Follow Pondy in handling multi-layer plastic, NGT tells southern states

CHENNAI: Observing that Puducherry is very encouraging in handling multi-layered plastic (MLP) waste and aluminium foil waste, the Southern Bench of National Green Tribunal directed city corporations, including Greater Chennai Corporation, in southern states to follow the footsteps of the Union Territory (UT).

Applicants A Krishna, Antony Clement Rubin and Saravanan filed a case seeking direction from the NGT to phase out multi-layered plastic, which are being used in ready to eat snacks, juices, mouth fresheners and others, as they are not recyclable, not energy recoverable and do not have an alternate use.

According to the applicants, the list of single use plastic items, which were banned is not comprehensive as it did not include the MLP which is concerned when it comes to plastic contamination. Even while managing the solid waste, the ban on single use plastic is not comprehensive as it does not include many of the single use plastics used every day. While so, the non-inclusion of the MLP is also equally harmful as the same is used in all the fast moving consumer goods, they flagged.

Based on the application, the NGT sought reports from Pollution Control Boards of all southern states including Tamil Nadu. In its report, the Puducherry Pollution Control Committee stated that there are two units manufacturing MLP in the UT and have submitted the extended producer responsibility (EPR).

"One of the companies is converting non-aluminium foil MLP waste into granules and lumps and blocks which are used for manufacturing value added products like rope, door, pavers and flexible hose. The said unit has also imported aluminium extraction machinery and extracting aluminium metal from aluminium foil embedded in the MLP waste. The extracted aluminium powder is proposed to send to firework units and Aluminium channel manufacturing units, " the Tribunal observed.

The Tribunal also observed that a wrapper of a chips packet or a biscuit packet once discarded will stay in the environment forever because there is no plan to meet the extended producer responsibility to retrieve it from the open. Even the Government does not have a clue as to how to deal with these packets which go to the garbage dump and are indestructible.

Hearing the case, the bench of Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and member Satyagopal Korlapati, directed the MLP industry to work towards substituting MLP with biodegradable plastic.

"The Metropolitan Local Bodies like Greater Chennai Corporation, Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike, Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation, Cochin Corporation and Andhra Pradesh Government are directed to examine the facilities established in Puducherry and establish such facilities either on their own or in a Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode, " the Tribunal said.