Delhi: 8 plastic mfg units issued show cause notice
NEW DELHI: As part of its drive against plastic bags, Delhi Government has issued show cause notices to eight plastic manufacturing units in the national Capital for producing bags of thickness and size, more than prescribed.
“We had inspected 48 plastic bag-making units and lifted samples for analysis of thickness and size. On analysis, it was found that eight units were manufacturing plastic bags more than the thickness and size prescribed in the law,” an official from De lhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) said.
As per the norms, the minimum thickness of recycled bags and virgin bags shall not be less than 20 microns or any minimum thickness as specified by the government. Action has been initiated against the defaulting units under the Water Act/Air Act as wel l as the Delhi Degradable Plastic Bag (Manufacture, Sale and Usage) and Garbage (Control) Act, 2000, the official said.
He added that the defaulters might face closure or follow the law. As per the Act, recycled bags should be coloured and pigmented, and dyes used in manufacturing plastic bags should to be in accordance with the pigments and listed in Bureau of Indian St andards (BIS). The government has also prosecuted more than 30 retail outlets across the city for selling goods in plastic bags. – PTI
Friday, 30 October 2009
More from The Hindu
5 Tons of plastic waste cleared.
ERODE: Five tonnes of plastic waste and bottles is what about 450 students collected from forests near Sathyamangalam.
The students drawn from a dozen schools and a couple of colleges were on a mission recently to clean the forest area and temples where people frequent. Assisting them were Special Task Force personnel and staff from the Sathyamangalam Division of Forest Department.
Divisional Forest Officer S.Ramasubramaniam says under instructions from Conservator P.Durairasu the Department spoke to Inspector General of Police, STF, C.Sylendra Babu and also schools in and around Sathyamangalam. The result of the discussion was the decision to rope in students to clean forests, he says.
On Saturday 450 students and 50 persons from STF and Forest Department covered Bhavani Sagar, Sathyamangalam, Thengumarada, Gejaletti, Hassanur, Arepalayam, Gunderipallam, Thalavady, Sujilkuttai and other areas.
Mr.Ramasubramaniam says the students, drawn from class six onwards, were divided in to 11 groups and put under the care and guidance of STF men and rangers, forest watchers for the day-long operation. Most of the waste the students collected was plastic, dumped in and around Bannari Amman, Karumannarayar temples and Thalavady. Rotary Club of Sathyamangalam and Bannari Amman Sugars also joined the project in that they as sponsors donated T-shirts with environmental messages to the students. At the end of the campaign the DFO says students of Little Flower Mat. School won the prize for their enthusiastic participation. They collected more waste than others. The STF and Forest Department also gave away prizes to best student in each of the 11 groups.
The waste collected has been handed over to the Sathyamangalam Municipality, which in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board will look at ways to safely dispose or recycle it.
Mr.Ramasubramaniam assures that Forest Department will not stop with the cleaning campaign. It has also decided to set up bins at places where people frequent so as to prevent litter. Signboards will also be put, he adds.
ERODE: Five tonnes of plastic waste and bottles is what about 450 students collected from forests near Sathyamangalam.
The students drawn from a dozen schools and a couple of colleges were on a mission recently to clean the forest area and temples where people frequent. Assisting them were Special Task Force personnel and staff from the Sathyamangalam Division of Forest Department.
Divisional Forest Officer S.Ramasubramaniam says under instructions from Conservator P.Durairasu the Department spoke to Inspector General of Police, STF, C.Sylendra Babu and also schools in and around Sathyamangalam. The result of the discussion was the decision to rope in students to clean forests, he says.
On Saturday 450 students and 50 persons from STF and Forest Department covered Bhavani Sagar, Sathyamangalam, Thengumarada, Gejaletti, Hassanur, Arepalayam, Gunderipallam, Thalavady, Sujilkuttai and other areas.
