ENVIRONMENTAL

LAW PSDA
PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN
INDIA
[ GROUP NO. 7 , B.B.A.LL.B (hons) ]
 Issues & Challenges Related To Plastic(Usage, Disposal & Recycling)
The volume of solid waste is drastically accumulating due to several factors like increase in
population, extensive developmental activities, broad changes in lifestyle, social conditions,
financial conditions, economical conditions, etc. Plastic waste is in a major proportion in the
total solid waste. 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated daily in India.

The plastic waste can be majorly categorised into two types which basically are-
1 Thermoplastics
2 Thermoset plastics

Thermoplastics constitutes for almost 80% of the plastic waste in India while thermoset plastics
constitutes for approximately 20%. The thermoplastics are usually recyclable plastics which
mainly constitutes Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET), Low Density Poly Ethylene (LDPE), Poly
Vinyal Choloride(PVC), High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE), Polypropylene(PP), Polystyrene
(PS).

Common Obstacles in Plastic Recycling-

1. Insufficient market for Recycles

The cost of majority of plastics are low & when there is a lack of market for recycles plastic
products, the interest and benefit of recycling these plastics also gets diniminished. Moreover
during recycling process the durability & quality of these plastics also goes down.

2. Lack of Infrastructure-
In developing countries like India, there is no proper infrastructure which is controlled in a
regulate manner. This leads to lower the efficiency of the recycling plants thereby giving less
output. There is also no proper guidance from the governments lacking the rules and regulations
which a recycling plant should follow and adhere to. Without proper guidance and infrastructure,
the recycling plants cannot utilise its full potential and give cant the maximum output.

3. Economical Factors-
The previous two obstacles are somehow economically concerned. If there is not a well
developed market for recycled products, recycling products would not be economical. One of the
main aim of recycling products is to gain profits & without proper markets the profits will
drastically diminish. Further, it wouldn't be an economical choice to invest in for infrastructure
to develop new technologies if there is no scope of future revenue from the recycled material. To
develop a real market for these recycled products and to improve the scope of the same
legislative as well as administrative actions needs to be taken by the government.

4. Mindset and Knowledge Gap

The mindset of the public is that plastic materials are easily recycled based on the public
knowledge of recyclable products such as water bottles, which are typically made from a single
thermoplastic material type, not bonded to any other items, and are easily collected and
transported. This poses a knowledge gap as manufacturers may select a plastic component
partially based on its ability to be recycled. This was demonstrated using a case study of material
selection for an engine cover . Although PU foam was selected for its recyclability, the end-of-
life circumstances were such that no matter what material was selected for this part, it would be
landfilled. In this case, the best material selection would have been the lightest weight
component to reduce the use phase environmental impacts. However, as plastic usage continues
to rise, there will likely be consequences at the end-of-life stage, such as a percentage increase in
landfilling, if sustainable solutions cannot be achieved.

Committee Reports on Plastic Usage, Disposal & Management

1. Report of the Expert Committee to examine the comments and suggestions including
economic instruments in the draft Plastics (Manufacture, Usage and Waste Management) Rules,
2009.

The Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) notified the draft "Plastics (Manufacture,
Usage and Waste Management) Rules, 2009" to replace the Recycled Plastics Manufacture and
Usage Rules, 1999 (amended in 2003) to regulate the manufacture and usage of plastic carry
bags. The draft rules were widely published for public comments. An expert committee was
constituted by the (MoEF) to examine these comments and to suggest economic instruments. The
Committee recognized that lack of organized system for segregation, collection of plastic waste
is a matter of concern and that without proper waste management, the objectives of the Rules
would not be achieved. Such a system has to take into account the entire lifecycle of plastic and
requires cooperation of municipalities, manufacturers, retailers and consumers of plastic
products. The Committee suggested that the title of the new rules be changed to the Plastic
Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2010 to reflect its focus. It agreed to preserve the size
and thickness provisions as in the 2009 draft rules and suggested that the terminology
“compostable” may be used in place of “biodegradable.

2. Report of the Committee to Evolve Road Map on Management of Wastes in India.

The Performance Audit Report on Management of Waste in India submitted by the office of the
Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) in September 2008, surmised that the waste
management hierarchy needs to be emphasized in our policies and summarized its observations
on the current waste management situation in the country into seven important requirements for
improvement. These were the urgent need for (i) assessing the quantum of waste being generated
and its impact on environment and health, (ii) formulating policies and strategies towards
prioritizing waste reduction and minimization rather than mere disposal, (iii) promulgating
legislations specifically dealing with disposal of each kind of waste incorporating penalty for
violation, (iv) assigning clear responsibility and accountability to various agencies involved in
the process of waste management, (v) enforcing compliance to rules regulating municipal solid
wastes, biomedical wastes and plastic wastes, (vi) monitoring to check noncompliance, (vi)
providing funding and manpower for the implementation of rules on waste management.
Responding to this initiative the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India
constituted a Committee on 3rd September, 2008 to evolve a Road map for the Management of
Waste in India, under the Chairmanship of Shri R. H. Khwaja, Additional Secretary, MoEF. The
Committee set itself the task of examining the existing administrative and regulatory
mechanisms in the country for the management of various types of waste and for suggesting a
strategy for achieving sustainable waste management. The Committee constituted two Working
Groups viz: (i) on Municipal Solid Wastes, Plastic Waste, Packaging Waste, Construction and
Demolition Waste under the Chairmanship of Secretary, Department of Environment, and
Government of NCT of Delhi and (ii) on Biomedical Waste, Hazardous Waste and E-waste
under
the Chairmanship of Member Secretary, CPCB. The Working Groups held extensive
deliberations and submitted their comprehensive reports along with detailed recommendations on
each type of waste under their consideration.

2. PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT AND HANDLING RULES, THE DIFFERENT

NOTIFICATIONS, AND ITS THREAD BARE ANALYSIS.

Plastic waste management and handling rules has a history from 1999 act (Recycled Plastics Manufacture
and Usage Rules) which was restored in 2003 by some revision and with proper conference and
negotiation with a wide range of stakeholders including civil society, industry bodies, relevant Central
Government Ministries and State Governments.

In the amendment many things were prohibited or we can say the important things of new rule are
forbidden on plastic materials in sachets for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala,
no food stuffs were allowed to be packed in recycled plastics or, recycled carry bags to have specific BIS
standards, colour to the instruction by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), uniform thickness shall not
be less than 40 microns in carry bags etc. these certain changes were made in the new rules.

The supreme thing that was done was including waste picker. The municipal authorities were commanded
to constructively engage agencies or group working in waste management for the cleanliness of the
society. For the very first time some dispensable work for the sake of the society was done. As we all
know that plastic is the most used thing in our society. Plastic has multiple utilization and the physical
and chemical stuff lead to commercial success. However, the arbitrary disposal of plastic is becoming
hazardous to the society. In particular, the plastic carry bags are the biggest feature of waste and every
year, several number of plastic bags end up in to the environment with the help of soil, water bodies,
water courses, etc and as it is a non- biodegradable substance so it takes thousands of year to decompose.

Hence, the issue of organized plastic waste management, the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling)
Rules, 2011 were notified in 2011, which included plastic waste management. The Government has
notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, in disclosure of the earlier Plastic Waste
(Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. With the new enactment the government has notified the use of
plastic management and introduced the new methods of new technology. Under the new EPR concept,
manufacturers are answerable for collecting waste generated from their products.
“The latest plastic waste management rules are part of environment ministry’s endeavour to renovate all
waste management rules of the country. The rules, which were applicable up to municipal areas, have
now been expanded to all villages. The new rules will help in attaining our Prime Minister Narendra
Modi’s vision of Swachh Bharat,” said Union environment minister Prakash Javadekar at a conference.

A mandatory ban on plastic was made because it is very dangerous to the aquatic and the animals. The
ministry also raised the minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from 40 microns to 50 microns.

“Execution is a very big issue” one has to pay attention to recycling of waste management and right now
it is just a compact activity and we should give our contribution in doing so.”

So guidelines were given by the central pollution control board for the handling and management of waste
material which is stated as follows:

1.plastic carry bag will be available only with shopkeepers/street seller pre-registered with local bodies on
payment of certain registration fee.

2. The amount collected as registration fee by local anatomy is to be used for waste management.

The main notification done by the government was that they banned many of the plastic laminates which
looks like a decision made without any reaction. But unfortunately there was hardly any reaction seen in
the media or any packing supplier in India. Only a few companies like reliance, Dabur reacted, maybe
they are more but only few are known to us.

“This is the notification given by Ministry Of Environment and Forests Dated-17, Sep 2009. The
blueprint contains the rules for plastic (Manufacturer, Usage and Waste Management). This
notification mainly contains the blueprint rules for monolayer bags/pouches, multilayer laminates
and plastic containers. The main rule (Rule 5) in the Notification is:

• Carry bags and containers made of pure plastic shall be in unprocessed shade.
 • No person shall utilize bags or containers made of recycled plastics or biodegradable
plastic for storing, carrying, allocating or packaging of food stuffs.
• Carry bags and vessel made of recycled or biodegradable plastics and used for
purpose of other than depositing and packaging foodstuffs shall be manufactured
using pigments and colorants as per the Bureau of Indian Standards specifications:
IS 9833:1981 entitled "List of dyestuff and colorants for use in plastics in touch with
foodstuffs, pharmaceuticals and drinking water".
• No person shall manufacture, store, contribute or sell carry bags made of pure or
recycled plastics or bio-degradable plastics, which are less than 12x18 inches (30x45
cms) in size and less than 40 microns in thickness.
• No person shall manufacture carry bags or containers or pouches several coated
packaging from biodegradable plastics unless these meet the Bureau of Indian
Standards specifications: IS/ISO 17088:2008 entitled "Specifications for fertilizer
plastics.
• No person shall manufacture, store, contribute or sell non-recoverable laminated
plastic or metallic bags, multilayered packaging and other non-recyclable plastics.”

Developing solutions for plastic pollution grows more and more important with each new ton of
plastic is developed. At the same time, enlarge global focus on aquatics plastic pollution in particular
has quickly growing interest in strategy development. The Ocean Conservancy a Washington D.C.
based NGO released their latest report named “The Next Wave”, which submits a blueprint to reduce
the dumping of plastic waste in the ocean in very large amount .

3. How To Recycle Or Reuse The Plastic, The Alternatives To Plastic

, Their Feasibility.

