Page 44 - Plastic News Issue August 2025
P. 44
COMPANY NEWS
NGT DIRECTS APOLLO TYRES TO STRENGTHEN
EPR COMPLIANCE UNDER PLASTIC WASTE RULES
that EPR provisions are legally binding and non-
compliance can amount to environmental negli-
gence.
A Broader Push for EPR Enforcement
While this ruling specifically applies to Apollo
Tyres, it reflects a broader trend of increased
scrutiny on companies under the EPR frame-
work. The PWM Rules mandate that Producers,
Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs) are re-
sponsible for the collection and environmentally
n a focused move toward environmental ac- sound disposal of plastic waste generated from
countability, the National Green Tribunal (NGT) their products and packaging.
Ihas directed Apollo Tyres to ensure stricter
compliance with India’s Plastic Waste Manage- So far, sectors such as fast-moving consumer
ment (PWM) Rules, 2016 particularly the Extend- goods (FMCG) have taken visible steps to meet
ed Producer Responsibility (EPR) provisions that their EPR obligations, often through partnerships
apply to companies using plastic packaging ma- with authorized Producer Responsibility Organi-
terials. zations (PROs). However, industries like automo-
tive, electronics, and pharmaceuticals have seen
The order, issued earlier this month by the NGT’s uneven implementation. The Apollo Tyres case
Southern Bench in Chennai, came in response highlights the need for all industries to revisit
to concerns over the disposal of HDPE carbon and strengthen their plastic waste management
black bags used by the company. While Apollo systems.
Tyres maintained that it was following due pro-
cesses, the tribunal emphasized the importance Implications for Industry
of adhering to CPCB’s guidelines and called for The NGT’s directive signals a shift from volun-
improvement in internal systems to ensure the tary sustainability disclosures to hard legal ac-
proper collection, cleaning, and channelization countability. Companies will now need to move
of plastic waste to authorized recyclers. beyond symbolic green pledges and establish
verifiable, third-party audited mechanisms for
The tribunal also directed the Central Pollution
Control Board (CPCB) to monitor the implemen- plastic waste recovery.
tation of its own guidelines and submit a status For Apollo Tyres and others, this may involve:
report within two months. The bench reiterated
♦ Partnering with CPCB-authorized PROs (Pro-
44 PLASTICS NEWS August 2025
