Association asks for 6 month gap between notification and implementation

09-Mar-06

Following an ordinance issued in February aimed at preventing "throwing or depositing non-biodegradable garbage in public drains, roads, wetlands, wasteland, water bodies, and places open to public view", plastic bag and accessories manufacturers have asked the Maharashtra government for a time lag of at least 6 months between the notification on the acceptable thickness of plastic bags and the date from when it has to be implemented. The ordinance, dated February 28, also empowers the state government to issue notifications for regulating the use of non-biodegradable material or even banning their use or littering. It also allows the government to issue orders by way of notifications detailing terms and conditions related to standards and specifications for use of packaging material. This means that the government can now specify shape, size, thickness, identification marks, constituents, recyclability etc for manufacturers/distributors or users of such products. The objective of the ordinance seems to be to regulate the use of non-biodegradable material. The state government has prohibited manufacturers, distributors, industrial users or any other person to dispose non-biodegradable material in a careless manner. Non-biodegradable material has been listed as products of acetal, acrylic, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, construction waste such as stones and mud, electronic waste, high-impact polystyrene, nylon, plastic tape used in packaging, polycarbonate, polyethylene, polyethylene teraphthalate, polypropylene, polystyrene, poly vinyl chloride and expanded polystyrene. Specific rules and notifications under the ordinance are yet to be framed.