Plastic reusing is the way toward recouping scrap or waste plastic and reprocessing the material
into valuable items. Since majority of plastic is non-biodegradable, recycling is a part of
worldwide endeavors to diminish plastic in the waste stream, particularly the around eight
million metric huge amounts of waste plastic that enter the Earth's sea each year. This reduces
the high rates of plastic contamination.
We find significant development being used of plastic wherever because of different
advantageous properties of plastics, such as,

(a) Extreme adaptability and capacity to be custom fitted to meet certain specialized needs.

(b) Lighter weight than contending materials, decreasing fuel utilization amid transportation.

(c) Extreme durability.

(d) Resistance to chemicals, water and impact.

(e) Better wellbeing, hygiene and cleanliness properties for food packaging. .

(f) Relatively cheap to deliver.

PLASTICS & THE MENACE OF POLLUTION

Industrial practices in plastic fabricate can prompt polluting effluents and the utilization of lethal
intermediates, the exposure to which can be hazardous. Better industrial practices have
prompted limiting presentation of plant laborers to destructive and harmful fumes.

There is a developing concern about the abundance utilization of plastics, especially in

packaging. The utilization of plastics can be lessened through a superior decision of container
sizes and through the dissemination of fluid items in more focused frame. A worry is the best
possible transfer of waste plastics. Litter outcomes from indiscreet transfer, and decomposition
rates in landfills can be extremely long. Buyers ought to be convinced or required to redirect
these for reusing or other ecologically satisfactory procedures. Marine contamination emerging
from transfer of plastics from ships or spill out of tempest sewers must be maintained a strategic
distance from.

Reusing or recycling of plastics is alluring on the grounds that it stays away from their collection
in landfills. While plastics constitute just around 8 percent by weight or 20 percent by volume of
municipal solid waste, their low density and gradualness to decompose makes them an obvious
poison of public concern. It is clear that the accomplishment of reusing is constrained by the
advancement of effective procedures for accumulation and division. Reusing of scrap plastics by
makers has been profoundly effective and has demonstrated conservative, however recuperating
disposed of plastics from buyers is more difficult.

Elements influencing reusing or recycling of plastics – Recycling and re-usage of waste plastics
have many advantages. Reusing and re-usage of waste plastics prompt a diminishment of the
utilization of virgin materials and of the utilization of vitality, in this manner likewise a decrease
of carbon dioxide discharges. Financially, at times, plastics reusing might be beneficial. Be that
as it may, various components can confound the act of plastics reusing, for example, the
gathering of the plastics squander, detachment of various sorts of plastics, cleaning of the waste
and conceivable contamination of the plastics. A further confusing element is the low-esteem
nature of a large portion of the items that can be made from reused plastics. Reusing plastic is
desirable over reusing as it utilizes less energy and fewer resources.

Advantages of reuse and recycle of plastics – It has been seen, to decrease terrible impacts of
waste plastics, it is smarter to reuse and recycle waste plastics in environment friendly condition.

According to measurements, around 80% of post-purchaser plastic waste is sent to landfill, 8% is

burned and just 7% is reused. Notwithstanding decreasing the measure of plastics waste
requiring disposal, reusing and recycling of plastic can have several other advantages, for
example,

(I) Conservation of non-inexhaustible non-renewable energy sources – Plastic generation utilizes

8% of the world's oil creation, 4% as feedstock and 4% amid make.

(ii) Reduced utilization of energy.

(iii) Reduced measures of solid waste going to landfill.

(iv) Reduced discharges of carbon-dioxide (CO2), nitrogen-oxides (NOx) and sulfur-dioxide

(SO2).

Issues relating to plastics – There are about 50 different groups of plastics, with hundreds of
different varieties. All types of plastic are recyclable. To make sorting and thus recycling easier,
the American Society of Plastics Industry developed a standard marking code to help consumers
identify and sort the main types of plastic. Before recycling, plastics are sorted according to their
resin identification code.

Procedures for diminishment of Environmental Impact of Plastics –

(a) Reduce the utilization – Source decrease Retailers and buyers can choose items that
utilization almost no bundling. Select bundling materials that are reused into new bundling –, for
example, glass and paper. In the event that individuals decline plastic as a bundling material, the
industry will diminish generation for that reason, and the related issues, for example, vitality
utilize, contamination, and unfavorable wellbeing impacts will reduce.

(b) Reuse compartments – Since refillable plastic holders can be reused for ordinarily, holder
reuse can prompt a generous lessening in the interest for expendable plastic and diminished
utilization of materials and vitality, with the ensuing decreased ecological effects. Compartment
architects will consider the destiny of the holder past the purpose of offer and consider the
administration the holder gives.

(c) Require makers to reclaim gums – Get plastic makers straightforwardly included with plastic
transfer and shutting the material circle, which can animate them to consider the item's life cycle
from support to grave. Make reprocessing less demanding by constraining the quantity of holder
sorts and shapes, utilizing just a single kind of pitch in every compartment, making collapsible
compartments, dispensing with shades, utilizing water-dispersible glues for marks, and
eliminating related metals, for example, aluminum seals. Compartment and tar creators can help
build up the reprocessing framework by reclaiming plastic from purchasers.

(d) Legislatively require reused content – Requiring that all holders be made out of a level of
post-shopper material decreases the measure of virgin material devoured.

(e) Standardize marking and educate general society – Standardized names for "reused,"
"recyclable," and "made of plastic sort X" must be created for simple recognizable proof.

