provisions ofthese Rules.

(b) to (d):To State Pollution ControlBoards (SPCBs)/Pollution

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Control Committees (PCCs) ofUnion Territories are the Pre-scribed Authorities in the re-spective States Union Territo-ries responsible for strict imple-mentation of the Rules by theconcerned agencies, such ashospitals, nursing homes, etc.

Any violation of the Rules at-tracts action by the concernedSPCB/PCCs under the Envi-ronment (Protection) Act, 1986.Action to be taken by theSPCBs/PCC in this connec-tion includes closure of the unit,stoppage or regulation of thesupply of electricity or water orany other service. The Act alsoprovides for punishment withimprisonment for a term whichmay extend to 5 (five) yearswith fine, which may extend toRupees one lakh………

The Ministry has addressed allthe SPCBs/PCCs of UTs forstrict implementation of theBio-Medical Waste (Manage-ment & Handling) Rules, 1998.

Committee onSolid Waste Management

Unstarred Question No. 189Shri Chaudhary Lal Singh :Shri K. C. Pallani Shamy :

(a) Whether a Committee hasbeen constituted to look intovarious aspects of solid wastemanagement in Class-I Cities;

(b) If so, the details thereof;

(c) Whether the Committee haspresented its report;

(d) If so, the salient features of thereport;

(e) Whether the Committee hasrecommended setting up of aNational Technology Missionfor improving solid waste man-agement practices in the coun-try; and

(f) If so, the follow-up actiontaken/proposed to be taken inthis regard?

Answer: Shri Ajay Maken, theMinister of State in the Minis-try of Urban Development

(a) to (f): A Statement is laid on theTable of the Sabha.

Statement

Statement Referred to in reply toLok Sabha Starred Question regard-ing Committee on Solid WasteManagement

(a) Yes, Sir. A Committee was con-stituted by the Hon’ble Su-preme Court of India in Janu-ary, 1998 to look into all theaspects of Solid Waste Manage-ment in Class-I Cities of thecountry.

(b) & (c)A copy of the order of theHon’ble Supreme Court dated16.1.1998 containing the direc-tions on the Constitution ofCommittee is given in Annex-ure-A. The Committee submit-ted its report in March, 1999.

(d) The Committee studied thefollowing aspects of Solid WasteManagement (SWM) in thecountry :

(i) Waste generation

(ii) Composition of waste

(iii) Technology adopted for stor-age, collection, transportationand disposal of waste.

(iv) Primary collection, waste stor-age depots, street sweeping,transportation of waste, process-ing & disposal of waste, insti-tutional arrangement and com-munity involvement.

Recommendations of theCommittee for Modernizationof Solid Waste ManagementPractices in Class-I cities are atAnnexure-B.

(e) Yes, Sir.

(f) Pursuant to the directions is-sued by the Hon’ble SupremeCourt, in place of a Mission, theGovernment constituted aTechnology Advisory Group(TAG) in August, 1999.

Annexure – A

In the Supreme Court of IndiaOriginal Jurisdiction

ORDER

We have heard learned AdditionalSolicitor General and Shri Vallapalli,learned Senior Counsel. We considerit appropriate at this stage to con-stitute a Committee and to specifythe specific aspects, which the Com-mittee is required to examine. Wedirect accordingly.

The terms of Reference for theCommittee shall be as under:

To look into all aspects of urbansolid waste management, particu-larly:

1. Examine the existing practicesand to suggest hygienic process-ing and waste disposal practicesand proven technologies on thebasis of economic feasibility andsafety which the Corporation/Government may directly or in-directly adopt or sponsor.

2. Examine and suggest ways toimprove conditions in the formaland informal sector for promot-ing eco-friendly sorting, collec-tion, transportation, disposal, re-cycling and re-use.

3. To review Municipal bye-lawsand the powers of local bodiesand regional planning authoritiesand suggest necessary modifica-tions to ensure effective budget-ing, financing, administration,monitoring and compliance.

4. Examine and formulate standardsand regulations for managementof urban solid waste, and set timeframes within which the authori-

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ties shall be bound to implementthe same.

The Committee is requested to giveits report as early as possible prefer-ably not later than 30th June, 1998.The Committee is also requested togive such interim reports as it mayfind convenient to do so.

