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Vikas Mehta is a Dehradun-based former advertising professional
Sometimes, it makes sense to look at a law from the viewpoint of what it does not cover to assess its impact. The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules 2021, which will be implemented from 1st of July this year is a good specimen of the same. On the face of it, the amendment bans use of single-use plastic items. But not all — only 20 identified ones. These 20 items are supposedly low on utility and high on environmental impact. So, carrybags of less than 50 microns thickness, non-woven carry bags of less than 80 gsm, straws, stirrers, small wrapping, packing films, cutlery like foam cups and bowls and plates, laminated cutlery, small plastic cups, ear buds and plastic sticks for balloons, flags, disposable cups and trays, cigarette wrappers are some of the 20 banned items.
But if one looks at the single-use plastic items, things like small water bottles, cigarette filters, plastic bottles for food and beverages, multi-layered packaging, plastic bottles for non food applications are some of the items which are not covered under the amendment.
The discrimination is clear. Products which typically are produced by local small or medium manufacturers have been targeted, but those used by big corporations and brands have been left untouched. For example, plastic packaging, according to a report by Centre for Science and Environment, contributes to almost 60% of total waste generated. So why are small plastic water bottles or food and non food plastic bottles, multi-layered packaging not under the purview of the ban?
Interestingly, plastic packaging waste was covered under an amendment to the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016.
This amendment stated that, manufacturers, importers and brand owners have to take extended responsibility of the packaging waste and in six months had to work out modalities of collection of packaging waste and its disposal through their distribution channel or with the help of local bodies (EPR).
However, this amendment just remained a paper tiger. Some lip service has been paid by some companies and brands sporadically, but nothing concrete has materialised out of it. So, on paper, the two combined amendments of 2016 and 2021 are good but in reality, they will hardly make any dent.
Another point to note is that those at the top of the food chain, polymer producers like GAIL, ONGC, Reliance etc are getting away scot free. So, a poor hawker may be punished for giving away his wares in a thin one- time use plastic bag of less than 50 microns, but big corporations who are responsible for their production are not being targeted. Indeed, a report by Australia’s Mindroo Foundation, which released a plastic waste maker index, ranked Reliance 8th in the list globally, accounting for about 56% of single-use plastic production in India. GAIL & ONGC were in the top 50 too. The report valued this business of Reliance at US$ 6.3 billion and also stated that banks and financial institutions like ICICI, SBI. HDFC, Axis etc extended the company loans to a tune of US$3 billion for this operation.
Time is ticking away to protect the environment. Small, paper tiger steps are making us lose valuable time and resources. Shouldn’t the law be targeting to cover the big corporations, banks, brands and companies too?
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Views expressed above are the author's own.
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