ICPE Stand on Maharashtra Government?s Rules
ICPE is not convinced that Plastics Carry Bags were
grossly responsible for the floods in Mumbai on 26th
July, 2005 as alleged. In fact, several technical committees
have submitted their reports on the above subject
and none of them has blamed plastics carry bags as mainly
responsible for the flooding of Mumbai suburbs. ICPE
continues to hold the same view though ICPE agrees with
the Government that there is a pressing need for collection
and disposal of plastic waste in a more effective and
scientific manner.
Notwithstanding ICPE’s misgivings on the premise
on which the above notification has been issued, ICPE
would like to submit a few observations on certain clauses
of the notification which are technically impracticable
and difficult to implement. These relate to the following:
1. Clause No. 8 (2) of the Maharashtra Government’s
rule lays down that no person shall ‘manufacture’
carry bags of virgin or recycled plastics which are
less than 50 micron in thickness. The rules governing
thickness of the bags vary from state to state. The
Government of India vide “Recycled Plastics
Manufacture and Usage Rules, 1999” and its subsequent
amendment in June 2003 has prescribed minimum
thickness for plastic carry bags as 20 microns.
Several bag manufacturers in Maharashtra produce
plastic carry bags for usage all over India and also
export their products outside India. The present Notification
bars any manufacturing activity if the products
are less than 50 micron thickness. Apart from
doubts on the legal validity of such a blanket ban, it is
also unfair to the manufacturers located in Maharashtra
as they cannot serve customers located outside
Maharashtra or abroad. It is therefore felt that the
Clause No.8 (2) needs amendment and should exclude
manufacturing of plastic carry bags less than 50 micron
thickness as long as they are not sold within the
State of Maharashtra.
2. ICPE has noted that all the restrictions placed under
the above rule are with reference to only plastic carry
bags, which have been defined under Clause 2 of the
Rules. Unfortunately, there is some misunderstanding
at the field level where the Municipal officials have
seized all plastic packaging materials. Clearly, this is
not contemplated in the Rules.
3. Lastly, ICPE believes that the objective behind issuing
of the Maharashtra Plastic Carry Bags Rules 2006
can be substantially realized only with the co-operation
of the industry and the public at large. It is therefore
suggested that an Advisory Committee consisting
of Government, Industry and the implementing
agencies may be set up to help in successful implementation
of the above order.
EC Study Deems
Phthalates Safe for
Range of Products
An extensive European
Commission’s Scientific study has
found that the phthalate plasticizers used
most widely
to soften
PVC pose
no human
health and
e n v i r o n -
mental risks
and their use
requires no
new regulation.
This is
the latest decision
in an
e x t e n d e d
debate in
Europe over the safety of phthalates.
EC’s official journal has published the
study findings recently, found that the
chemicals are safe to use as plasticizers
in a range of applications including PVC
flooring, clothing, cosmetics and medical
products.
The EC finding were, welcomed by
the European Plasticizer Industry. Although
the phthalates cannot be used in
baby toys, officials hope the study
means that the phathalates will continue
to be permitted in other applications
Recycling Packaging
Film Scrap
Osaka Gas Chemicals Co. Ltd. has
started marketing its polymerbased
additive Maricom in China,
Singapore and Malaysia for recycling
packaging film scrap. Maricom helps
compound scrap of polyethelene,
polypropylene, nylon and PET films.
....contd.
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