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Cse In News

Angela Merkel preside ao júri do Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade. Antiga chanceler sucede a Jorge Sampaio

Angela Merkel irá presidir ao júri do prémio para a Humanidade da Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian. Trata-se do primeiro cargo aceite desde que a ex-chanceler alemã cessou funções. A ex-chanceler alemã Angela Merkel vai presidir ao júri do Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade, no valor de um milhão de euros, sucedendo ao antigo Presidente da República Jorge Sampaio, anunciou esta quinta-feira a Fundação. “Trata-se do primeiro cargo aceite por Merkel desde que cessou funções como chanceler em dezembro de 2021“, destacou a Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, em comunicado. O Prémio Gulbenkian para a Humanidade distingue pessoas, grupos ou organizações de todo o mundo que se destaquem no combate à crise climática. Foi atribuído pela primeira vez, em 2020, à jovem ativista sueca Greta Thunberg, que decidiu distribuir o montante por vários projetos ambientais e humanitários. Entre as potenciais áreas de reconhecimento pelo prémio, estão as que possam contribuir para reduzir ou remover emissões de gases com efeito de estufa, as ações para aumentar a resiliência das pessoas e do ambiente aos impactos das alterações climáticas e ainda a mobilização de recursos financeiros, públicos ou privados, para acelerar a descarbonização da economia. No ano passado, o prémio foi atribuído ao Pacto de Autarcas para o Clima e Energia, a maior aliança global para a liderança climática das cidades, sendo constituída por mais de 10.600 cidades e governos locais de 140 países, incluindo Portugal, de acordo com a informada divulgada pela fundação. O montante do prémio foi utilizado para apoiar a transição energética e a resiliência climática em África, tendo sido financiados “projetos de grande dimensão” em cinco cidades no Senegal (fornecimento de água potável) e numa cidade nos Camarões (desenvolvimento de soluções de eficiência energética). Fazem parte do júri, Miguel Bastos Araújo (investigador no Museu Nacional de Ciências Naturais, em Madrid e catedrático de Biogeografia na Universidade de Évora, Prémio Pessoa 2018), Hans Joachim Schellnhuber (fundador e diretor emérito do Instituto Potsdam de Pesquisas sobre o Impacto Climático e professor emérito na Universidade de Tsinghua, na China), Johan Rockström (diretor do Instituto Potsdam de Pesquisas sobre o Impacto Climático e Professor de Ciências do Sistema Terrestre na Universidade de Potsdam), Miguel Arias Cañete (antigo comissário europeu da Energia e Ação Climática), Rik Leemans (diretor do Grupo de Análise de Sistemas Ambientais, Universidade de Wageningen e Wageningen e editor-chefe da revista internacional Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability), Runa Khan (fundadora e diretora executiva da ONG Friendship e presidente da Global Dignity Bangladesh) e Sandra Díaz (bióloga, professora de Ecologia na Universidade Nacional de Córdoba e membro da Royal Society) e Sunita Narain (diretora do Centro de Ciência e Ambiente em Deli e editora da revista Down To Earth).

Green Revolution 2.0: Single-Use Plastic Ban ‘Make or Break’ Moment for Green Future, Implementation Key​