Mr.Ramasubramaniam says the students, drawn from class six onwards, were divided in to 11 groups and put under the care and guidance of STF men and rangers, forest watchers for the day-long operation. Most of the waste the students collected was plastic, dumped in and around Bannari Amman, Karumannarayar temples and Thalavady. Rotary Club of Sathyamangalam and Bannari Amman Sugars also joined the project in that they as sponsors donated T-shirts with environmental messages to the students. At the end of the campaign the DFO says students of Little Flower Mat. School won the prize for their enthusiastic participation. They collected more waste than others. The STF and Forest Department also gave away prizes to best student in each of the 11 groups.
The waste collected has been handed over to the Sathyamangalam Municipality, which in consultation with the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board will look at ways to safely dispose or recycle it.
Mr.Ramasubramaniam assures that Forest Department will not stop with the cleaning campaign. It has also decided to set up bins at places where people frequent so as to prevent litter. Signboards will also be put, he adds.
From The Hindu
TIRUNELVELI: In an attempt to liberate Kanyakumari, Tirunelveli and Tuticorin districts from the clutches of plastic pollution, the India Cements Limited (ICL) here will use this waste being generated from these three districts along with coal, the regular fuel.
According to an estimate, 285 tonnes of solid waste is being generated in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations and Nagercoil municipality every day and ragpickers and conservancy workers segregate the recyclable plastic from the garbage. After segregation, 5.30 tonnes of plastic, which cannot be reused or destroyed, poses a serious threat to the environment.
Plastic to Crude Oil Process - From TreeHugger.com
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, in a bid to manage this hazardous waste scientifically, held discussion recently with representatives of cement manufacturing units across the State on using waste plastic as a ‘supplement fuel’ along with coal — the regular source of energy.
As the management of ICL, having its manufacturing unit at Sankar Nagar on the outskirts of the city, has come forward to use waste plastic along with coal in its factory, Minister for Environment, Youth Welfare and Sports T.P.M. Maideen Khan, Chairman of TNPCB R. Balakrishnan and District Collector M. Jayaraman held discussions with the representatives of ICL, including its senior vice-president S. Nandakumar and assistant general manager (quality assurance) S. Dhakshinamurthy at Tirunelveli Corporation on Saturday.
As plastic waste is being burnt instantly without giving no time for emitting carcinogenic gases, there will not be any threat to the environment.
The first step towards this exercise will commence shortly at ICL employees’ colony at Sankar Nagar where the waste plastic will be collected and sent to the factory.
At the same time, awareness campaigns on ‘segregating plastic at source’ will commence on October 25 at Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations and Nagercoil municipality. “The TNPCB has allotted Rs. 2 lakh each for these local bodies and some more municipalities for conducting an awareness campaign on plastic pollution and segregation at source. It will be conducted continuously,” said Mr. Balakrishnan.
Despite shortage in manpower and other infrastructure like lorries to carry the waste plastic to the cement factory at Sankar Nagar, the public representatives and the heads of these local bodies should cooperate with the TNPCB and the ICL to make this venture a grand success, said Mr. Maideen Khan. “Based on the success, we’ll decide on the final strategy for expanding it to other areas”.
Tirunelveli Mayor A.L. Subramanian, Tirunelveli Corporation Commissioner K. Baskaran, Tuticorin Mayor Kasthuri Thangam, Tuticorin Corporation Commissioner P. Gubendran and Regional Director for Municipal Administration T. Mohan were among those who participated in the deliberations.
According to an estimate, 285 tonnes of solid waste is being generated in Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations and Nagercoil municipality every day and ragpickers and conservancy workers segregate the recyclable plastic from the garbage. After segregation, 5.30 tonnes of plastic, which cannot be reused or destroyed, poses a serious threat to the environment.
Plastic to Crude Oil Process - From TreeHugger.com
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board, in a bid to manage this hazardous waste scientifically, held discussion recently with representatives of cement manufacturing units across the State on using waste plastic as a ‘supplement fuel’ along with coal — the regular source of energy.
