Page 29 - Plastics News June 2024

ENVIRONMENT NEWS

National Green Tribunal fines Manali municipal council Rs 4.6
crore for poor waste management

he Manali municipal council in Himachal Pradesh has been fined Rs 4.6 crore by the National Green Tribunal
(NGT) for inappropriate garbage management at a dumping site in Rangri village. This came about in response
to a petition claiming that litter that had been scattered over a 2-kilometer area had an adverse impact on the
health and quality of life of those around it, including two local schools and a town. On May 29 deciding orders
that the municipal council pay the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board the amount within three
months.
The waste management site center in Rangri,
which can handle up to 80 tons of garbage
a day despite only having a 20-ton capac-
ity, has been overrun, particularly during the
busiest travel seasons. The tribunal ordered
that the fine be applied for recovery and com-
pensation for the environment. In response,
Municipal Executive Officer Karun Bharmoria
acknowledged the issue and stated that the

facility will also manages trash from the districts of Lahaul, Spiti, and Kullu.

The NGT took action in response to a complaint made in May 2022 by Paldan Phunchog, the head of Shalen gram pan-
chayat, which brought attention to the serious local effect. On January 3, the inspection brought up several infractions,
including raw trash. In addition, a joint committee has been mandated by the NGT to monitor appropriate waste manage-
ment and segregation and to develop an environmental rejuvenation approach within six months.
Source: - The Indian Express

Full plastic bag ban passes California Senate
he California Senate has passed Senate Bill 1053, which aims to expand the state's prohibition on plastic bags
to cover all plastic bags—even those composed of reusable plastic film with recycled content. This measure
expands upon the current law, which prohibits single-use plastic bags at points of sale and mandates a mini-
mum 10-cent charge for reusable or compostable bags. The original restriction was established by SB 270 in
2014 and was reaffirmed by Proposition 67 in 2016.
The current law allows for reusable plastic bags made with at least 40% post-consumer resin and designed for 125 uses,
but a key requirement is that they be recyclable in compliance with Federal Trade Commission guidelines. However, recent
studies and legislative analysis have shown that only 30% of California’s population has access to recycling options for
these plastic film bags, far below the 60% required for them to be considered recyclable.
Senators Catherine Blakespear and Ben Allen have introduced SB 1053, which suggests that reusable bags can no longer
be made from plastic film instead can be made from materials like clothes or woven textiles. It also raised concerned that
by 2028, the increases the percentage of recycled content required for paper bags will shoot from 40% to 50%.

Plastic reclaimers and industry associations oppose the measure, claiming that the restriction will significantly reduce the
market for post-consumer resin (PCR), which is expected to be over 100 million pounds yearly. Reclaimers propose that

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