According to environmentalists, the list of banned items could have been more comprehensive, but admit that it is a critical step against plastic pollution As the country prepares to take its first major step to phase out single-use plastic items starting Friday, environmentalists highlight that it is a ‘make-or-break’ moment for India’s green future. The ban will set in motion a long-awaited plan to replace as many as 19 items of ‘low utility’ which are difficult to collect and more challenging to recycle with sustainable alternatives. “Even as we believe that this ban is too limited, we have to admit that it is a critical step towards controlling the menace,” said Sunita Narain, director general of Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). “We do not need to be warned about the problem. We live it every day. Our cities are littered with non-biodegradable plastic material, and it is greatly adding to environmental stress and degradation.” The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021, notified by the government in August last year ban manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified at least 19 single-use plastic items ranging from straws, cutlery to plastic sticks on candies, balloons and ear buds. The list also includes PVC banner with thickness of less than 100 microns often used by businesses for outdoor/indoor signage and advertising, and polystyrene (thermocol) for the purpose of decoration. Though a complete ban on polyethylene bags (poly bags) has already been ruled out — the government has prohibited the use of plastic bags thinner than 75 microns. Starting December 31, the ban will extend to plastic bags with thickness of less than 120 microns. The idea behind is to ensure that thicker bags are easier to collect, and recycle, while the thinner bags most likely tear off and eventually disintegrate into microplastics — a serious health hazard. The ban also covers packaging/wrapping plastic film over cigarette packets, sweet boxes, and invitation cards, but excludes ‘multi-layered packaging (MLP)’ used in almost all fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG), from chips to shampoos to gutka pouches — which is being cited as one of the lacunae. More so, because a lot of this packaging plastic escapes the recycling process, and has to be sent to cement plants for incineration, say experts. According to the government, plastic packaging will be part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR), the guidelines for which were notified in February early this year. Under EPR, the manufacturers/producers will be mandated to ensure environmentally sound management of the product until the end of its life, and eventually bolster the circular economy of plastic packaging waste. There are concerns around the success of this model, and environmentalists argue that there is no information on the quantity of this plastic material which is recycled/reprocessed or the waste the company generates. “Under EPR, companies are required to recycle or reprocess the material they collect only by 2024. Not only is it based on self-declaration, but there is nothing available in the public domain to assess its accuracy,” said Narain. Reflecting on the ban, the noted environmentalist, however, also added that “it is time that people eventually become responsible for their own waste and not use the banned items today, and ask for more to be banned tomorrow—because we must and can live without them.” All Set For The Ban On Wednesday, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) held a meeting with Municipal Commissioners of 42 million plus cities (MPCs)/urban agglomerations (UAs), urging them to lead their teams to enforce the ban within their jurisdiction. “The success of the ban will only be possible through effective engagement and concerted actions by all stakeholders and enthusiastic public participation,” the ministry reiterated. Meanwhile, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), which recently launched a Grievance Redressal App to allow people to report violations, has said it is all set to achieve the ambitious goal. The app has geotagging features with facility to track complaints. Directions have already been issued to e-commerce companies leading single use plastic sellers/users and plastic raw material manufacturers to adhere to the ban. The CPCB has also issued one-time certificates to around 200 manufacturers of compostable plastic, which do not require renewal to promote the use of alternatives. Local authorities have been directed to issue fresh commercial licenses with the condition that SUP items shall not be sold on their premises and the existing commercial licenses shall be cancelled, if entities are found to be selling banned SUP items. The government also plans to set up national and state level control rooms and form special enforcement teams for checking illegal manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of banned single use plastic items. States and Union Territories have been asked to set up border check points to stop inter-state movement of any banned single use plastic items.