As the management of ICL, having its manufacturing unit at Sankar Nagar on the outskirts of the city, has come forward to use waste plastic along with coal in its factory, Minister for Environment, Youth Welfare and Sports T.P.M. Maideen Khan, Chairman of TNPCB R. Balakrishnan and District Collector M. Jayaraman held discussions with the representatives of ICL, including its senior vice-president S. Nandakumar and assistant general manager (quality assurance) S. Dhakshinamurthy at Tirunelveli Corporation on Saturday.
As plastic waste is being burnt instantly without giving no time for emitting carcinogenic gases, there will not be any threat to the environment.
The first step towards this exercise will commence shortly at ICL employees’ colony at Sankar Nagar where the waste plastic will be collected and sent to the factory.
At the same time, awareness campaigns on ‘segregating plastic at source’ will commence on October 25 at Tirunelveli and Tuticorin Corporations and Nagercoil municipality. “The TNPCB has allotted Rs. 2 lakh each for these local bodies and some more municipalities for conducting an awareness campaign on plastic pollution and segregation at source. It will be conducted continuously,” said Mr. Balakrishnan.
Despite shortage in manpower and other infrastructure like lorries to carry the waste plastic to the cement factory at Sankar Nagar, the public representatives and the heads of these local bodies should cooperate with the TNPCB and the ICL to make this venture a grand success, said Mr. Maideen Khan. “Based on the success, we’ll decide on the final strategy for expanding it to other areas”.
Tirunelveli Mayor A.L. Subramanian, Tirunelveli Corporation Commissioner K. Baskaran, Tuticorin Mayor Kasthuri Thangam, Tuticorin Corporation Commissioner P. Gubendran and Regional Director for Municipal Administration T. Mohan were among those who participated in the deliberations.
More from the Press
Times of India
NMC seizes 15 kg plastic bags
29 October 2009
NAGPUR: Despite a ban on ultra thin plastic bags, the festival season saw their return with a vengeance. Since the plastic bags are cheap, shopkeepers are blatantly flouting and offering them to customers to carry the wares. Nagpur Municipal Corporation's health department, resuming its drive against use of plastic bag, conducted raids at various city shops, vendors and seized almost 15 kg of banned plastic bags on Tuesday. The health department raided Akshay Traders, Ashok Restaurant, Vrindavan Prasad, Nikhare Steel Gift Centre, Paunikar General Stores, Disha Saree Centre, A Kumar Tea Company, Nikhil Readymade Centre, Sheetal General Stores, F1 Restaurant and Dosar Restaurant and seized almost 15 kg banned plastic bags. A fine of Rs 5,000 was recovered from each shop owner. A senior health department official told TOI that even after the state had banned manufacture and use of plastic bags below 50 micron thickness under the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Garbage Control Act, 2006, manufacturers and vendors were still supplying these bags.
Indian Army cleans 14-km stretch to Amarnath cave
20 October 2009
JAMMU: The Indian Army, in a major environmental drive, cleaned four tonnes of non-biodegradable waste on the 14 km stretch from Baltal to Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official said Tuesday. The track, located at the height of 12,000 feet above sea level at Baltal to the cave shrine, was littered with plastic bags, empty mineral water bottles and other non-biodegradable material. This exercise was undertaken by the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Sonamarg, 100 km north of Srinagar, under the plan laid out by its Commandant Brigadier Jagmohan Varma, said Colonel D.K. Kachari, PRO of the Northern Command. A team of 247 Army personnel undertook the drive to collect non-biodegradable waste lying in the area with each individual collecting 20 kg approximately. A total of four tonnes of non-biodegradable waste was collected and disposed off, cleaning up the environment under the banner "Save Green Himalayas", Kachari said.