ALTERNATIVES
Single use plastic bags have become such a ubiquitous way of life, we can start reducing their
use in small ways.
A tote bag can make a good substitute for holding the shopping.
Reusing the plastic bags can come into utilization for different purposes, such as holding
garbage, rather than obtaining or purchasing new ones.
To get a decline the use of plastic, move to choices or alternatives like paper, material, jute and
etc.
Nonetheless, plastics that have just been created must not be burnt in order to get rid of it. The
chemicals emitted through burning will contaminate the environment and cause respiratory
problems.
Likewise, there are bio-degradable plastic sacks accessible that reduces the issue of plastic
pollution.
4 . JUSTICE CHOPRA COMMITTEE REPORT

Apparently, with a view to assist the Court in issuing appropriate directions, the Division Bench
hearing the PIL constituted a Committee headed by Justice R.C. Chopra, a retired judge of this
Court as its Convener, with the Chairman of the Central Pollution Control Board and the
Chairman of the Delhi Pollution Control Committee as its Members. Seven questions were posed
for the consideration of the
Committee and the Report given by it in respect of each question is as follows:

Question: Whether plastic bags are per-se injurious to health or hazardous to the environment?
Report: Virgin plastic bags are not per se injurious to health or hazardous to the environment but
Recycled/coloured bags are injurious. Therefore, a blanket ban on the use of plastic bags is not
called for.

Question: Whether degradable/biodegradable plastic bags are an alternative and can be

introduced without any difficulty? Report: Biodegradable plastics are in its nascent stage and
research work is on for the development of appropriate types of biodegradable plastics. It cannot
be said that degradable plastics do
not pose any health or environmental hazard. These do not decompose naturally on account of
action of micro-organism. Biodegradable plastics however, are made of natural substances and
decompose through microbial action. Therefore, biodegradable plastics should be encouraged for
the manufacture and use of plastic bags.

Question: Whether bags made of other materials can substitute plastic bags and meet the
demand?
Report: The use of plastic bags cannot be withdrawn or banned completely in Delhi but other
alternatives can be encouraged and propagated which may result in reducing the demand/use of
plastic bags. The chaos and problem created by the use of plastic bags is primarily because of
waste generated by plastic bags which needs efficient handling by the authorities as well as by
the Plastic Manufacturers. Association.

Question: What are the existing laws to regulate the use of plastic bags in Delhi?
Report: The Delhi Degradable Plastic Bag (Manufacture, Sale and Usage) and Garbage (Control)
Act, 2000 read with the Plastic Manufacturer, Sale and Usage Rules, 1999, as amended from
time to time, provides that virgin or recycled plastic bags should be of a thickness not less than
20 microns and
of a size not less than 8" x 12". The thickness of plastic bags should be increased to 40 microns.
The existing ban on use of plastic bags in some institutions such as in four/five star hotels,
hospitals with 100 beds or more, restaurants with a seating of more than 100 etc. is not
effectively enforced. Since the ban in these institutions takes care of a small percentage of plastic
bags, the maximum consumption thereof being through main markets, local shopping centres,
small shopkeepers and street vendors, the ban should be extended to them also.

Question: Whether recycling of the plastic bags waste is a health/environment hazard?

Report: Unsound recycling practices pertaining to plastics are a serious health / environmental
hazard and those who violate the provisions of law in this regard should be dealt with very
strictly.

Question: What are the major health or environmental hazards arising out of the use of plastic
bags?
Report: The use only of virgin plastic bags which are translucent and of more than 40 microns
thickness should be encouraged and this should take care of most of the health hazards
particularly since these do not contain any harmful additives and can be easily identified by rag
pickers for recycling Purposes.

5. NEWS SNIPPETS
1. Enterprises using reused plastic

More and more companies are making wealth from waste and, in the process, saving the
environment from devastation. Business Today looks at five of these green businesses.

FABRIC FROM PLASTIC

Arora Fibres recycles discarded plastic bottles into polyester used as packaging material

Rupinder Singh Arora, Chairman of Arora Fibres Ltd, has been recycling discarded plastic
bottles into polyester staple fibre since 1994 after he saw the colossal damage to the environment
from mountains of bio-degradable plastic being burned in the country. "We were the pioneers in
this field.

Apart from a commercial interest , converting PET Into polyester has a huge positive impact on
the environment," says Arora. PET stands for polyethylene terephthalate.

Arora brought the technology to India after tying up with Korean company Mijung, which
specialised in converting PET bottles into polyester yarn. His factory in the industrial belt of
Silvassa in Dadra & Nagar Haveli has the capacity to process 18,000 tonnes of plastic a year and
he plans to increase that to 48,000 tonnes by next year. Arora says the environmental benefit of
recycling discarded plastic bottles is enormous. "By recycling 10 billion PET bottles, one can
save one million square yards of landfill space and eliminate 0.25 million tonnes of carbon
dioxide released into the atmosphere.

And recycling one kg of PET saves around 25,000 BTUs (British Thermal Units)," he says.
Plastic has clearly been profitable for Arora Fibres. It tapped the primary market in 1994 to raise
Rs 9.6 crore to set up the Silvassa plant and logged Rs 34 crore in revenues in the financial year
that ended March 2013. It hopes to touch Rs 75 crore this year. The polyester fibre has a huge
market in many industries such as automobiles and is also used as packaging material for
beverages, food products, pharmaceuticals, and consumer and industrial products.