The Secretarial assistance at Delhiwill be provided for the Ministry ofUrban Development, which willalso make all other arrangementsrequired by the Committee for itsproper functioning while arrange-ments within the States/Union Ter-ritories would be made by the con-cerned State/UT. The expenses in-curred for the purpose to the sameextent would be borne at this stageby the Ministry of Urban Develop-ment and the concerned State Gov-ernments/UST. The final responsi-bility for meeting these expenseswould be decided later on.

The Local authorities and con-cerned State Government/UnionTerritories shall extend all coopera-tion and assistance to the Commit-tee for its proper functioning.

Annexure-B

Recommendations for Moderni-zation of Solid Waste ManagementPractices in Class-I Cities

Ban on Throwing of Wastes onthe StreetsNo waste shall be thrown on thestreets, footpaths, open spaces, opendrains or water bodies.

Storage of Waste at SourceWaste shall be stored at source ofgeneration in 2 bins/bags, one forfood/bio-degradable wastes andanother for recyclable waste. Do-mestic hazardous waste, as and whenproduced, shall be kept separatelyfrom the above two streams.

Multi-storeyed buildings, commer-cial complexes and group housingshall additionally provide commu-nity bins for storage of waste gen-

erated by their members. Commu-nity bins shall also be provided inslums by the local body for the com-munity storage of waste by slumdwellers.

Doorstep Collection of WasteBoth the streams of waste, organic/bio-degradable waste as well as re-cyclable waste, shall be collectedfrom the doorstep. Containerizedhandcarts or containerized tricyclesor small motorized vehicles shall beused for daily collection of food/bio-degradable waste from thedoorstep through public participa-tion using a bell, whistle or horn asa means of announcing the arrivalof the collection staff.

For collection of recyclable wastefrom the doorstep, NGOs may beencouraged to organize the ragpickers. They may allot them thework of collection of recyclablematerial from the doorsteps insteadof picking it up from the streets, binsor dump-yard, thereby upgradingtheir status. This waste can be col-lected once or twice a week accord-ing to the convenience of the house-holds, shops or establishments.

Hazardous toxic waste materialwhich is occasionally generated shall,however, be disposed of by the citi-zens in special bins to be providedin the city at suitable locations bythe urban local bodies.

Sweeping of Streets on All Daysof the YearSweeping of streets and public placeshaving habitation or commercialactivities on one or both sides shallbe done on all days of the year irre-spective of Sundays and Public Holi-days. Arrangements for rotatingweekly rest-days are to be made bythe local bodies.

Work Norms for Sweeping ofStreetsWork norms ranging from 250 to750 running meters of road lengthhave been recommended, depend-

ing on the density of the area andlocal conditions. Giving a demar-cated “pin point” area for streetsweeping and waste collection is alsorecommended for optimum utiliza-tion of manpower.

Provision of Litter Bins atPublic PlacesProvision of litter bins at railway sta-tions, bus stations, market places,parks, gardens and important com-mercial streets may be made to pre-vent littering of streets.

Abolition of Open WasteStorage Sites and Other Un-hygienic Street BinsThe pathetic condition of street binsmust be corrected by the provisionof neat mobile closed body contain-ers into which waste can be directlytransferred from the containerizedhandcarts or tricycles and all openwaste-storage sites as well as cementconcrete or masonry bins must beabolished in a phased manner.

Transportation of Waste to Syn-chronize with Waste Storage Fa-cility – Dispense with ManualLoading of Waste

For the transportation of waste, asystem which synchronizes withboth primary collection and bulkwaste storage facilities may be in-troduced. Manual loading and mul-tiple handling of waste may be dis-pensed with and instead, hydraulicvehicles for lifting the containersmay be used in larger cities and trac-tor trolleys or a tractor containercombination may be used in smallercities.

Transportation of waste shall bedone on a regular basis before thetemporary waste-storage containersstart over-flowing. For economy inexpenditure, the vehicle fleet shouldbe used in at least two shifts. Work-shop facilities may be optimized tokeep at least 80% of the vehicle fleeton road. Transfer stations may be setup in cities where the distance to

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waste-disposal sites is more than 10kms.

Processing and Disposal of WasteConversion of Organic Waste/Bio-degradable Waste into Bio-organicFertilizer (Compost).

