The latest amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 was released on 11th March 2021 which is called Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021. Below is a brief overview of plastic waste management rules recently amended.
The PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT RULES (Amendment) March 2021, has given more clarity on roles and responsibilities, along with definitions of various plastics, focussing on single-use plastics.
To tackle the growing amount of single-use plastics, a new sub-clause has been added with specified items on the list. In a two-stage phasing out of single-use plastics, the prohibition will take effect in 2022.
There is a special emphasis on the requirements for labels, which is a welcome move, as this would provide detailed insight for stakeholders of the system, requiring them to take suitable steps of disposal.
Summary of the Amendments made to the PWM rules released in March 2021
| As per Plastic waste rules amendment 2021 | Rules prior to the amendment |
|---|---|
| Clear definitions for – Thermosetting Plastic – Thermoplast – Non-woven plastic bag – Plastic waste processing – Single-use plastic | Terms not defined in PWM 2016 |
| Manufacturer | |
| Virgin or recycled plastic bags thickness >= 120 microns in thickness from 30.09.2021 | Earlier it was >=50 microns with no implementation date |
| Non-woven plastic carry bag must be > 60GSM OR thickness > 240microns from 30.09.2021 | No mention of non-woven plastic carry bags |
| Now, Compostable commodities along with carry bags have no restriction on thickness | No restriction on thickness was limited to compostable plastic carry bags |
| Obtaining a certificate of approval from CPCB before manufacturing and/or selling compostable plastic carry bags and commodities is necessary | Certificate required only for manufacturing and/or selling compostable plastic carry bags |
| Single-use plastic | |
| Manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of these items is prohibited from 01.01.2022 – Earbuds with plastic sticks – Plastic sticks for balloons – Plastic flags – Candy sticks – Ice-cream sticks – Polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration | No rules on single-use plastic |
| Manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of Single-use plastic (including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene) items are prohibited from 01.07.2022 – Plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays – Wrapping/packing films around sweet boxes; – Invitation cards; and cigarette packets – Plastic/PVC banners less than 100 micron Stirrers | No rules on single-use plastic |
| The above provision shall not apply to commodities (including carry bags) made of compostable plastic material. | |
| Labeling | |
| For the above-mentioned plastics, labels must have the following information printed in English: – Name of producer/brand owner – Registration number of the producer/brand owner – Thickness in case of carry bag and plastic packaging used by PIBO | Earlier in place of producer/brand owner, it was the manufacturer |
| For Multi-layered Packaging – Name of manufacturer – Registration of manufacturer – Labels exclusion for MLP used in imported goods | MLPs used for imported goods not mentioned |
| For compostable plastic carry bags – Name of producer – Certificate number of Producer | No mention of the term ‘producer’ |
| Registration | |
| Requirement of registration for manufacturers of plastic and its commodities remains the same as in PWM Rules 2016, with an added option to register with the CPCB | Manufacturers of carry bags or recycling plastic bags or multi-layered packaging should obtain registration from the SPCB or the Pollution Control Committee(PCC) of the Union Territory concerned |
| Process of registration has been modified, which has been detailed in “Changes in registration process under Plastic Waste Management Rules, as per 23rd March 2021 amendment” | |
| Secretary-in-charge | |
| Secretary-in-charge of Urban Development of the State or a Union Territory and Gram Panchayat has an added authority of enforcing the provisions of the rules which restrict/prohibit the use of plastic carry bags | The enforcement of rules was not explicitly mentioned |
With this amendment, the ministry has laid out new provisions and provided further clarity on the applicability of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 to your brand. For your support, our team of experts is available for a FREE 15-minute consultation to assist you in gaining a better understanding of these changes.
For a detailed list of the amendments, click here to download
NOTE: This amendment is still in the draft stage and hasn’t been finalized by CPCB.