Delhi’s street vendors baulk at India’s single-use plastic ban

Ban on 19 items comes in on Friday, but researchers warn that millions are not prepared to use alternatives to ubiquitous plastic On Friday India’s nationwide ban on single-use plastic comes into effect, but a glance at the street vendors who line one road in the Indian capital selling coconut water, flowers, samosas, mangoes and ice-cream – each in their own plastic bag – reveals that few are ready. Faimudin Ahmed, who sells mangoes piled high on a cart, says plastic bags cost him 40 rupees for 250 grams. The cost of paper bags is double that. “Even if I could afford the extra cost of paper bags, they won’t take the weight of two kilos of mangoes. They will break. The only way the ban will work is if customers bring their own cloth bags,” said Ahmed. Two Ugandan women carry a bundle of waste plastic along a red dirt road. From bricks to bags to eco art: six innovative uses for plastic waste around the world Read more Advertisement His neighbour, Akash Ram, says paper straws for his coconut water cost five times as much and doubts if customers will accept such a big price hike. “I can’t afford to lose business. As it is, all I manage to do is feed my family and nothing else,” said Ram. Some customers said it was too drastic and more time should be given to people to get used to the idea. Others were more accepting. ‘It’s not just me who is going to be paying more for the street food I buy. It’s everyone. So it’s OK,” said one auto rickshaw driver. A public that is not yet ready to shop with their own bags, vendors and shopkeepers who have not been provided with alternatives, and the prospect of daily transactions becoming complicated are just some of the problems India faces with the plastic ban. Nineteen items are covered by the ban, including plastic cups, cutlery, ice-cream sticks, earbuds, straws and wrapping. Thousands of other items will remain ubiquitous but for many environmentalists, it is a start. India’s data on its plastic generation is opaque. In 2015, government statistics said the country generated 9.5m tonnes of plastic waste annually, but nonprofit research organisation the Centre for Science and Environment believes the figure was a gross underestimate. The government also claims that 60% of plastic waste is recycled, but a survey by the centre in 2019 found the figure was 12%. Anyone found using single-use plastic will run the risk of a five-year jail sentence or a fine of 100,000 rupees (£1,034) or both. Street vendors interviewed by the Guardian, however, just laughed at the idea. “Since it takes me about eight months to earn that much, they will be wasting their time fining me,” said Ram. Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager at the Centre for Science and Environment, appreciates the difficulties for street vendors, the poor and the companies manufacturing plastic bags that now either face losses or closure unless they can manufacture alternatives. “Such a massive transition is not going to be possible for small manufacturers and small vendors without support from the government and the plastics industry, nor without educating the public to change their behaviour,” said Singh. Some of the behaviour changes include taking cloth bags to shop for groceries and food containers for carrying food. One criticism of the ban is that alternatives are not available. Guidelines issued by the Central Pollution Control Board mention cotton and jute bags, bamboo straws, cups, cutlery, clay cups and biodegradable glass. But there are fears there is not enough supply. The Delhi government is holding a trade fair on 1 July where people making alternative packaging will showcase their goods, but it’s not clear how production can be ramped up to feed the needs of the country of 1.3 billion. Antarctica Microplastics found in freshly fallen Antarctic snow for first time Read more Small signs of progress Here and there, people are ready. A well-known sweetshop in New Delhi is switching to paper from cellophane for wrapping boxes of confectionary. Virendra Sharma, a flower seller, points to the pile of paper sheets near his sunflowers. “I am keeping paper as well as cellophane for wrapping flowers, but the problem is that customers insist on cellophane saying it looks smarter,” said Sharma. Packaging company UFlex is going to start manufacturing 6bn paper straws annually to cater to the demand of the fast-moving consumer goods industry, which uses them for its packs of juice, milk and coffee. Singh believes the plastics industry has been far too slow to prepare for the transition because it didn’t take the prospect of a ban seriously. Initially, the Narendra Modi government planned for a ban in 2020, but it was postponed to give the industry more time to prepare. Even now, many companies that use plastic straws are urging the government to extend the deadline again by three months. “By now the industry should have … prepared itself and been ready to support small entrepreneurs in switching to alternatives. Everyone has to start in real earnest now,” said Singh.

