BHUBANESWAR: Now event management groups and those hosting programmes in open have to abide by new plastic waste management rule and go in for segregation of the waste. They will also have to pay user fee for generating waste.
The Odisha State Pollution Control Board (OSPCB) has asked the plastic waste generators to go in for segregation and pay user fee as specified in the by-law of the local bodies.
The pollution watchdog also directed the local bodies and plastic producers to strictly abide by the new plastic waste management rules which were notified by the Centre recently.
It has asked all the urban and panchayati raj bodies to frame by-laws including the new rule so that it can be implemented immediately.
In a letter, Member Secretary of the board Rajiv Kumar has directed the local bodies to ensure segregation, collection, storage, transportation as well as disposal of the plastic waste.
In Plastic Waste Management Rule, 2016, the Ministry of Environment and Forests has expanded the jurisdiction of the norms since plastic usage has gone up in rural areas. As per the new norms, plastic carry bags or sheets with thickness of more than 50 microns should be manufactured and used.
“The producers and brand owners shall be responsible for plastic waste collection based on extended producer responsibility. The urban and rural bodies must not only ensure collection, segregation and disposal, they must also see to it that open burning of plastic waste does not take place,” the OSPCB said adding, the local bodies must also frame by-laws incorporating the provisions and rules.
The OSPCB has also asked the manufacturers of plastic materials to obtain registration from it. Similarly, vendors dealing with plastic carry bags will have to register themselves with local and rural bodies concerned and pay registration fee as prescribed.
The new norms aim at fixing responsibilities on producers and generators in plastic waste management system and seek introduction of a collect-back system of plastic waste as per the extended producers’ responsibility.
The increase in thickness of plastic carry bags from 40 to 50 micron and stipulation of 50 micron thickness for plastic sheets is likely to increase the cost by about 20 per cent which will curb the tendency of handing out free bags and collection by waste-pickers will also increase.