NMC seizes 15 kg plastic bags
29 October 2009
NAGPUR: Despite a ban on ultra thin plastic bags, the festival season saw their return with a vengeance. Since the plastic bags are cheap, shopkeepers are blatantly flouting and offering them to customers to carry the wares. Nagpur Municipal Corporation's health department, resuming its drive against use of plastic bag, conducted raids at various city shops, vendors and seized almost 15 kg of banned plastic bags on Tuesday. The health department raided Akshay Traders, Ashok Restaurant, Vrindavan Prasad, Nikhare Steel Gift Centre, Paunikar General Stores, Disha Saree Centre, A Kumar Tea Company, Nikhil Readymade Centre, Sheetal General Stores, F1 Restaurant and Dosar Restaurant and seized almost 15 kg banned plastic bags. A fine of Rs 5,000 was recovered from each shop owner. A senior health department official told TOI that even after the state had banned manufacture and use of plastic bags below 50 micron thickness under the Maharashtra Non-Biodegradable Garbage Control Act, 2006, manufacturers and vendors were still supplying these bags.
Indian Army cleans 14-km stretch to Amarnath cave
20 October 2009
JAMMU: The Indian Army, in a major environmental drive, cleaned four tonnes of non-biodegradable waste on the 14 km stretch from Baltal to Amarnath cave shrine in Jammu and Kashmir, a senior official said Tuesday. The track, located at the height of 12,000 feet above sea level at Baltal to the cave shrine, was littered with plastic bags, empty mineral water bottles and other non-biodegradable material. This exercise was undertaken by the High Altitude Warfare School (HAWS), Sonamarg, 100 km north of Srinagar, under the plan laid out by its Commandant Brigadier Jagmohan Varma, said Colonel D.K. Kachari, PRO of the Northern Command. A team of 247 Army personnel undertook the drive to collect non-biodegradable waste lying in the area with each individual collecting 20 kg approximately. A total of four tonnes of non-biodegradable waste was collected and disposed off, cleaning up the environment under the banner "Save Green Himalayas", Kachari said.
Thursday, 29 October 2009
News roundup
Times of India
NEW DELHI: Making it clear that banning the use of plastic bags in certain locations of capital does not prohibit the manufacturer to produce plastic bags, the High Court on Tuesday dismissed the plea of plastic manufacturers challenging the Delhi government’s notification on the ban.
Plastic Bag Ban
Upholding the government notification banning use of plastic bags in specified areas of the capital, a division bench of justice Madan B Lokur and justice A K Pathak observed: “Merely because some commercial interests of the petitioners are diluted does not mean that there is no public interest in issuing the impugned notification. We find no good reason to strike down the notification.”
The All India Plastic Manufacturers’ Association had approached the HC, seeking its direction to quash the notification on the ground that they were not consulted before issuing it and the ban would hamper their business interest.
The counsel for the petitioners had contended that the business of the petitioners had come to a standstill because of the notification and termed it an arbitrary measure, violating their fundamental right to trade and business.
Not agreeing with the petitioners contention, the HC bench noted: “We are unable to understand how this is possible. The manufacturing of plastic bags has not been prohibited by the respondents. At best, the manufacturing activity of the petitioners would have been reduced or their quantum of sales would have decreased but that is not sufficient to invalidate the impugned notification.”
The HC said all that the ban sought to achieve was a prohibition on the use, sale and storage of plastic bags in certain locations within Delhi. Again, it was not as if there was a blanket ban on the use, sale or storage of all kinds of plastic bags, it stated.
“It is clear that the limitation on the sale, use and storage of plastic bags in certain areas in Delhi has been laid down keeping in view the problem of solid waste management, particularly of plastic bags, which choke drains and enter the food chain thereby potentially causing health risks,” the HC bench noted.
The Delhi government, on January 7, had banned the use of plastic bags in shopping malls, five star hotels, restaurants, dairies, fruits and vegetable outlets under the Environment Protection Act. The ban had followed the Delhi High Court’s August 7, 2008 order based on the Justice Chopra committee report.
NEW DELHI: Despite the ban on plastic bags, the festival season has witnessed their return to the market. Since the plastic bags come cheap, shopkeepers are blatantly flouting the rules to maximise profits. While traders say that it is not possible to switch to eco-friendly bags “so soon” as the government has not made cheap alternatives available, the environment department admits that it needs to change its strategy to enforce the ban.