But the business has had its ups and downs. Although there are about 20 players who convert
nearly 300,000 tonnes of PET bottles into polyester fibre each year, the industry depends on rag
pickers for raw material. Arora says the industry was also hit by an increase in raw material
prices and a fall in finished product prices. "The shortage of raw material and the power
problems until 2010 in Silvassa have been the reasons why others overtook us in the business,"
he says.

"Despite competition and profitability getting squeezed, net margins remain healthy at 10 per
cent."

LIQUID GOLD
Wabag is helping companies clean up their act by reusing waste water

It is sometimes said that water, and not oil, is the real liquid gold today. Water technology
company VA Tech Wabag would certainly agree. The Chennai-based company recycles
industrial and municipal waste water either for reuse as drinking water or to plough back for
industrial use.

And money has been flowing like water. Executive Director Amit Sengupta says 10 to 15 per
cent of the company's revenues come from recycling, but he expects it to ccount for 50 per cent
of Wabag's business in the next 10 years. Last year, the company recorded revenues of Rs 1,000
crore in India.

Wabag has helped many companies clean up their act. Six years ago, it stepped in to help Indian
Oil Corp's Panipat refinery when a farmers's lobby in Haryana raised a hue and cry over the
company's waste water discharge. The water treatment company recycled the entire plant's waste
water discharge and made it as pure as drinking later. It will build an effluent treatment plant
with recycling facilities for Reliance Industries' purified terephthalic acid plant in Dahej and a
tertiary treatment plant for the Reliance petrochemicals complex in Hazira.

Sengupta says though a scare resource, water is cheap in India and people will not reuse it until
the government comes out with strict rules or water becomes more expensive. So, how much of
the waste water is reusable? "The short answer is 'All of it'," says Sengupta. "But it depends on
the quality for reuse as per customer requirements."

GREEN POWER
Hanjer is turning solid waste into fuel to run power plants

Waste management company Hanjer Biotech Energies realised that when it kickstarted India's
first green power plant in Jalgaon in Maharashtra this year by using a byproduct of solid waste as
fuel. The biomass power plant had been closed because of the unavailability of husk rice, the raw
material for fuelling the plant, which pushed Hanjer to turn to refuse derived fuel (RDF) from
municipal solid waste to generate seven megawatts (MW) of green power.

The concept of converting waste to energy is not new, but Mumbai-based Hanjer plans to take it
to a new level following the success of its experiment in Jalgaon. It plans to take over four to five
closed biomass power plants in Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan to generate around
40 MW of green power and then set up a green power plant in Surat, Gujarat that runs
completely on fuel from solid waste.

Usually, 20 to 30 per cent of supporting fuel such as coal or oil is used along with RDF to
generate power.

The plant in Surat will use green fuel derived from waste from three of the company's solid
waste processing facilities in the state to generate 15 MW of power. The plant has the potential
to reduce green house gas emissions and will earn carbon credits for Hanjer. "Of the total 9,100
tonnes of waste which we process, around 18 to 20 per cent is green RDF. With the amount of
green RDF produced after recycling the waste, we can run six 15 MW power plants," says Irfan
Furniturewala, Founder and Chairman of Hanjer.

How does the system work? Simple, green RDF is generated from dry municipal solid waste that
is dried, crushed, screened and packed into brick form. The clean and nonpolluting fuel is used
as a substitute for conventional fossil fuels such as coal which is in short supply. Hanjer posted
revenues of Rs 410 crore in 2012/13 in an industry growing at 20 per cent a year.

TOWERING HEIGHTS
Microqual uses power transmission towers as telecom towers

Mahesh Choudhary is the CEO of Microqual Techno, a telecom infrastructure services company
that has tied up with Mumbai-based outdoor advertising company Guju Ads to use its 1,000
billboards and hoardings across 13 cities as telecom towers sites. "This will help telecom
companies bring down operational costs by 40 per cent and capex by 30 per cent," says
Choudhary, who sees huge potential from the new initiative as 35 per cent of India still does not
have mobile coverage and more than 50 per cent does not have a continuous mobile network.

Microqual is the first company in India to use power transmission towers as telecom towers.
Apart from putting telecom antennas on the power transmission towers and running them as
telecom mobile towers, the company is also capturing power that is lost during transmission and
distribution to supply electricity to the telecom towers. Two sites are already operational - one in
Kolar in Karnataka and another in Baddi in Himachal Pradesh. Microqual has exclusive rights
for 10 years to use 85,000 Power Grid Corp of India transmission towers across Jammu &
Kashmir, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.

Only 50 towers have been put to use so far. The journey to turn idle or waste resources into
wealth started three years ago in Kerala when mobile services company Aircel wanted to set up
telecom towers but found it difficult to operate within the cost it had estimated.

Microequal used a combination of solar and wind power to operate the telecom tower site and
cut fuel expenses by 40 per cent. The innovation is paying off: the company posted Rs 600 crore
in revenues last year. "In the next three to four years, the innovative vertical will account for 25
per cent of our business," says Choudhary.

