2. Introduction to Plastics
• Plastic is a general term for synthetic polymerization products
• Almost all plastics are made from petroleum and are not bio-degradable
• Generally, plastics are categorized into 2 types based on their physical properties:
• Thermoplastics: which soften on heating and can be molded into desired shape
• Thermosetting plastics: which cannot be softened or remolded by heating
Plastic takes centuries to decompose in the natural environment
1000 years
450 years
30 years
2 years
2
1 month
2 weeks
months
3. Plastic Waste Generation and Issues in India
• As per the 2015 study conducted by Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) in 60 major cities of
India: 4,059 tonnes per day of plastic waste was generated by these cities
• Extrapolating the data from these 60 cities, an estimated 25,940 tonnes per day of plastic waste
is generated in India
• Out of the plastic waste generated , 94% comprises of thermoplastic content which is recyclable
4. Need for Plastic Waste Management
Aesthetics & Hygiene
• Plastic is an artificially created polymer compound
which can survive many centuries before nature is
able to degrade it
• It is an aesthetic nuisance than a hazard since the
material is biologically quite inert
• It is cheap and gets discarded easily, and its
persistence in environment can do great harm
Threat to birds & animals
• Plastics pose a serious danger to birds, animals and
marine animals that often mistake them for food
• Not only animals, infants and young children have
also been reported to have lost their life, on
account of suffocation by plastic bags
5. Need for Plastic Waste Management (contd.)
Environment
• Careless disposal of plastic bags chokes drains,
blocks the porosity of the soil, inhibits
groundwater recharge and can cause landslides
• It reduces soil fertility and can lessen the growth
of plants and trees by blocking the absorption of
minerals, water and other nutrients
Health
• Toxic chemicals found in plastic cause cancer,
birth defects, hormonal changes, diabetes, gastric
ulcer thyroid problems and cardiovascular
diseases
• Plastics when burnt release a host of poisonous
chemicals into the air
• Plastic Industry releases a large amount of carbon
monoxide, dioxin, hydrogen cyanide which cause
respiratory diseases, nervous system disorders
and immune suppression in human beings
6. Aim of Plastic Waste Management Rules
• Increase minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from 40
to 50 microns
• Expand the jurisdiction of applicability from the municipal
area to rural areas
• To bring in the responsibilities of producers and
generators
• collection of plastic waste management fee through pre-
registration of the producers, importers of plastic carry
bags/multi layered packaging and vendors
• To promote use of plastic waste for road construction,
energy recovery, or waste to oil etc. for gainful utilization
of waste and also address the waste disposal issue.
7. Some Important Definitions
Brand Owner:- a person or a company who sells any commodity
under a registered brand label.
Carry Bags:- bags made from plastic material or compostable plastic
material, used for the purpose of carrying or dispensing
commodities which have a self carrying feature but do not include
bags that constitute or form an integral part of the packaging in
which goods are sealed prior to use.
Compostable Plastics:- plastic that undergoes degradation by
biological processes during composting to yield co2, water, organic
compounds and biomass at a rate consistent with other unknown
compostable materials, excluding conventional petro-based plastics
and does not leave visible, distinguishable or toxic residue.
8. Some Important Definitions –Cont..
Plastic:- material which contains as an essential ingredient a high
polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate, high density
polyethylene vinyl, low density polyethylene, polypropylene,
polystyrene resins, multi materials like acrylonitrile butadiene
styrene, polyphenylene oxide, polycarbonate, polybutyene
terephthalate.
Extended Producer’s responsibility:-the responsibility of a
producer for the environmentally sound management of the
product until the end of its life.
Facility :-the premises used for collection, storage, recycling,
processing and disposal of plastic waste.
9. Some Important Definitions –Cont..
Institutional Waste Generator:- occupier of the institutional
buildings such as buildings occupied by central government
departments, state government departments, public or private
sector companies, hospitals, schools, colleges, universities or
other places of education, organization, academy, hotels,
restaurants, malls and shopping complexes.
Manufacturer:- a person or unit or agency engaged in production
of plastic raw material to be used as the raw material by the
producer.