Environment department secretary Dharmendra told ToI that the increase in the usage of plastic bags over the past few days had come to the notice of the department and that it would take more stringent measures to deal with the problem. “The use of plastic bags has increased as it is festival time and more people are going shopping. Since our earlier measures have obviously failed to deliver, we will have to rework our strategy,” he said.
According to sources, Delhi consumes roughly 30% more plastic bags than what other states do. The Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) started taking action against offenders much later after the ban was announced in January this year. As per RTI responses available with Vinod Jain, director of NGO Tapas, till last week DPCC had filed complaints in 30 cases while MCD had taken action in five cases each at Najafgarh and Karol Bagh. An NDMC official stated that the agency was not taking any action against offenders, but would only carry out an awareness campaign.
Violation of the ban invites five years imprisonment or Rs 1 lakh in fine, but there has been not much progress in conviction rate because of the long and tedious process of filing complaints against offenders. As per the Environment Protection Act, 1986 under which defaulters stand to be prosecuted the complaint against a violator has to be made by the government or by a private person who has given a 60-day notice to the government. While insiders said there was no way that the judicial process could be bypassed, critics said lack of conviction would prove to be the biggest hurdle for enforcing the ban.
Traders, meanwhile, said there was nothing they could do unless the government made cheap alternatives available. Since business has been extremely good at present, shopkeepers have switched over to cheap plastic bags to maximize profits. Sadar Bazaar market association president Narendra Gupta, said: “We have done as much as we could to generate awareness. Complying with the ban will be a slow process. We cannot expect small traders to suddenly start distributing expensive jute and cloth bags.”
The Hindu:
GANDHINAGAR: The Gujarat government has imposed a ban on sale and use of gutkha and plastic bags in 10 temple towns and pilgrimage centres with immediate effect.
The Thaindian News
Shimla, Aug 16 (IANS) Himachal Pradesh is set to impose a total ban on the use of plastic bags from Oct 2, state Environment Minister J.P. Nadda said Sunday.
“From Oct 2, there would a complete ban on the production, storage, use, sale and distribution of all types of polythene bags made of non-biodegradable materials. But the ban will not include those bags used for packing food items like milk and cereals,” Nadda told IANS.
Ban on Plastic Bags - A good move
The government is also planning to include all plastic materials like disposable plates, cups and glasses in the ambit of the ban, he said.
The ban on use of coloured polythene bags manufactured from recycled plastic was initially imposed Jan 1, 1999. Later in 2004, the ban was imposed under Section 7(h) of the State Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Rules on the use of small polythene bags having thickness less than 70 microns and size less than 18″x12″.
“Now there is total ban on the use of polythene bags of all types and sizes,” Nadda added.
Before the partial implementation of the ban in 2004, polythene pollution was a major problem in the state. During the monsoon, the rainwater brought along heaps of polythene bags and other non-biodegradable material that choked most of the municipal drains.
Under the Himachal Pradesh Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act of 1995, any violator would face a fine up to Rs.25,000. The minimum fine has been fixed at Rs.500.
R.K. Sood, joint member-secretary of the Himachal State Council for Science, Technology and Environment, said: “After imposing the ban in 2004, plastic pollution has come down dramatically.”
Nadda said the government is now exploring the option of promoting paper and jute bags in the state.
“We are exploring the option of promoting paper and jute bags in a big way. Special sensitisation drives would be launched in the state to educate the common man about the ecological hazards and about which type of carry bags are environment-friendly. The tourists would be provided jute bags at various entry points in the state,” he said.
The state would soon have its environmental master plan to tackle critical areas of environmental degradation.
“The master plan will include a baseline study of the environmental vulnerabilities and details of measures to tackle problems mainly related to urban solid waste, industrial pollution and ecological degradation caused by hydropower projects,” the minister said.
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