Page 12 - Plastics News April 2021

AipmA At work

the government on regular basis. We have had meetings • Subsequently in this Notification they have also
with the ministers, internal discussions with industry clarified and replaced Carry bags with Packaging.
experts sent our suggestions and recommendations on • In this line they mention Carry bag thickness which
the proposed rules and are taking every step to help the means all Packaging would be 120 Microns and not
industry.
just carry bags.
Our experts for the evening were:
• Clarification if any must be made that the thickness
Dr. D. D. Kale – He spoke in detail about the proposed limitation should be to the extent of Carry bags
amendment in Plastic Waste Management Rules and only as defined and not to other packaging to avoid
gave its background.As we are aware the PWM has official deciphering the act otherwise and trouble the
been discussed time and again and there seems to be a industry.
commuciations gap. One needs to consider the fact that After the presentations by the experts, the floor was left
waste managment has to be considered in totality and open for discussion and Q&A round, it was convened by
recycling has to be given due priority . Mr. Jayesh Rambhia – Past President AIPMA. A lot of queries
Mr. Swapan Kumar Ray - Honorary Secretary of Indian were raised by the people attending. The webinar was
Centre for Plastics in the Environment. He informed all attended by over 500 people from the Plastic Industry.
present about Single Use Plastics (SUP) as defined in PWM The session ended with the vote of thanks given by our
amendment vis-à-vis global scenario. He elaborated on Senior VP – Mr. Kishore Sampat.
the items that a banned under the single use plastic, he
mentioned that even the film used in cigarette boxes was
in the banned items list so much so that if it’s banned, Dr. Nayak's Farewell
the cigarettes would become soggy in the rains as there
would be no protection.
Mr. Deepak Ballani – Director General, AIPMA felicitated
Further as a final analysis he mentioned:
Prof. (Dr.) S. K. Nayak – Director General, CIPET
We have to expand & upgrade Plastic Waste Management during farewell ceremony of Dr. Nayak organized by
policies & infrastructure, create extensive awareness Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Govt. of
campaigns& promote and incentivize recycling these are India. Mr. Ballani thanked Dr. Nayak for his invaluable
just a few ways to create awareness. contribution to the Industry and congratulated him
Mr. Haren Sanghavi - Past President AIPMA, Co-chairman, for being appointed as Vice Chancellor of Ravenshaw
Environment Committee. He informed all present University, Odisha.
about the Implication of the PWM amendment and way
forward. AIPMA had given a few suggestions before the
notifications and amendments, some of those points and
the implications there of were pointed out by him. One
such point was: Increasing thickness of Plastic Film or
Carry Bags will just increase polymer consumption and
not influence or improve Waste Management. The Draft
Notification was:Carry bag made of virgin or recycled
plastic, shall not be less than one hundred and twenty
(120) microns in thickness with effect from 30.9.21and the
implications for the same were: In the 2016 Notification
Plastic Carry bag was replaced with Plastic Packaging.

Plastics News April 2021 12