CLEANING E-WASTELAND
Cerebra will extract precious and other metals from mountains of e-waste

One Bangalore-based infotech company, Cerebra Integrated Technologies, is doing its bit to
reduce the glut of e-waste that some activists say is potentially the most dangerous waste
problem in the world. It is building India's largest e-waste recycling plant that will begin
operations by the end of this year. The plant will have the capacity to process close to 90,000
tonnes of e-waste. "We wanted to find a solution to dispose of the e-waste left after the repair
and refurbishing process was completed, and realised there were only one or two medium-sized
players in this business," says Gururaja Upadhya, Co-founder and Director-Technical at Cerebra
Integrated Technologies.
But e-waste is also a treasure trove of precious and other metals. Cerebra sees big business in the
mountains of e-waste in Bangalore which produces 200,000 tonnes of e-waste a year. The
company plans to make its millions by extracting metals such as gold and platinum from the e-
waste piling up in the city. A mobile phone, for example, is made up of a combination of rare
earth and precious metals: it contains 250 mg of silver, 24 mg of gold and nine mg of palladium
while a laptop has 1,000 mg of silver, 220 mg of gold and 500 grams of copper.

Cerebra hopes to wrap up its Rs 110-crore acquisition of Singaporebased Cimelia Resource

Recovery this year, as part of its plans to make its mark in the global e-waste business. "The
recycling business will bring in the maximum revenues for the group. In the next three to five
years, we expect the business to be in excess of Rs 500 crore," says Upadhya. "More than 50 per
cent of the company's revenue and profit would come out of our e-waste business."

Clearly, that's one recycle bin that's emptied regularly - but not deleted permanently.

2. HYDERABAD, MARCH 25 (seminar)

Deployment of proper plastic waste management techniques is vital, according to Indrajit Pal,
Secretary, Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals, Government of India.

Speaking at the inaugural session of a seminar on plastic recycling and waste management here
on Monday, Pal said the quantum of plastic waste is increasing and its disposal had become a
serious problem.

Increase in population, urbanisation and life-style changes were leading to increase in plastic
waste.

“As per industry estimates, the per capita consumption of plastic in India was at about 8 kg
during 2011-12 and is expected to increase to around 12 kg by 2017,’’ he said.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board of India, around 15,342 tonnes of plastic waste
is generated in the country every day.

Proper waste management techniques and recycling of plastics has many advantages such as
conservation of non-renewable fossil fuels and reduced consumption of energy among others, he
said.

B. Janardhan Reddy, Director, Municipal Administration, Government of Andhra Pradesh, said

175 municipalities in the State apart from those in Hyderabad had achieved 99 per cent
collection and segregation of waste on a regular basis.
Plastic had many good uses, he said adding: “If disposal is not good, it does not mean that the
plastic is bad.’’

There should be renewed efforts in reduction, recycling and reuse of plastic, he added.

Anil Reddy, President, AP Plastic Manufacturers Association said waste management should go
beyond plastic carry bags and multi-layered bags.

The State Government should consider introduction of mixing of plastic waste in bitumen in
roads, he said.

The one-day seminar was organised by the Central Institute of Plastics Engineering &
Technology.

3. AN IDEA AS SOLID AS A BRICK TO MANAGE

PLASTIC

Sudha HYPERLINK "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Sudha-Nambudiri-

20160.cms" HYPERLINK "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Sudha-
Nambudiri-20160.cms"Nambudiri| TNN | Feb 19, 2017, 08.25 AM IST

The group of engineering graduates who made a unique product out of plastic which is stronger.

KOCHI: A group of engineering graduates who recently graduated from the Model engineering
college, Thrikkakara, has come out with an innovative solution for managing plastic waste -
plastic bricks.
"When we made the first prototype, we took it to the civil engineering department of Cochin
university for testing quality and strength. These bricks have passed all the recommended tests
viz. compressive strength test, water absorption test, flexural test," said Kevin Jacob, a member
of the team. Cusat's civil engineering department has certified the product.
The methods followed and ingredients used in preparing the brick made it stronger, less water
absorbent, and more durable than ordinary bricks.
"We dream about a machine that eats plastic all day and gives out all sorts of construction
bricks" said Julian on the project.

4.`SUBMIT STATUS REPORT ON PLASTIC BAN'

TNN | Oct 27, 2017, 06:21 IST

The tribunal had in August imposed an interim ban on plastic bags under 50 microns in
thickness and violators found using them were to be fined Rs 5,000. Less

NEW DELHI: National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Thursday directed the Delhi government to
strictly impose their order banning `thin' plastic bags in the capital and to impose a fine of Rs
5,000 on those violating the plastic ban order. The tribunal also asked Delhi government to
submit a status report on the matter.

A bench headed by Justice Swatanter Kumar asked the Delhi government to conduct raids on
shops or vendors possessing the banned plastic bags.
The tribunal had in August imposed an interim ban on plastic bags under 50 microns in thickness
and violators found using them were to be fined Rs 5,000.
The Delhi government counsel informed the bench that so far, Rs 32 lakhs had been recovered in
terms of fine from people found using such plastic bags.

5. GUTKHA NOT TO BE SOLD IN PLASTIC POUCHES'

The Supreme Court today ordered a ban on the sale of tobacco products like gutkha and pan
masala in plastic pouches from March 2011, while asking the government to conduct a survey on
the ill effects of these products within eight weeks.

The Supreme Court ordered a ban on the sale of tobacco products like gutkha and pan masala in
plastic pouches from March 2011, while asking the government to conduct a survey on the ill
effects of these products.

