Page 10 - Plastics News April 2021

AipmA At work

Webinar Discussing The proposed Amendment of Plastic Waste

Management Rules - 2021

webinar was organised by AIPMA on 23rd March, The issue of phasing out Single Use Plastics popularly
A scheduled at 4 P M IST to discuss the proposed known as "SUP's" has been looming large on the industry
Amendment of Plastic Waste Management Rules- 2021 & in absence of clarity on the term or assignment of term
its Implications. SUP to specific products.

The Government of India has proposed amendments with Although the term has been commonly used as of date,
the objective of phasing out Single Use Plastic products only a handful of products have been qualified as SUP's
& accordingly SUP has been defined and certain specific by developed countries in spite of high per capita
products have been declared to be phased out over a consumption of plastic products. From Indian context,
period of time. The proposed amendments are likely to plastics remain growth enabler of the economy across all
disrupt functioning of units engaged in production of such segments of industrial activity necessitating due caution
items. against disruption of the industry.

The objective of this webinar was to put forward With the potential nation-wide ban on various single use
interpretation of proposed amendments & implications and other plastic products, those associated with the
on processing industry. Plastic processing industry is industry and millions of livelihoods will be put to risk.It
aligned to the objective of a clean environment and would also impact the consumer choices, costs, health
sustainable model leading to a circular economy. and safety. Therefore, it is recommended that the prudent
way forward is not an outright ban on plastic products
Plastic visible pollution (only few percent of total plastic
consumption) emanates from littering habits of society but rather finding solutions to the problem of plastic
and inadequate infrastructure to address scientific waste waste management. Also, as the ban is expected to hit
management of post consumption waste of plastic through more than 10-15 lakh jobs and closure of large numberof
segregation at source, collection and disposal using various manufacturing units.
avenues like mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, Talking about the newly introduced draft notification
waste to fuel and waste to energy through incineration of ThePlastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules issued
bringing end of life of product. MOEFCC, AIPMA has been leading the deliberation with

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