Ban on single-use plastic by July 1, is India Inc ready?

The government has banned the manufacture, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items like plates, cups, straws, trays, and polystyrene from July 1, 2022. Is the industry ready to comply with the ban? The government is all set to implement the ban on single-use plastic from July 1. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke about India’s move in this direction from the ramparts of the Lal Quila on January 26, 2019. Thereafter, in a notification that was issued on August 12, 2021, the government prohibits the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of all identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential with effect from July 1, 2022. Currently, PET bottles that are used to package water do not fall under this category. The ministry is looking at a three-pronged strategy for banning single-use plastic in India: 1. High littering potential - This means products that are quickly thrown away post usage. Most of these are disposable items that are found in drains and are seen as products that contribute to littering. 2. Low utility - These are plastic products that have the least amount of usage or utility after being used. For instance, wrapping plastic sheets is hardly utilised after the packaging is opened. 3. Availability of alternative - If other alternatives can be used in their place. For instance, paper bags, paper wrappings (which can be made from recycled material), bamboo spoons instead of plastic spoons, etc. India generates 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste a year. The government data reveals that India’s per capita plastic waste generation is 3 kg per year. Plastic waste generation during the year 2020-21 is approximately 41,26,997 tonnes per annum as per information provided by all State Pollution Control Boards. Sunita Narain, director general, Centre for Science and Environment, says the way ahead is to ensure that plastic items are recycled or disposed of safely. “For this, we need a three-pronged strategy,” she adds. “Firstly, all the plastic produced and used should be collected for disposal. Secondly, the waste plastic must be recycled or incinerated; it should not reach landfills or choke our waterbodies. Thirdly, the reuse or disposal has to be in a manner that is environmentally friendly and does not end up creating more pollution or health hazards. But most importantly, those plastic items that are difficult to collect or recycle should be eliminated from use. This is where the current ban, however limited, fits in.” IS THE INDUSTRY READY TO COMPLY WITH SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAN? While the government agencies seem ready to bring in enforcement, is the industry ready to change? The Confederation of All India Traders ( CAIT) has sent a communique to Union environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav to extend the last date of imposition of the ban on single-use plastic to one year from July 1, 2022, but has also urged to constitute a joint committee of senior government officials and representatives of stakeholder with a time-bound mandate of suggesting equitable alternatives to single-use plastic so that without any disruption, the country stop using single-use plastic. The letter is the outcome of deliberations held on this critical issue by more than 100 trade leaders from all states of the country at a two-day national conference of CAIT being held at Nagpur in Maharashtra. CAIT National President B C Bhartia & Secretary General Praveen Khandelwal said that “undoubtedly the pollution of the environment is a big threat to human civilisation and corrective steps are much needed to protect the environment. However, before any imposition of the ban, it is all the more necessary to keep equivalent alternatives ready to shift the usage.” MULTI-LAYER PACKAGING IN FMCG GOODS, A CHALLENGE Environmental researchers state that the current list of banned items does not include multi-layered packaging (MLP). CSE researchers point out that MLP is used in almost all fast-moving consumer goods, from chips to shampoos to gutka pouches. advertisement The government says that all packaging material has been included as part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) notification. Under this, the companies that manufacture or consume this material are required to take it back and send it for reprocessing. Annual targets have been fixed for companies on how much is to be recollected. The environment ministry has also set aside a target for the manufacturing industry on recycling. “By 2026-2027, manufacturers will have to recycle 100 per cent of all their plastic packaging," said environment ministry officials. But currently, the target falls behind. By 2022-23, companies are expected to recycle 70 per cent of their plastic. Narain points out that while this “sounds good on paper, there are huge problems in the way EPR has been designed or is being implemented. For instance, there is no information on the quantity of this plastic material or the waste the company generates. Not only is it based on self-declaration, but there is nothing available in the public domain to assess its accuracy. This means the target that has been set for each company is meaningless”. Worse, says Narain, under EPR, “companies are required to recycle or reprocess the material they collect only by 2024. The question, then, is what is happening to the plastic waste that is being collected -- is it being stored or dumped?” advertisement LOSS OF LIVELIHOODS IN INDIA CAIT said that it should not be forgotten that, over a longer period, single-use plastic has emerged as a much bigger industry giving employment to lakhs of people in the country and having an annual turnover of more than Rs 60 thousand crores. Banks and financial institutions have a great stake in the single-use plastic industry and a situation of a complete ban without providing any equitable alternative will cause massive destruction in the working vertical of retail trade in India. “Since traders are the first connection point for the consumers and the public, they will have to face the consequences, though the traders selling the products are acting merely as a component of the supply chain, making things available to the public. However, 98 per cent of single-use plastic is used by MNCs, Corporate Manufacturers, producers, e-commerce companies, warehousing hubs, industry and other types of production units either in their production line or packaging of finished goods,” said the CAIT communique to the environment minister. “The traders are under compulsion to sell goods in whatever pack they receive from the manufacturer or source of origin. Unless and until these companies and manufacturing units are not compelled to stop the use of single-use plastic either in the production line or in the packing of finished goods, there will always be an occasion for the usage of single-use plastic at the consumer end,” it said. WHICH NATIONS HAVE BANNED SINGLE-USE PLASTIC? As of July 2019, 68 countries have plastic bag bans with various labels of enforcement. Recently, Canada announced to ban single-use plastic in their nation from December 2022. The sale will be banned with effect from December 2023 and the country has also said it will stop exporting such plastic by 2025. Bangladesh has banned thin plastic since 2002, while New Zealand banned plastic bags in July 2019. China issued a ban on plastic bags in 2020 with a phased implementation. The European Union issued a directive to ban single-use plastics on July 2, 2021. Eight states in the United States have banned single-use plastic bags, beginning with California in 2014. Seattle became the first major US city to ban plastic straws in 2018, although environmentalists say these are just piecemeal efforts because the United States ranks as the world’s leading contributor of plastic waste, according to a congressionally mandated report released last year. COMPLIANCE IN INDIA While speaking to the media, Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that control rooms would be set up to monitor and ensure the enforcement of the ban at the national and state levels. “To curb the supply of identified items, directions have been issued at the national, state, and local levels. For example, all leading petrochemical industries do not supply plastic raw materials to the industries engaged in banned SUP production,’ informed the minister. Those found violating the ban can be penalised under the Environment Protection Act 1986 which allows for imprisonment up to five years, a penalty up to Rs 1 lakh, or both.

Pollution Control Board lens on 191 units to break supply chain of single-use plastic

