Page 70 - Plastics News January 2023

IN THE NEWS

companies and producers are respon- tion, reduces new plastic by invest- • As the agency responsible for res-
sible for the collection and recycling ing in reusable solutions, supports the idential blue-box recycling pro-
of the products they create. This pro- processing and manufacturing of post- grams in the province, Recycle
gram also promotes and encourages consumer plastics, as well as enabling BC is British Columbians' source
companies and producers to create the largest shore cleanup in B.C.'s his- for information on packaging and
and design less harmful plastic pack- tory. products that can be recycled.
aging. Quick Facts: • During the next four years, B.C.
These changes are effective imme- • Regulatory changes to include will expand extended producer
diately and are part of the CleanBC single-use items and packaging responsibility programs to in-
Plastics Action Plan, which aims to products in B.C.'s recycling sys- clude mattresses, electric-vehi-
change how plastic is designed and tem were announced in 2020, cle batteries and medical sharps
used - from temporary and dispos- which gave industry a two- year (e.g., syringes, lancets), as well
able to durable and reusable. The ac- transition period to prepare for as more moderately hazardous
tion plan addresses problem plastics implementation. products, such as compressed-
and single-use items through regula- fuel canisters.

India’s initiative towards sustainable environment

s part of Mission LiFE (Lifestyle (MoEFCC) has played a pivotal role other endocrine-disrupting chemicals.
Afor Environment), the Indian Gov- in promoting circular economy across
ernment unveiled a list of 75 lifestyle all key sectors by actively formulat- In a recently launched report by
practices that can promote climate- ing policies and promoting projects to Centre for Science and Environment
friendly behaviour. These actions are drive the country towards a circular (CSE), it was stated that almost 97%
listed under 7 categories namely en- economy. Circular economy is cyclic of the collected PET bottles are chan-
ergy saving, water saving, reduced use in nature, directing the economy to- nelized for making fabric and all the
of single-use plastic, sustainable food wards reuse, as opposed to waste at bottles converted to fabric are then
systems, waste reduction (swachhata the end of a product’s lifecycle. claimed to have been recycled as
actions), adopting healthy lifestyle and per the existing policies in the coun-
e-waste handling. For reducing plastic According to the Chemicals and Pet- try. Many brands have recently taken
use, 11 actions were highlighted in rochemicals Manufacturers Associa- charge of recycling pet bottles into
which one was use of recycled plastic tion of India, bottle production from garments, which is one method of re-
over virgin plastic wherever possible. PET accounts for 30% of the global ducing waste generation. Interesting-
demand. The PET packaging and re- ly, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) and
This also leaves room for a special kind cycling ecosystem in terms of GDP Bisleri recycle millions of discarded
of plastic called Polyethylene Tere- value is an astounding Rs 7.5 lakh mineral water, cold drinks and other
phthalate (PET) which will need to crores and the industry is also one of PET bottles to make eco-friendly uni-
be seen from a new prism of a green the largest employment generators forms for their staff, with the help of
economy. PET plastic packaging can in the country, with an employment advanced technologies.
be made not only from its virgin grade footprint exceeding 70 lakhs. It is no
but also from recycled PET (rPET) as wonder then that over 50% of rag The Indian PET recycling industry’s
it is upto 100% recyclable. It not only picker’s earnings come from collect- turnover will be more than Rs. 13,500
recaptures the energy, but also trans- ing used PET products. Crores ($1700 million) in the next 4-5
lates into numerous life cycles for PET years. PET is slowly and surely be-
plastic bottles. Indian PET recycling industry is ex- coming the first material of choice in
pected to grow exponentially in the rigid packages, due to its ease of recy-
Currently, all over the world, every- coming years, as rPET will also be clability and its current established re-
one is focusing on circular economy, used in direct food contact applica- cycling systems in India Another focus
and so is India. Ministry of Environ- tions soon, as it is free from Bisphe- which needs to be highlighted is the
ment, Forest and Climate Change nol A (BPA), phthalates as well as any ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) by

70 PLASTICS NEWS January 2023