Page 42 - Plastics News Issue October 2025
P. 42
ENVIRONMENT NEWS
Discourse correction Besides, even though Indian cities aspire to be
as clean as those in the Western world, they
Waste management is an obligatory responsibil- must not lose sight of financial, social, and en-
ity of the civic bodies in India, which they must vironmental sustainability. “If you prioritise visual
perform efficiently. But in an increasingly urban- cleanliness but start thinking about mixed waste
ised and crowded country, where cleaning up later, you will have a burgeoning landfill. Then,
cities is becoming a Sisyphean task, there is a to get rid of the landfill, you’ll have to mine the
fundamental question to be asked: Would it not legacy waste. You’ll burn what you can. And also
be easier to control the quantum of garbage by lose informal recycling livelihoods in the process.
just discarding less? It is a feedback loop with enormous social and
environmental costs, which countries that have
Minimising waste is also the aim of Swachh
Bharat Abhiyan 2.0, which is to make cities inequalities such as ours cannot afford,” warns
garbage-free by 2026. “While segregation and Barde.
recycling are important, they cannot be done Source - https://www.packaginginsights.com
endlessly. Reduction is the only way out,” says
Chaturvedi. This obviously requires a rethink on
consumerism and retreat to a less ‘disposable’
lifestyle.
GOVT EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR PIBOS AND PWPS
TO FILE ANNUAL RETURNS TILL NOVEMBER 30, 2025
he Ministry of Environment, Forest and The ministry emphasized that the extension
Climate Change (MoEFCC) has extended aims to ensure environmentally sound manage-
Tthe deadline for filing annual returns for ment of plastic packaging waste and reduce pol-
Producer, Importer and Brand Owners (PIBOs) lution caused by littered and unmanaged plastic
and Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs) for the fi- waste.
nancial year 2024-25.In an office memorandum
issued on Tuesday, the ministry informed that The communication, signed by Dr. Amit Love,
the timeline has been extended till November Additional Director/Scientist ‘E’, was issued with
30, 2025, as a special case. The decision has the approval of the Competent Authority and
been taken to ease difficulties faced by PIBOs has also been shared with the Central Pollution
and PWPs and to facilitate timely compliance Control Board (CPCB).
with Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Source- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate
obligations under the Plastic Waste Manage- Change
ment (Second Amendment) Rules, 2023.
42 PLASTICS NEWS October 2025