Kolkata: The West Bengal Pollution Control Board (WBPCB) — which asked the 191 plastic carry bag manufacturers to stop producing single-use plastic (SUP) bags or anything below the thickness of 75-micron — also started monitoring the units to stop the supply chain of SUP. The WBPCB has identified 1,194 plastic brands for SUP. Haldia Petrochemicals and Dhunsheri petrochemicals, two major suppliers of raw materials in the form of plastic granules, have already been requested not to supply such raw materials to the units if they violate the rules. “We are giving maximum emphasis on building awareness. We have placed electronic billboards highlighting the harmful sides of single-use plastic. We have also formed a network of schools to ensure that students persuade their parents and neighbours to discard the use of thinner plastic bags. We are depending on the students in our fight against the menace,” said state PCB chairman Kalyan Rudra. However, fighting the menace needs a three-pronged strategy necessitating proper recycling and disposal. “All the plastic produced and used should be collected for disposal. Secondly, the waste plastic must be recycled or incinerated; it should not reach landfills or choke our waterbodies. Thirdly, the reuse or disposal has to be done in an environment-friendly manner so that it does not cause pollution or health hazards. The plastic items that are difficult to be collected or recycled should be discarded,” said Sunita Narain, DG, Centre for Science and Environment, an important environmental advocacy group. The notification issued by the state environment department had asked for the complete phasing out of 21 selected single-use items. The ban includes plastic carry bags (less than 75-micron in thickness, to be revised to 120-micron from January 1, 2023), earbuds and plastic crockery items (spoons, plates, glasses), straws and certain plastic-made packaging materials. “The notification has not clearly said about the multi-layered packaging (MLP), which is widely used in almost all fast-moving consumer goods, from chips to shampoos and gutka pouches. These are one of the worst plastic packaging materials, which play havoc with our rain water drainage system,” said Naba Dutta of Sabuj Mancha that spearheaded an anti-SUP campaign across the city and the state. The environment department proposed to urban local bodies and rural local bodies across the state to impose a fine of Rs 50 on the users as well as Rs 500 on the traders violating the norms. However, the maximum fine can run up to Rs one lakh and imprisonment up to five years.

Foreign Imports May Spell Bane For Indian Apple Traders

India being an agrarian country, especially in the horticultural sector has always contributed to the GDP. According to the Commerce Ministry, there has been an increase in the fruits import by 3.8 per cent. Find out here how the importation will affect the economy and traders As per Commerce Ministry’s data, India's apple exports have risen by 82 per cent since 2014, while fruit imports increased marginally by 3.8 percent in the same time period. While India has long been known as an agrarian nation, its economy is gradually shifting to non-agricultural jobs. India is a leading exporter of vegetables and fruits owing to its extensive production of natural resources. As a result, promoting the horticulture sector and making sure it thrives is very important to achieving food efficiency and maintaining the export market. As per the data by National Horticulture Board(NHB) Jammu and Kashmir (70.54 per cent share) Himachal Pradesh (26.22 per cent) and Uttarakhand (2.66 per cent) are the largest producers of apples in the year 2021-22. India stands at the fifth position in the largest producer of apples, with China topping the chart followed by the European Union and United States. Kashmir is the 11th largest producer of apples in the world. Contribution to GDP Being an agrarian country, 42 per cent of India's total workforce is involved in agriculture and allied activities and horticulture accounts for one- third of the total agriculture gross value, the Economic Survey stated. Asif Riaz, General Manager at Tara Blooms Pvt Ltd and expert in crop protection and protected cultivation said, “Horticulture - means fruits and vegetable production, it is highly supportive to Indian farmers to grow cash crops. Particularly small and marginal farmers growing vegetables and selling on cash every alternate day. More support for logistics and storage will be needed to handle the surplus production of a particular crop, for example last year tomatoes were destroyed by farmers due to poor prices in February-March months but after a small gap prices shot up.” The ministry of statistics and programme implementation data said that in the current prices agriculture and allied activities grew at 15.2 per cent in the fourth quarter. In FY21, it was at 6.2 per cent. This results in an inflation impact of 11. 1 per cent in comparison to 3.4 per cent in FY21. The experts have to say that the increase in the growth of the non-crop sector is because of horticulture, floriculture and animal husbandry. “Horticultural production is directly related to value addition and other processed food sectors. If production is increased, it will directly impact the overall economic progress in a positive way and vice versa,” said Vasanthan Selvam, Chief Executive Officer at EDII Periyakulam Horti Business Incubation Forum, Tamil Nadu. The Import Business During April-November 2021-22, the apples arrived from Iran (7.33 per cent) , the United Arab Emirates (3.29 per cent) and Afghanistan(0.43 per cent). Majority of the apples (82 per cent) are imported from Chile, New Zealand, Turkey, Italy, Brazil and the United States, according to Commerce Ministry data. Chile accounts for a quarter of import of apples, while New Zealand (16.45 per cent), Turkey (12.43 per cent) and Italy (10.8 per cent) contribute to the import business. "The apple import in India has doubled to a record of 4,36,194 tonnes from 2,15,538 tonnes in 2020, " a report published by Fresh Intelligence analysis stated. Traders’ Turmoil "This year, 21 heatwaves have hit Himachal Pradesh between March and April , which has affected the production of apples at various stages," Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment report stated. According to the Himachal Pradesh Met department, the state witnessed 95 per cent and 90 per cent less rainfall in March and April months. This has indeed hampered growth of apples in the state. On the other hand, the Jammu and Kashmir Horticulture sector contributes almost 8 per cent to the GDP. Nearly 70 per cent of the traders are directly or indirectly dependent upon horticulture for their livelihood. When asked about how the import of apples hinders the trading of traditional dealers in India, Riaz claimed,"Import of any fruit does not affect the dealers/traders margins, yes surplus imports forced farmers to compete with imported ones. Traders sell imported fruits at higher prices.” He added that apples are a special case because the shelf life of this fruit is longest under ideal storage conditions. If imports are reduced, exports will also be affected. The packaging material price has also shot up as there is a sharp increase of Rs 5000 per tonne of kraft paper in 2021, as per the Federation of Corrugated Box Manufacturers of India (FCBM). In the previous year, the Centre had levied the GST on corrugated boxes from 12 per cent to 18 per cent. The cost of each apple packaging tray cost Rs. 200. Riaz commenting on this issue said, “Previously taxes on packing and other material used in agriculture activities were NIL or at minimum level, but GST is a big issue, it is very high on agriculture implements, tractors and other machineries and many inputs. GST should be abolished and subsidies can be reduced as a balancing act.” “Government should first reduce the GST on Agri inputs like pesticides and fertilisers. Packing materials will not be a big concern for farmers,” Selvam said. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative in 2021 have increased the prices of the fertilisers and pesticides, making it more difficult for the producers. The traders across Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir are also demanding to increase the import duty on the apples. The Fruit, Vegetables and Flower Growers’ Association, Himachal Pradesh have submitted a memorandum to the chief minister of the state in regard to the cheap import of apples from Iran under Free Trade Agreement. As a result, the traders have to sell apples at a low cost to get away with storage. The construction of small-scale storage facilities has also been stymied by a lack of incentives or subsidies from the government.

