19/07/2023
Update: Plastic Waste Management and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) 🌱🌍
📢 The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF&CC) has taken significant steps to address the issue of plastic waste in India. Let's take a closer look at the recent developments and their implications.
1. Notification of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016: Under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, the MoEF&CC notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 (amended in 2018). These rules aim to regulate the recycling and processing of plastic waste.
2. Introduction of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines: To further enhance plastic waste management, the MoEF&CC introduced Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility for Plastic Packaging on February 16, 2022. These guidelines require producers, importers, and brand owners to fulfill their responsibility towards plastic waste management.
3. Registration and Annual Reporting: Producers, importers, brand owners, and plastic waste processors engaged in recycling, waste to energy, waste to oil, and industrial composting are required to register on the centralized portal developed by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB). They must file annual returns, including information on the plastic packaging waste collected and processed, by June 30 of the following financial year.
4. Physical Verification of Plastic Waste Processors (PWPs): The State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) are responsible for completing the physical verification of registered PWPs within 30 days of granting registration. This verification allows PWPs to issue EPR certificates to producers, importers, and brand owners.
5. EPR Certificate Generation: Registered PWPs are required to generate EPR certificates for sales made in the year 2022-23 on the Centralized Extended Producers Responsibility Portal for Plastic Packaging by July 31, 2023.
📝 Update on Progress:
✅ Out of the 1976 registered PWPs, 1272 have been physically verified so far by SPCBs/PCCs.
✅ A total of 1712 brand owners, 2724 producers, and 9528 importers have already registered on the EPR Portal for FY 2022-23.
📣 Compliance Directions:
1. Complete the physical verification of all registered PWPs in your jurisdiction by July 07, 2023.
2. Ensure that PWPs generate EPR certificates for sales made in the year 2022-23 within the stipulated time frame.
📌 Action Required:
Please take the necessary action to comply with the above directions. Submit an Action Taken Report, including details of completed physical verifications and the number of industries generating EPR certificates in your jurisdiction, within 10 days of receiving this direction.
🌎 Together, let's work towards effective plastic waste management and sustainable practices to protect our environment