With the availability of land for pro-cessing and disposal of waste becom-ing scarce and the food and bio-de-gradable component useful to agri-culture going waste, measures forconservation of land and organicwaste resource shall be taken andorganics shall be returned to the soil.To meet these objectives, all foodwaste and bio-degradable waste shallbe composted, recyclable waste shallbe passed on to the recycling indus-try and only rejects shall be land-filled in a scientific manner. Decen-tralized compo-sting with publicand NGOs/CBO participation, maybe encouraged wherever possible,and centralized composting of therest of the waste may be done.Mocrobial or vermin compostingprocesses may be adopted. A varietyof composting options has beengiven in the report and their pro-cesses are explained.

Caution Against UsingUnproven TechnologiesLocal bodies are cautioned not toadopt expensive technologies ofpower generation, fuel pelletization,incineration, etc., until they areproven under Indian conditions andthe Government of India or expertagencies nominated by the Govern-ment of India advises cities that suchtechnology can be adopted.

Land to be Made Available onPriority for Processing andDisposal of WasteAvailability of land for setting upprocessing plants and for disposal ofwaste is a major problem faced byurban local bodies. Governmentwasteland must therefore be givenon top priority for this purpose freeor at nominal cost, and if such land

is not available or not found suit-able, private land should be acquiredor purchased through negotiatedsettlement. A Committee at the dis-trict level should identify suitableland and State Governments shouldform Empowered Committees togive speedy final clearance andprompt possession of suitable landto the ULB.

Criteria for Site Selection, SiteDevelopment and LandfillOperationsCriteria for site selection, develop-ment of landfill sites and scientificlandfill operations may be adopted.Remediation of old abandonedlandfill sites should also be done assuggested in the report. Bio-medi-cal waste, industr ial waste andslaughterhouse waste may be man-aged as per the relevant Rules andguidelines of the Government ofIndia and/or Central PollutionControl Board.

Institutional Strengthening andCapacity BuildingInstitutional strengthening is the keyto success of the SWM system. Pro-fessionalism in administration, de-centralization of administration, del-egation of financial and administra-tive powers, induction of environ-mental/public health engineers inthe solid waste management servicesand fixation of work norms andproper supervisory levels are recom-mended. Human resource develop-ment through training at variouslevels needs to be taken up. Munici-pal Commissioners and Chief Ex-ecutives should not be transferredfrequently and should have a tenureof at least 3 years to perform effec-tively. Inter-city meets for sharingof experience are recommended.

Adequate safeguards for the super-visory staff against abuse of theScheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe(Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1984may be provided through suitable

amendments in the law to enablethe Supervisory staff to performtheir duties fearlessly.

NGO/Private SectorParticipation in SWM ServicesThere is a need to improve account-ability and the level of servicesthrough NGO/Private Sector par-ticipation in SWM services to im-prove overall performance withoutharming the interests of the exist-ing staff. Suitable amendment in theContract Labour (Regulation andAbolition) Act, 1970 may be doneby the Govt. of India to permit Pri-vate Sector participation in this ser-vice.

EnforcementA system of levy of administrativecharges or special cleaning chargesfrom those who litter the streets orcause nuisance on the streets maybe introduced and powers to pun-ish offenders may be given to thelocal bodies through suitable addi-tions to the Municipal Acts & Rules.

Management InformationSystemMIS is the key to monitoring theperformance of manpower and ma-chinery and to help in planning forthe future. Detailed managementinformation systems suggested in thereport may be introduced.

Financial AspectsThe poor financial health of ULBsis major constraint in improvingSWM systems. The financial condi-tion of local bodies may first beimproved by setting the house inorder and series of measures towardsfinancial discipline, avoidance ofwasteful expenditure, prioritizingthe expenditure on essential services,as recommended in the report maybe taken. Taxes, user charges and feesshould be raised and linked to thecost-of-living index. Area-basedproperty-tax reforms may be takenup to improve the finances of theULBs.

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Financial Support to ULBs byStates and Central GovernmentFinancial support to ULBs from theState Government and the CentralGovernment in terms of the 74thAmendment to the Constitutionmay be given expeditiously andfunds may also be allocated to ULBsfor a period of three years as per theformula given in the report. In themeantime, transfer of unspent grantsby the 10th Finance Commissionto the ULBs may be considered formodernizing their SWM practices.Fiscal autonomy to local bodies, tax-free status for municipal bonds, in-centives to recycling andcomposting Industries may be con-sidered by the Central and StateGovernment and Union Territories.