प्रतिबंधित एकल-उपयोग वाली प्लास्टिक वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं: सीएसई

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने बुधवार को कहा कि एक जुलाई से प्रतिबंधित की जा रहीं एकल-उपयोग वाली प्लास्टिक (एसयूपी) वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं है क्योंकि इसमें बहु-परत पैकेजिंग को शामिल नहीं किया गया है जो प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण संबंधी एक वास्तविक खतरा है। केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय ने अगस्त 2021 में एक अधिसूचना में एसयूपी वस्तुओं को "प्लास्टिक की वस्तुओं के रूप में परिभाषित किया था, जिनका निपटान या पुनर्चक्रण करने से पहले एक ही उद्देश्य के लिए एक बार उपयोग किया जाना होता है।’’ अधिसूचना में चयनित एसयूपी वस्तुओं को चरणबद्ध तरीके से समाप्त करने की योजना भी सामने रखी गई थी। एक जुलाई से लागू होने वाले प्रतिबंध में प्लास्टिक कैरी बैग (75 माइक्रोन से कम मोटाई, दिसंबर 2022 में 120 माइक्रोन तक संशोधित), ईयरबड्स, प्लास्टिक क्रॉकरी आइटम (चम्मच, प्लेट, ग्लास), स्ट्रॉ, जैसी वस्तुएं और कुछ प्रकार की प्लास्टिक पैकेजिंग सामग्री शामिल है। सीएसई की ठोस कचरा प्रबंधन इकाई के कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक सिद्धार्थ सिंह ने कहा कि प्रतिबंध के साथ मुख्य चिंताओं में से एक यह तथ्य है कि प्रतिबंधित वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं है। सूची में बहु-परत पैकेजिंग (एमएलपी) शामिल नहीं है। सीएसई के अनुसंधानकर्ताओं ने कहा कि एमएलपी का इस्तेमाल चिप्स से लेकर शैंपू और गुटखा पाउच तक लगभग सभी तेजी से चलने वाली उपभोक्ता वस्तुओं में किया जाता है। सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, "जब प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण की बात आती है तो यह (एमएलपी) वास्तविक खतरा है, क्योंकि इन वस्तुओं को एकत्र करना लगभग असंभव है और संसाधित करना बिलकुल असंभव है।" उन्होंने कहा, "इस पैकेजिंग सामग्री के साथ केवल यही किया जा सकता है कि इसे भस्म करने के लिए सीमेंट संयंत्रों को भेजा जाए।" सरकार का कहना है कि सभी पैकेजिंग सामग्री को विस्तारित उत्पादक जिम्मेदारी (ईपीआर) अधिसूचना के हिस्से के रूप में शामिल किया गया है। इसके तहत जो कंपनियां इस सामग्री का निर्माण या उपभोग करती हैं, उन्हें इसे वापस लेकर पुनर्प्रसंस्करण के लिए भेजने की आवश्यकता होती है और इस बारे में कंपनियों के लिए वार्षिक लक्ष्य तय किया गया है कि कितना संग्रह किया जाना है। नारायण ने कहा कि यह कागज पर अच्छा लगता है, लेकिन जिस तरह से ईपीआर तैयार किया गया है या उसे लागू किया जा रहा है, उसमें बड़ी समस्याएं हैं। उन्होंने कहा, “उदाहरण के लिए, इस प्लास्टिक सामग्री की मात्रा या कंपनी द्वारा उत्पन्न कचरे के बारे में कोई जानकारी नहीं है। यह न केवल स्व-घोषणा पर आधारित है, बल्कि इसकी सटीकता का आकलन करने के लिए सार्वजनिक रूप से कुछ भी उपलब्ध नहीं है। इसका मतलब है कि प्रत्येक कंपनी के लिए जो लक्ष्य निर्धारित किया गया है, वह व्यर्थ है।”