A bench of justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly also asked the manufacturers to explore and
decide by March next year on the alternative material for packaging them.

The bench issued the directions while brushing aside the pleas of some of the gutkha
manufacturers who feared that such a direction could lead to closure of thousands of gutkha and
pan masala manufacturing units.

"Let it come," the bench quipped when counsel for one of the manufacturers claimed that the
whole industry would come to a standstill.

Cigarettes, which are generally sold in paper packs, are out of the ambit of this ban.

While asking the government to conduct a survey on the ill effects of these tobacco products, the
bench also asked it to examine the effects of packaging these products in plastics pouches over
human health.
The bench recorded an undertaking from Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium that the
government would get the required survey done by the National Institute of Public Health on the
harmful effects of gutkha, pan masala and other tobacco products and also the adverse effects, if
any, of the plastic pouches used for packaging the material.

The bench also directed the Centre to finalise and enforce within eight weeks the Plastic
Management and Disposal Rules 2009.

It ruled that despite the rules having been framed in 2009, the authorities are yet to enforce them.

The bench passed the direction while adjudicating a petition by a civil society, which has

approached the apex court challenging the alleged unbridled sale of gutkha and pan masala

material in the country, seriously impinging upon public health.

6. BAN ON PLASTIC BAGS PIERCES HEARTS OF

TRADERS

MONDAY APRIL 17 2017

Vendors sell polythene bags in Kisii on April 17, 2017. In Africa, Rwanda and Morocco have
banned plastic bags and other countries are set to announce measures in coming days.

Mr Lucas Omwenga is a worried man. For five years, he has plied his trade as a plastic bag
trader in Kisii town’s fruit and vegetable market, an occupation that is his young family’s source
of income.

“My wife and two children depend on my plastic bag business for their daily bread,” said Mr
Omwenga, as he navigated the narrow pathways between stalls where he daily serves hundreds
of clients.
Life is about to take a different turn for Mr Omwenga, 27, and other “karatasi” traders, as the
bags are commonly known in Kisii County.

DENT ON INCOME

This follows a government directive to ban the use of plastic bags from September.

With the ban set to take effect in five months, plastic bag users and sellers are staring at bleak
economic prospects as the cheap and available product is edged out of the market.

A spot-check by the Nation in the county found most traders using plastic bags to pack goods.

Some traders expressed misgivings with the State’s alternative of disposable paper bags, saying
they would be difficult to use.

“I have always used the bags to pack meat for my clients. It will be difficult to pack 10 to 20
kilos of meat in a disposable paper bag, said Mr Mark Samwel, a butcher in Kisii town.

ECONOMIC SABOTAGE
Fish mongers are also up in arms against the ban, terming it misplaced and ill-intentioned.

“The only packaging material that prevents fish from decaying during short-term storage is
plastic bags. We are disturbed by the ban, which will see us make huge losses due to spoilt fish,”
said Mr Abdul-Malik Yusuf.

Mr Derick Otieno, another fish trader, said the ban is an economic sabotage for small traders.

“We normally purchase the bags at Sh30 a kilo compared to old newspapers that go for Sh60 a
kilo. Banning the plastics will impoverish the youth who may be forced to turn to crime,” he
said.

“It is notified to the public that the Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Natural Resources
has with effect from six months from the date of this notice banned the use, manufacture and
importation of all plastic bags used for commercial and household packaging,” said Prof
Wakhungu in a gazette notice dated February 28.

JOB LOSSES
The Kenya Association of Manufacturers says the ban will adversely affect the profit margins of
more than 170 companies and result in the loss of at least 60,000 jobs.

According to KAM Chief Executive Phyllis Wakiaga, the problem is not plastic bags, but
consumer behaviour.

She said the government, manufactures and distributors, the public and other stakeholders should
make concerted efforts to find a solution to environmental problems associated with plastics.

“Waste management is an issue we must acknowledge as a country because we are collectively

responsible for it. How we manage our waste at the individual level, at a household level, at the
business level, is a concern for all of us as Kenyans.

"Many countries have faced challenges in disposing of the used plastic bags. Many are dumped
in the garbage and water streams, though the waste does not break down,” Ms Wakiaga said.
Plastic bags are also an eyesore, littering streets and pavements of the backstreets in most major
towns in the country.

HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT
They also clog water pipes, drainage and sewerage systems and can cause death if ingested by
livestock.

Prof Geoffrey Wahungu, the National Environment Management Authority director-general,

backed the move, saying the banning of plastic carriers will play a critical role in fostering a
clean and healthy environment for all.

He said the best way to deal with the plastic bags issue is to ban them, adding that the country
could no longer wait for the citizens to be convinced of the ban’s necessity.
“It takes a generation to change consumer behaviour. We do not have that time since there are
alternatives, and this problem is getting out of hand. Let us ban plastic bags now as we explore
viable alternatives,” he said

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (Unep) Kenyan supermarkets use
100 million plastic bags every year. The agency has welcomed the ban.

“Kenya is taking decisive action to remove an ugly stain on its outstanding natural beauty,” said
Erik Solheim, Unep executive-director.

WAR ON PLASTIC

Kenya’s ban on the use, manufacture and import of all plastic bags comes three weeks after the
UN declared a “war on plastic” through its Clean Seas initiative, which has secured
commitments to address major plastic pollution from 10 governments.

