Understanding Plastic Ban In India And Worldwide : Part III
I still see plastics around!
That is true. Plastics have not been completely abolished. They are being phased out starting from a few (19) items that have been banned from July 1, 2022 and by increasing the thickness of plastic bags gradually in phases. The Extended Producers Responsibility guidelines notified in February 2022 also sets gradually scaled up targets for plastic recycling, making it mandatory for producers, importers and brand-owners to recycle up to 50 per cent of the plastic they use or produce over the next three years. Even as per the PWMR, any similar notification introducing prohibition in future shall not come into force before the expiry of ten years from the date of its publication.
What is not banned?
All of us know or are fond of Pepsico and Coke drinks/products. However, the less known fact about them is that the Coca-Cola Company and PepsiCo are ranked as the world’s top plastic polluters for the 4th consecutive year in 2021 according to Global Brand Audit Report of Break Free From Plastic.[1] As apparent enough, these bottles are not banned. Further, PET bottles having a liquid holding capacity of 200 ml or more with deposit and refund price or buy-back price under EPR printed on them; recyclable plastic stationery products used at office and educational institutions; thermocol boxes to preserve fish in the fishery business; plastic for packaging of medical equipment and medical products; plastic items like bottles, tiffins and boxes used for domestic purposes; recyclable multi-layered plastic items like chips packets, shampoo sachets, oil packets and chocolate packets; virgin plastic bags used for milk (having a thickness of not less than 50 microns and must be printed with a buy-back price); paper-based carton packaging using one or more layers of plastic; compostable plastic bags used for horticulture, agriculture, plant nurseries and solid waste handling; plastic packaging material with more than 50-micron thickness, a minimum of two grams weight used to seal groceries and grain products at wholesale and retail stores and manufacture of plastic bags for export purposes in export-oriented units and Special Economic Zones – are not banned.[2]
Why are plastics being phased and not completely banned?
Plastics are monstrously destroying life on planet.[3] A shocking 91 per cent of all plastic is single-use which is being used for the last 6 decades. As per US Chronicle, “The problem is so serious that the United Nations has identified single-use plastics as one of the world’s biggest environmental challenges of modern times”.[4] In this background, a natural question ascends that why then single-use plastics are not being completely banned? The answer is not simple. The manufacturers argue that why they should stop producing when there is a clear demand. Consumer lament that they do not have an equally good alternative. The options available are not only inconvenient but also economically unsustainable. Then the end buyers may not carry the shopping bag every time they are at sale point – there could be unplanned purchases too. Of all the issues, the most pressing is that of lack of an eco-friendly product, which is a complete substitute of the plastic in all uses. Such product has not been found till date.[5] Paper bags are also not the solution. Firstly, the energy required to produce 500 grams of paper (used to make carry bag) is 300 times more than that required for a plastic bag and secondly, it cannot withstand weight and gets easily spoilt especially when it rains.[6] Paper bags are not mostly reusable. In the absence of a suitable alternative, therefore, it shall be impractical nay unwelcome step to impose a blanket ban on the use of plastics or on all items made of single-use plastics.
The increase in thickness of plastics as a Government measure, will have two substantial consequences. The thick plastic is costly to produce. This may lead to less production of plastic bags and even lesser purchase of such plastic bags. There are also chances that if the thickness of certain materials is increased, it will encourage people to re-use those, leading to less littering.
Punishments and Penalties
The production, sale and use of single-use plastic and pollution caused due to its littering is further directly connected to the penalties prescribed under the law and how strictly is the law being implemented on ground. The sanction for violating the rules is provided in the Environment Protection Act, 1986 under which the two Rules i.e. Solid Waste Management Rules, 2016 and Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 have been formulated. The implementation, however, shall be done by local civic bodies’ who shall take decisions on punitive actions including fines and jail terms through the bye-laws.
Environment Protection Act
As per Section 15 of the Act, the contravention of the use of banned identified single-use plastic items may attract a penalty of imprisonment for a maximum term of five years or with maximum fine of Rs. 1,00,000/-, or with both. In case contravention continues, there may be imposed an additional fine which may extend to Rs. 5,000/- for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after the conviction for the first such failure or contravention. The relevant section has been reproduced herein below:
15. PENALTY FOR CONTRAVENTION OF THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT AND THE RULES, ORDERS AND DIRECTIONS.-
(1) Whoever fails to comply with or contravenes any of the provisions of this Act, or the rules made or orders or directions issued thereunder, shall, in respect of each such failure or contravention, be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both, and in case the failure or contravention continues, with additional fine which may extend to five thousand rupees for every day during which such failure or contravention continues after the conviction for the first such failure or contravention.
(2) If the failure or contravention referred to in sub-section (1) continues beyond a period of one year after the date of conviction, the offender shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to seven years.
Are penalties in operation?
Yes, they are. On July 1, 2022, when the nation-wide ban on single-use plastic items kicked in, Mr. Gopal Rai, Delhi Environment Minister said that the penalties for violating the ban will be imposed only after July 10, 2022. For a month, there shall also be a pre-planned pan-India awareness campaign from July 1 to July 31. Accordingly on July 10, in Delhi, a control room to monitor the implementation of the ban has been set up by the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC). Any complaint regarding violations can be made to the control room which shall transfer the complaint to the municipal bodies. Additionally, the Revenue Department and the Delhi Pollution Control Committee have respectively constituted 33 and 15 teams to ensure the enforcement of the ban across the State. Any violation shall attract a penalty under Environment Protection Act to be imposed by Revenue Department. The MCD shall separately take action as per the bye-law. Any grievances regarding the violations can also be lodged through the Green Delhi application of the Delhi Government or the “SUP-CPCB” application of the Central Pollution Control Board.