Multi-layered Packaging:-any material used or to be used for
packaging and having at least one layer of plastic as the main
ingredient in combination with one or more materials such as
paper, paper board, polymeric materials, metalized layers of
aluminium foil, either in the form of a laminate or co-extruded
10. Some Important Definitions –Cont..
Plastic Sheet :-plastic sheet is the sheet made of plastic.
Producer:- persons engaged in manufacture or import of carry
bags or multi-layered packaging or plastic sheets or like, includes
industries or individuals using plastic sheets or like covers made of
plastic sheets or multi-layered packaging for packaging or
wrapping the commodity.
Recycling:- the process of transforming segregated plastic waste
into a new product or raw material for producing new products.
Street Vendor:- shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in
clause (I) of sub-section (1) of Section 2 of Street Vendors
(Protection of Livelihood and Regulation of Street Vending) Act,
2014. (7 of 2014)
11. Some Important Definitions –Cont..
VIRGIN PLASTIC :-plastic material which has not been subjected to
use earlier and has not been blended with scarp or waste.
WASTE GENERATOR :-Includes every person or group of persons
or institution, residential and commercial establishments including
Indian Railways, airport, Port and Harbour and defence
establishments which generate plastic waste.
WASTE PICKERS :-Individuals or agencies, groups of individuals
voluntarily engaged or authorized for picking of recyclable plastic
waste.
12. Conditions for Plastic Carry Bags and Plastic
Sheets in Packaging
The manufacture, importer stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags, plastic sheets or
like, or cover made of plastic sheet and multilayered packaging, are subject to the following:
Either be in natural shade or use only approved pigments and colorants as per Indian
Standard : IS 9833:1981
Recycled plastic carry bags not be used for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging ready
to eat or drink food stuff
> fifty microns in thickness (except where thickness of plastic sheets in multilayer packaging
impair functionality of the product)
Compostable plastics shall conform to the Indian Standard: IS 17088:2008
Due registration required from State Pollution Control Board/Committee for Manufacturer
to sell/provide/arrange plastic as raw material for Producer
Sachets/ plastic material in any form shall not be used for storing, packing or selling gutkha,
tobacco and pan masala
Recycling of plastic waste shall conform to the Indian Standard: IS 14534:1998
The Plastic Waste Management Rules have stringent rules for plastic carry bags and plastic
sheets used in multilayered packaging
13. Responsibilities of Producers, Importers and Brand Owners
•Primary responsibility of packaging waste collection is of Producers,
Importers and Brand Owners who introduce the products in the market
•To establish waste collection system as per EPR Authorization
•Manufacture and use of non- recyclable multilayered plastic if any
should be phased out in 2 years time
•Register with the State Pollution Control Board or the Pollution Control
Committee
mporters and Brand owners who introduce products in the market, have primary
responsibility of collecting packaging plastic waste
14. Responsibilities of Retailers and Street Vendors
No selling or providing commodities to consumer in carry
bags or plastic sheet or
multilayered packaging, which are not manufactured and
labelled or marked, as
prescribed under these rules
Pay such fines as specified under the bye-laws of the local
bodies, if found selling or
providing commodities in, plastic carry bags or multilayered
packaging or plastic
sheets or like or covers made of plastic sheets which are not
manufactured or
labelled or marked in accordance with these rules
Retailers and Street Vendors have to adhere to the guidelines prescribed in the Rules for
plastic carry bags/plastic sheets/multilayered packaging
15.
16. Re Use and Recycle
• As per the integrated solid waste management
(ISWM) hierarchy, reuse and recycling of plastic
waste are the preferred methods for managing
plastic wastes after reduction.
• But plastics cannot be recycled indefinitely; each
recycling cycle reduces the strength and utility of
the plastic.
• Energy recovery from plastics shall be
considered when recycling is no longer possible.
• Plastic waste is accepted as fuel in cement kilns;
residence times and temperatures are adequate
to preempt the production of dioxins and furans.
17. Re Use and Recycle-Cont..
• Incineration of plastic wastes for energy
recovery may also be considered under strictly
controlled and monitored conditions.
• Reusing plastic waste to form polymer blended
bitumen roads is an accepted method for final
disposal of plastics in India.
• Landfilling of plastics should be avoided.
• Plasma pyrolysis and production of liquid fuel
from plastic waste are technologies being
tested; however, commercial viability of such
technologies is yet to be proven.