“Long identified as a major cause of environmental damage and health problems, they kill birds,
fish and other animals that mistake them for food, damage agricultural land, pollute tourist sites
and provide breeding grounds for the mosquitoes that carry malaria and dengue fever,” Mr
Solheim said.

He praised the country’s move, calling it a significant step to protect its nature that would inspire
other nations to follow suit.

Plastic bags are the number one challenge for urban waste disposal in Kenya, particularly in poor
communities where access to disposal systems and health care is limited.

They contribute to the eight million tonnes of plastic that leak into the ocean every year.

ALTERNATIVES

It is estimated that at current rates there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish by 2050,
wreaking havoc on marine fisheries, wildlife and tourism.
Kenya becomes the 11th country to take action in support of the UN’s environmental campaign.

In Africa, Rwanda and Morocco have banned plastic bags and other countries are set to
announce measures in coming days.

Kenya has 176 manufacturers of plastic paper, according to the manufacturers’ lobby KAM.

“The six-month period provided for the ban to take full effect is not adequate, as the companies
cannot close down production and clear their stocks within that period,” KAM said in a
statement, citing an impending major disruption in the sector.

KAM Sector Manager Samwel Matonda says the sector contributes Sh2 billion to the Exchequer
in addition to other spin-off benefits.

The Consumer Federation of Kenya (Cofek) said the policy ban should come with affordable
alternative options for shoppers.

PLASTIC WASTE TO BE CONVERTED TO DIESEL

TNN | Updated: Jul 6, 2017, 15:26 IST

The plant will be set up at the cost of Rs 6 crore-Rs 7 crore

SURAT: A systematic plastic waste management in the city has begun with the commissioning
of a plastic waste management plant at Bhatar.
The Surat Municipal Corporation (SMC) has provided two acres land for that plant that has been
built by a private operator. The plant has started collecting 20 tons of plastic waste from the city
areas daily and making plastic globules. However, this capacity would be enchanced to 100 tons
per day.
"The land was given by SMC to Enviro Associates for construction of plastic waste management
plant on 15 years operations and maintenance basis. The operator would expand the capacity to
100 tons in coming days and make diesel out of plastic waste. The plant is set up at the cost of Rs
6 crore-Rs 7 crore," said an official from SMC.
In coming days, the company would set up a collection center in each zone for plastic waste and
at big stores in the city too. They will tie up with some voluntary organizations to collect plastic
waste thrown the roads .
" At present, ragpickers and scrap dealers were collecting plastic waste lying on the road," said
an official, adding that the private firm would set up a parallel system so that waste goes for
processing and making useful things.

The company would also provide processed plastic to SMC for making roads.
Of the total daily solid waste collection of 1,700 metric tonnes in the city, nearly eight per cent is
plastic waste, which comes to around 100-120 MT and that amounts to about 100 to 120 MT on
daily basis.

PLASTIC BAN TO AFFECT ECONOMY,

MANUFACTURES SAY

THURSDAY MARCH 16 2017

A plastic bags recycling plant in Mathare North, Nairobi in this picture taken on March 7, 2017.
Kenya has banned plastic bags manufacture and use

Plastic bags are not the problem, consumer behaviour is, the Kenya Association of
Manufacturers (KAM) has said in response to its ban by the government on Wednesday.

According to the association, the biggest problem the country faces over the plastic bag ‘menace’
is waste management and users’ behaviour.

The challenge the country faces is in the disposal of the bags, as many of the bags are thrown in
garbage heaps and do not break down like organic materials do.

COMPANIES

“A ban that intends to enforce a sudden change in consumer behaviour will not succeed in the
long run, as seen by countries that have had to reverse their decision on similar bans such as
South Africa,” said the association.

The manufacturers’ association also said the directive was made without consulting them and
will have an adverse effect on the economy.

GOVT TO MAKE USE OF PLASTIC WASTE IN ROAD

CONSTRUCTION

TNN | Nov 2, 2017, 02:00 IST

PATNA: The state rural works department (RWD) has planned to set up a waste plastic
recycling plant to use the material in road construction. The state cabinet is likely to discuss this
proposal soon.
The Centre has asked the states to use plastic in at least 10% of the roads funded by it and
CM Nitish Kumar had also instructed the officials in this regard.

"We will use waste plastic technology in all our construction as it is eco-friendly," RWD
additional secretary Sanjaya Kumar told TOI on Wednesday. Kumar said the target for financial
year 2016-17 and 17-18 was to construct 600km of roads and the department would start using
plastic once the recycling plant is installed and production begins.

He said either Patna Municipal Corporation or Jeevika would be asked to install the plant at
Ramachak Bairiya for which a detailed project report (DPR) had already been prepared by the
PMC.

PMC commissioner Abhishek Singh said work on the project would start after the RWD
approval.

PMC deputy municipal commissioner Vishal Anand and chief engineer Ashok Kumar would
visit Indore on November 6 to study the plastic recycling plant being used by the municipal
corporation there, Singh said and added that the plant would cost around Rs7 crore along with
two years maintenance.

"Dry and wet waste will be collected separately from the secondary garbage point and plastic
from dry waste will be segregated further. Thin plastic will be melted and used for construction
purposes and those of better quality will be recycled into plastic commodities," Singh added.