Page 71 - Plastics News January 2023

IN THE NEWS

the Ministry of Environment, Forest and recycle’ initiative for PET bottles. mon myth is also circulated that glass
and Climate Change (MoEFCC). PET This joint initiative seeks to establish or aluminum bottles are better than
bottles are not banned but are often an organized process of collection of PET bottles. In a comparison of the
clubbed with other non-recyclable PET bottles with 100% traceability, environmental footprints of bottles,
plastics undermining its unique prop- to ensure effective plastic waste man- PET often performs better than glass
erties. Small PET bottles (under 1 Li- agement. or aluminium bottles as less carbon is
tre) fall under threat of ban because of emitted during the production of PET
misinformation and faulty linkage with PET plastic bottles are a popular bottles than the production of glass
the SUP ban. choice for packaging due to the nu- bottles. Also, PET bottles are strong,
merous benefits they provide both to light and shatterproof unlike glass or
However, industry associations like manufacturers and consumers. How- aluminium bottles.
PET Packaging Association for Clean ever, there are myths related to them
Environment (PACE India) are con- that are not accurate. For e.g., ‘Plastic PET plastics have a low carbon foot-
ducting various initiatives and cam- bottle left in a car will leach carcino- print which contributes to India’s
paigns to dispel myths and advocate gens into the soft drink it contains’ goal to achieve net zero emissions
reuse and recyclability around PET but there are no carcinogens present by 2070. A combination of renew-
plastics. in PET plastic. There is also a surpris- able energy use and the inclusion of
ing myth that PET plastics can cause PET/rPET can enable India to meet
Today in India, more than 1000 Re- cancer whereas this is yet again factu- carbon neutrality commitments in
verse Vending Machines (RVM) have ally incorrect. PET products are free line with the larger vision of a circular
been installed to encourage the public from phthalates (i.e., phthalate ester economy. We all need to ensure that
on the need for recycling and create plasticizers) and have no harmful con- recycling rates continue to grow and
awareness in the minds of decision- sequences on human body. the industry urges people to recycle
makers about the vast infrastructure plastic waste including plastic bottles
existing for PET recycling in India. A WHO report mentions that PET and not discard them as litter.
Recently Coca-Cola India has part- does not produce any cancer or en-
nered with 10-Min grocery delivery docrine-disrupting chemicals and it
service, Zepto, for a unique ‘return can be safely recycled. Another com-

Digital experiment to reduce plastic littering along Kedarnath trek gets
Digital India Award

prayag district administration and Re- initiative which also generated new
cykal, Asia’s largest circular economy jobs and an additional income source
marketplace for recyclables, won the for the locals, Recykal founder and
award in the ‘Digital Initiatives in col- CEO Abhay Deshpande said.
laboration with startups’ category.
The award will be bestowed upon
Under the digital initiative, tourists the recipients by President Droupadi
and pilgrims deposited an additional Murmu in New Delhi on Saturday, he
amount of Rs 10 while purchasing said.
products with plastic packaging and
received a refund in cash or via UPI “We are happy the Digital Deposit
A unique digital experiment to reduce upon returning the plastic bottle at a Refund System has received recogni-
plastic littering along the Kedarnath deposit refund centre set up by Re- tion at the national level. We thank
pilgrimage trek has won the Digital cykal in the area. the Uttarakhand government, local
India Award. unions, associations and citizens for
Over 1.63 lakh bottles were thus their relentless support,” Deshpande
‘Digital Deposit Refund System’, a stopped from entering the Himalayan said. PTI ALM NB
combined initiative of the Rudra- trenches and water bodies due to the

January 2023 PLASTICS NEWS 71