The Delhi Government, on 15th September, 2021, had separately notified Draft of Plastic Waste Management Bye-laws, 2021 applicable within the territorial limits of South Delhi Municipal Corporation, East Delhi Municipal Corporation, North Delhi Municipal Corporation, New Delhi Municipal Council and Delhi Cantonment Board.[7] The law defines penalties for various violations totaling to 19 as listed in Schedule-I of the draft bye-laws.
Some municipal bodies in other states like Tamil Nadu have been taking action under their bye-laws much before 1st July. Recently, a Division Bench of Madras High Court was told by the Greater Chennai Corporation that 47,961 shops were inspected and 20,056 kg of banned plastics seized by the authorities between August 19, 2021 and March 18 2022. The Court was informed by the officer of the municipal body that the repeat offenders would be liable for cancellation of their trade license. Such shops would be closed and sealed. The Municipal Corporation is also currently intensifying its endeavor to systematically dispose of the plastics and also create awareness amongst the traders and plastic manufacturers associations. The local body is also distributing cloth bags free cost.
The bye laws governing the functioning of local bodies, including municipal corporations and municipalities in Tamil Nadu – under which Greater Chennai Corporation works – (Chennai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1919, Tamil Nadu District Municipalities Act, 1920, Madurai City Municipal Corporation Act, 1971, and Coimbatore City Municipal Corporation Act, 1981) were amended in 2019 and immediately given assent by the Governor. As per the bye-laws, storage, supply, transport, sale and distribution of any of the 14 banned items, including carry bags, cups or plates, would attract a fine of Rs. 25,000 the first time, Rs. 50,000 the second and Rs. 1 lakh the third. Similarly, the use and distribution of such plastics in large commercial establishments, including grocery shops and pharmaceutical shops, would attract a fine of Rs. 1,000 the first time, Rs. 2,000 the second and Rs. 5,000 the third. For smaller traders, the fine amounts are nominal and they would be asked to pay Rs. 100 the first time, Rs. 200 the second and Rs. 500 the third. If a person commits the breach for a fourth time, the trade licence shall be cancelled.[8]
Conclusion
If one goes and sees Nehru Place market today, a prime location in South Delhi, the ground is littered with plastics. Ignore the buzz, if you can for a moment, the place looks like an abandoned one – abandoned by us not the Government. It makes one sad if not hopeless!
However, much has visibly also changed for good. We do not get polybags with vegetable and fruit vendors. Restaurants are using biodegradable/biodesposable straws. Take-aways are not being given in single-use plastic boxes anymore.
As per a report, teams of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) and urban local bodies (ULBs) issued a total of 119 fines on 11.07.2022 amounting to Rs. 1.23 crore. The actions also lead to shutting factories and market units that were caught violating norms. The DPCC teams inspected 96 units, out of which 59 units were fined and closed. ULBs inspected 529 units across Delhi markets, of which 330 were found violating the ban and 60 were fined. A total fine amount of Rs. 30,000/- was collected by ULBs and around 16,359 kilos of banned SUP items were collected on 11.07.2022.[9]
The issue of plastics will clearly take some time to go but gone it will be in the light of government working in full vigour towards elimination of plastics in phases. The initiative taken by the Indian Government is not a papaya step. If seen against the fact that people have gone unemployed and have lost their businesses across the country in this process,[10] the initiative needs to be supported by one and all to make this worth – because when it comes to plastics that lasts perpetually in the environment, every plastic counts and so does the smallest of initiatives taken by individuals. But beyond these impacts, the ban is bound to also boost the R&D. Along with Government encouraging the innovations, the companies will also be forced to rethink their designs and sourcing of sustainable materials. It should also have a cultural impact where it should help shift consumer mind-sets into not using or littering plastics. In this light, at least one can see a silver lining in the background of the international and national efforts in process and intense work being undertaken at local levels and above all with consciousness of the people.
[1] https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2021/10/25/the-coca-cola-company-and-pepsico-named-top-plastic-polluters-for-the-fourth-year-in-a-row/#:~:text=October%2025%2C%202021%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Coca,for%20fueling%20the%20climate%20crisis.
[2] The list has been taken from https://newsable.asianetnews.com/india/india-plastic-ban-do-you-know-what-plastic-products-are-not-banned–resnbc
[3] For statistics please visit https://www.un.org/pga/73/plastics/
[4] https://www.un.org/en/un-chronicle/reducing-single-use-plastic-pollution-unified-approach
[5] In 2019 there has been an invention of a “fake plastic” by a woman by the name Sharon Barak who is a chemical engineer from Israel. Her product has 100% eco-friendly materials. It feels, looks and functions like plastic, but at the same time immediately dissolves in water. The most surprising part is that such water solution is potable. Her start-up runs by the name Solutum and is available at https://www.solutum.co/. The invention, whenever it comes in the market, may take the world by storm.
[6] https://www.deccanherald.com/special-features/increase-plastics-thickness-but-don-t-ban-them-kspa-767774.html
[7] Available at http://www.indiaenvironmentportal.org.in/files/file/Draft%20Plastic%20Waste%20Management%20Bye%20laws%202021.pdf
[8] https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/chennai/penalties-for-violation-of-plastic-ban-announced/article26461249.ece
[9] https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/delhi-news/delhi-govt-starts-issuing-penalties-for-violating-plastic-ban-rule-101657582400074.html]
[10] After the ban on single-use plastic in the state since 2016, over 2 lakh people have lost jobs directly, and the industry incurred a loss of Rs 800 crores so far. [https://www.deccanherald.com/special-features/increase-plastics-thickness-but-don-t-ban-them-kspa-767774.html]