Government bans plastic packaging of tobacco, pan etc.

October 7, 2016 Incredible India Valli Sarvani No comments

In order to control non- biodegradable waste like pouches and sachets, etc., the government has banned plastic packaging for tobacco products, gutkha and pan masala.

The environment ministry has issued orders on this matter and all the companies of the above products should follow them. The ministry says that the order of the government was issued on September 29 and the guidelines would come into effect immediately. A compliance report is sought within 30 days of the issuance of the order.

Union environment ministry had issued new rules for managing plastic in the first quarter of this year. Several frameworks are designed to control and reduce the use of plastic. The initiation of banning the use of plastic packaging is also part of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules 2016 issued by the ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC).

The Supreme Court had restrained the companies of gutkha, tobacco and pan masala from using plastic materials in sachets in the end of 2010. The order was again reissued in 2011 due to lack of compliance.

But, later in March 2016, new PWM Rules 2016 were made to manage plastic waste. Estimates state that 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated each day out of which only 9,000 tonnes is processed after collection.

Government is anticipating that the new rules would help collect the waste effectively in the county. As per the new rules, use of all forms of plastic material like Vinyl Acetate-Maleic Acid-Vinyl Chloride Copolymer to package the products of tobacco, gutkha and pan masala is prohibited.

The manufacturers of these products have failed to meet the directions of the Apex Court and are using plastic materials to pack their products. Littering the plastic waste remained a major threat to the environment. Hence, the 29 September order came into force to solve the issue.

Foto di Aleksandr Sobolev da Pixabay (Free for Commercial Use)