Health AspectsImproper SWM practices give riseto problems of health and sanitation.Twenty-two types of diseases areassociated with improper SWMpractices. Proper management ofprocessing the disposal sites, specialattention to cleaning of slums, pro-vision of low cost sanitation facili-ties to prevent open defecation, pre-vention of cattle nuisance, propertraining to the workforce and useof protective clothing are some ofthe measures the local body shouldtake immediately to protect thehealth of the citizens and theworkforce.

Legal AspectsCitizens’ active participation may beensure through massive publicawareness campaigns. Simulta-neously, adequate provision may bemade in local State laws governingthe local bodies to ensure publicparticipation and action against de-faulters. Legislative provisions to bemade by each State have been sug-gested in the report.

Public Awareness StrategyPublic awareness campaign usingInformation, Education and Com-munication (I-E-C) techniques may

be used. Waste Reduction, Reuse,Recycling (R-R-R) may be advo-cated to reduce the burden on thelocal body and citizens may be mo-tivated to store waste at source in atwo-bin system, co-operate with thedoorstep primary collection systemand keep the city litter-free. Hy-gienic Solid Waste Managementneeds to find a place in the NationalAgenda.

Technology Mission for SolidWaste ManagementGiven the vastness of the countryand the present condition of urbanlocal bodies, implementation ofthese recommendations requiresvery effective follow-up, monitor-ing and technical support. A Tech-nology Mission for SWM maytherefore be urgently constituted bythe Government of India under theMinistry of Urban Development fora period of 5 years, having a man-date to monitor the performance ofvarious local bodies, to guide the lo-cal bodies about various technolo-gies for processing and disposal ofwaste, to give technical assistance aswell as financial assistance bychannelizing funds from variousGovernment sources as well as fi-nancial institutions to develop ma-terial for awareness programmes,identify training needs, bench-markperformance indicators and givecontinue and focused attention tothe reform of SWM practice nation-wide.

Time FrameA time frame is necessary to imple-ment the recommendations whichhave been prescribed ranging from3 months to 3 years as per the de-tails given in the report.

Ban on Plastic Utensils

Unstarred Question No. 132Shri Chandrakant Khaire:

(a) Whether various scientists ofthe country have demanded an

immediate ban on utensilsmade of plastics particularly, inview of its ill-effects on infants;

(b) If so, whether the Governmentproposes to take a decision onthe same;

(c) If so, the details thereof; and(d) If not, the reasons therefor?

Answer: Shri Namo NarainMeena, Minister of State in theMinistry of Environment andForests

(a) to (d) :A statement is laid on the Tableof the House.

Statement referred to in the Answerto the Lok Sabha Starred Questionregarding “Ban On Plastic Utensils”raised by Shri Chandrakant Khaire,MP.

(a) to (d):No such demand from scien-tists has been received in theMinistry of Environment andForests. However, the Ministryof Environment and Forests hasnotified the Recycled PlasticsManufacture and Usage Rules1999, which was amended in2003, under the Environment(Protection) Act, 1986 for regu-lating and managing plasticcarry bags and containers. Asper these rules, carry bags andcontainers used for packagingof foodstuff shall be made ofvirgin plastics and of naturalshade or white and that no ven-dor shall use carry bags andcontainers of recycled plasticsfor storing, carrying, dispensingor packaging of foodstuffs. Inaddition, the Prevention ofFood Adulteration Rules. 1955requires that containers madeof plastic materials used as ap-pliances or receptacles for thepackaging of storing food ar-ticles must conform to the In-dian Standards specifications asnotified for this purpose andspecified in the aforesaid Rules.

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ICPE is not convinced that PlasticsCarry Bags were grossly responsiblefor the floods in Mumbai on 26thJuly, 2005 as alleged. In fact, severaltechnical committees have submit-ted their reports on the above sub-ject and none of them has blamedplastics carry bags as mainly respon-sible for the flooding of Mumbaisuburbs. ICPE continues to hold thesame view though ICPE agreeswith the Government that there isa pressing need for collection anddisposal of plastic waste in a moreeffective and scientific manner.