प्लास्टिक बैन की डेडलाइन को पास आता देख परेशान है उद्योग, सरकारी आदेश में रिसाइकिल वस्तुएं भी शामिल

प्लास्टिक निर्माण क्षेत्र में लगे उद्योगों ने सरकार से अनुरोध किया है कि प्लास्टिक पर व्यापक प्रतिबंध लागू करने की बजाय, सरकार ऐसे खास बिंदुओं की जानकारी दें जिससे प्लास्टिक वेस्ट की रिसाइकिलिंग आसान हो जाए. सिंगल-यूज प्लास्टिक पर प्रतिबंध शुक्रवार से शुरू हो जाएगा. जैसे-जैसे घड़ी की सुइयां 1 जुलाई से शुरू होने वाले प्लास्टिक बैन के नजदीक आती जा रही है, भारतीय प्लास्टिक उद्योग खुद को बेबस खड़ा पा रहा है. वो इस बात की तरफ इशारा करते हैं कि महामारी के दौरान निर्माताओं ने कोविड की रोकथाम के लिए जरूरी माने जाने वाली पीपीई किट और अन्य सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक वस्तुओं की मांग को पूरा करने के लिए सरकार के साथ कदम से कदम मिलाकर काम किया था, लेकिन आज उन्हें रातों रात अपराधी बना दिया गया. सरकार ने उनके साथ अनुचित व्यवहार किया है. शुक्रवार से भारत में सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक से बनी वस्तुओं के निर्माण, आयात, स्टॉकिंग, वितरण, बिक्री और उपयोग पर प्रतिबंध लग जाएगा. ये प्लास्टिक एक बार इस्तेमाल कर फेंक दी जाती है और कूड़े के बड़े ढेर के लिए जिम्मेदार है. सरकार ने फास्ट-मूविंग कंज्यूमर गुड्स (एफएमसीजी) कंपनियों समेत कई अलग-अलग हितधारकों के अनुरोधों के बावजूद समय सीमा बढ़ाने से इनकार कर दिया है. प्रतिबंधित की जाने वाली वस्तुओं में प्लास्टिक के प्लेट, कप और गिलास, और कटलरी जैसे कांटे, चम्मच, चाकू, पुआल, ट्रे और स्टिरर शामिल हैं. ईयरबड्स, गुब्बारे, झंडे, कैंडी और आइसक्रीम के लिए प्लास्टिक की छड़ें, और सजावट के लिए थर्माकोल, रैपिंग या पैकिंग फिल्म, प्लास्टिक के इनविटेशन कार्ड, सिगरेट के पैकेट और 100 माइक्रोन से कम के पीवीसी बैनर की भी अनुमति नहीं होगी. केंद्रीय प्रदूषण नियंत्रण बोर्ड (CPCB) के अनुसार, भारत में लगभग 683 इकाइयां हैं जो हर साल लगभग 2.4 लाख टन सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक का निर्माण करती हैं. उद्योग के प्रतिनिधि सरकार से सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक उत्पादों पर प्रतिबंध लगाए जाने की समय-सीमा को बढ़ाए जाने की मांग कर रहे हैं. इसके साथ ही उन्होंने कई उत्पादों पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के सरकार के कदम पर भी सवाल उठाया है, जिनके बारे में उनका दावा है कि उन्हें रिसाइकिल किया जा सकता है. थर्मोफॉर्मर्स एंड एलाइड इंडस्ट्रीज एसोसिएशन (TAIA) के अनुसार, उद्योग का टर्नओवर 10,000 करोड़ रुपये है और इसमें सीधे तौर पर 2 लाख लोग काम कर रहे हैं. उनके अनुसार, यह प्रतिबंध रातोंरात 5,000 करोड़ रुपये की संपत्ति को बेकार कर देगा. उन्होंने कहा कि इस प्रतिबंध से रीसाइक्लिंग उद्योग पर भी असर पड़ेगा, जो अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से 4.5 लाख लोगों की रोजी-रोटी से जुड़ा है. पॉलीप्रोपाइलीन से