Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022

Context: Recently, government has notified the Guidelines on Extended Producers Responsibility  (EPR) on plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. The guidelines will come into effect from 1st July 2022.

Specify three categories of plastic packaging

• Category I: Rigid plastic packaging; 
• Category II: Relates to flexible plastic packaging of single layer or multilayer, 
• Category III: Covers multi-layered plastic packaging and one of material other than plastic).

Mandatory provisions

• a) Reuse of rigid plastic packaging material to reduce the use of fresh plastic material for packaging, 
• b) Registering with the central and state pollution control boards has also made mandatory.

For the first time, the guidelines allow for the sale and purchase of surplus extended producer responsibility certificates. Thus setting up a market mechanism for plastic waste management.
Note: After recycling the mandated percentage of plastic, a company would have to submit a certificate to the relevant authority. and if more than the mandated amount is recycled, it could be sold to other companies.

• To ensure monitoring on fulfilment of EPR obligations, the guidelines have prescribed a system of verification and audit of enterprises.

Levy of environmental compensation: In cases like non-fulfilment of EPR obligations, purposes such as protecting and improving the quality of the environment, a framework for levy of environmental compensation has been prescribed based upon polluter pays principle.

• Producers, importers & brand owners, may operate schemes such as deposit refund system or buy back or any other model, in order to prevent mixing of plastic packaging waste with solid waste.

Key Significance of the Guidelines

• It will promote development of new alternatives to plastics and provide a roadmap for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging.
• The guidelines provide a framework to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste.
• A circular economy depends on reuse, sharing, repair, refurbishment, remanufacturing and recycling of resources to create a closed-loop system, minimising the use of resources, generation of waste, pollution and carbon emissions.
• These are important steps for reducing pollution caused due to littered plastic waste in the country.
• India generates about 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. The United Nations Development Programme aims to almost triple its plastic waste management to 100 cities in India by 2024.
• Accumulation of plastic waste is detrimental to the environment and when this waste finds its way into the sea, there can be major harm to aquatic ecosystems, too.

Implementation

• Done through a customized online platform. The platform will act as the digital backbone of the system. 
• The online platform will allow tracking and monitoring of EPR obligation and will reduce the compliance burden for companies through online registration and filing of annual returns.

Advantages of the new EPR on plastic packaging
Along with prohibition of identified single-use plastic items, the new guidelines in India will

• a) Reduce pollution caused due to littered plastic waste, 
• b) Promote development of new alternatives to plastics, 
• c) Provide a roadmap for businesses to move towards sustainable plastic packaging and 
• d) Provide framework to strengthen circular economy of plastic packaging waste, 
• e) Boost for formalization and further development of plastic waste management sector.