Notwithstanding ICPE’s misgivingson the premise on which the abovenotification has been issued, ICPE

ICPE Stand on Maharashtra Government’s Rulewould like to submit a few obser-vations on certain clauses of thenotification which are technicallyimpracticable and difficult to imple-ment. These relate to the following:

1. Clause No. 8 (2) of theMaharashtra Government’s rulelays down that no person shall‘manufacture’ car ry bags ofvirgin or recycled plastics whichare less than 50 micron in thick-ness. The rules governing thick-ness of the bags vary from stateto state. The Government ofIndia vide “Recycled PlasticsManufacture and Usage Rules,1999” and its subsequent amend-ment in June 2003 has prescribed

minimum thickness for plasticcarry bags as 20 microns. Severalbag manufacturers in Maharashtraproduce plastic carry bags forusage all over India and alsoexport their products outside In-dia. The present Notification barsany manufacturing activity if theproducts are less than 50 micronthickness. Apart from doubts onthe legal validity of such a blan-ket ban, it is also unfair to themanufacturers located inMaharashtra as they cannot servecustomers located outsideMaharashtra or abroad. It istherefore felt that the ClauseNo.8 (2) needs amendment andshould exclude manufacturing of

Salient Points of the Maharashtra Government’s Statement and Rules for theManufacture and Use of Plastics Carry Bags – Notification dated 3rd March, 2006

STATEMENT

It was observed that during the torrential rain on26th July, 2005 non-biodegradable garbage,especially plastic bags, HIPS cups, plastic strips andthermocol used for packaging were grosslyresponsible for blockage of gutters, sewers and drains,resulting in serious environmental problem inMumbai and other parts of the State. With a viewto prevent the occurrence of such problems, theGovernment of Maharashtra has declared the entireState as the “Plastic Bag Free Area” and has publisheddraft Order, dated the 13th September, 2005, invitingsuggestions and objections from the general public.

RULES:

7. Marking or Codification:

(1) Manufacturers of Plastic Carry Bags shall mark orcode carry bags and containers as per Bureau ofIndian Standard Specification: IS 14534 : 1998entitled “The Guidelines for Recycling ofPlastics” and end product made out of recycledplastics shall be marked as “recycled” along withthe identification of the percentage of use ofrecycled material.

(2) The manufacturers of plastic carry bags, who donot have printing facilities, shall put stamp withpermanent ink on each carry bag as to whetherthese are made of “recycled material” or of“virgin plastic”.

8. Thickness of Carry Bags:

(1) The minimum thickness of carry bags made ofvirgin plastics or recycled plastics shall not be lessthan 50 micron and of the size of 8 x 12 inches.

(2) No person shall manufacture, stock, distribute orsell carry bags made of virgin or recycled plasticbags which are less than 8 x 12 inches (20 x 30cms.) in size and which do not conform to theminimum thickness specified in sub-rule (1).

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For further information contact :Indian Centre for Plastics in the EnvironmentKushesh Mansion, 2nd Floor, 22, Cawasji Patel Street and48/54, Janmabhoomi Marg (Ghoga Street), Fort, Mumbai - 400 001.Tel.: +91-22-2282 0491 / 0496 • Fax: +91-22-2282 0451 • E-mail: icpe@vsnl.netWebsite: www.icpenviro.org • www.envis-icpe.com • www.icpeenvis.nic.in

Road Project – Flashback

Reusing plastic waste to pave roads is an experimentthat’s been successfully conducted in many other placessuch as Kalamasseri in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Banga-lore. Not only does the road become a receptacle forplastic waste but also gives a better grip. The plastic alsobrings down the quantity of bitumen used by 10% –resulting in saving of cost.

Mumbai caught on to the idea two years ago, when theBMC’s road department experimented on a few roadsat Prabhadevi. The road laid by BMC, with the help ofICPE in December 2004, is still in a very good condi-tion 15 months after the laying.

View of the road – 6 months after completion

View of the road – 7 days after completion

View of the road – 15 months after completion

plastic carry bags less than 50micron thickness as long as theyare not sold within the State ofMaharashtra.

2. ICPE has noted that all therestrictions placed under theabove rule are with reference toonly plastic carry bags, whichhave been defined under Clause2 of the Rules. Unfortunately,

there is some misunderstandingat the field level where theMunicipal officials have seized allplastic packaging mater ials.Clearly, this is not contemplatedin the Rules.

3. Lastly, ICPE believes that theobjective behind issuing of theMaharashtra Plastic Carry Bags

Rules 2006 can be substantiallyrealized only with the co-opera-tion of the industry and thepublic at large. It is thereforesuggested that an Advisory Com-mittee consisting of Government,Industry and the implementingagencies may be set up to help insuccessful implementation of theabove order.