बनी ट्रे, ग्लास और कटलरी जैसे सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक की वस्तुओं को रैग पिकर्स कूड़े से उठाकर और रीसायकलर्स को बेचते हैं, जो उनका इस्तेमाल प्लास्टिक शीट बनाने में करते है और फिर उनसे टूथब्रश और अन्य कठोर प्लास्टिक उत्पादों के ब्रिसल्स बनाए जाते हैं. दिप्रिंट ने ईमेल के जरिए पर्यावरण मंत्रालय से टिप्पणी लेने की कोशिश की थी, लेकिन इस रिपोर्ट के प्रकाशित होने तक कोई प्रतिक्रिया नहीं मिली. सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) के विशेषज्ञों ने प्रतिबंध को ‘लिमिटेड’ बताया है, लेकिन साथ ही ये भी कहा कि प्लास्टिक के खतरे को नियंत्रित करने की दिशा में यह ‘एक महत्वपूर्ण कदम’ है. उन्होंने इस तथ्य पर उद्योग की चिंताओं का समर्थन किया कि प्रतिबंध मल्टी-लेयर्ड पैकेजिंग को कवर नहीं करता है, जिसका इस्तेमाल ‘चिप्स से लेकर शैंपू और गुटखा पाउच तक लगभग सभी उपभोक्ता सामानों में धड़ल्ले से किया जाता है.’ ‘मल्टी-लेयर प्लास्टिक से नुकसान ज्यादा’ TAIA के अनुसार, मल्टी-लेयर्ड प्लास्टिक या मल्टी-लेयर्ड पैकेजिंग (MLP), प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण का एक बड़ा कारण हैं. लेकिन सरकार ने एमएलपी को चरणबद्ध तरीके से खत्म करने के लिए अपने निर्माताओं को दो साल का समय दिया है. टीएआईए के संयुक्त सचिव अंकुर नागपाल ने कहा, ‘ये उत्पाद वजन में हल्के होते हैं और इन्हें रीसायकल करना ज्यादा मुश्किल है. ये लैंडफिल के ढेर को बढ़ाने और महासागरों को प्रदूषित करने का काम करते है.’ मल्टी-लेयर्ड प्लास्टिक का निपटारा करने के लिए, इनका इस्तेमाल सड़क निर्माण और ईंधन उत्पादन जैसे उद्देश्यों के लिए किया जाता है. सीपीसीबी विभिन्न एजेंसियों को सड़क निर्माण के लिए बेकार प्लास्टिक का इस्तेमाल करने के लिए प्रेरित कर रहा है. इस उद्योग से जुड़े खिलाड़ियों का कहना है कि कम रिटर्न के कारण कचरा बीनने वाले ऐसे वेस्ट प्लास्टिक उत्पादों को इकट्ठा करने से बचते हैं. इस वजह से नगर पालिका एजेंसियों पर एमएलपी अलगाव की जिम्मेदारी डाल देता है. टीएआईए पूर्वी क्षेत्र के संयुक्त सचिव प्रेम कुमार ने कहा, ‘ हमने पाया कि बिहार में सरकार सड़कों के निर्माण के लक्ष्य को पूरा करने के लिए आवश्यक प्लास्टिक की खरीद तक नहीं कर पा रही थी. ऐसा इसलिए क्योंकि नगर निगम प्लास्टिक कचरे को इकट्ठा करने और अलग करने जैसे जरूरी काम को अंजाम नहीं दे पा रहा था.’ लोकसभा में एक सरकारी जवाब के अनुसार, भारत ने 2019-2020 में 34.69 लाख टन प्रति वर्ष (टीपीए) प्लास्टिक कचरे का उत्पादन किया. जिसमें से लगभग 15.8 लाख टीपीए प्लास्टिक कचरे को रिसाइकिल किया गया और 1.67 लाख टीपीए को सीमेंट भट्टों में को- प्रोसेस्ड किया गया. 29 जून को जारी एक बयान में सीएसई प्रमुख सुनीता नारायण ने भारत में प्लास्टिक कचरे से निपटने के लिए तीन-आयामी रणनीति की वकालत की थी. उन्होंने कहा, ‘सबसे पहले उत्पादित और इस्तेमाल की जाने वाली सभी प्लास्टिक को निपटान के लिए इकट्ठा किया जाना चाहिए. दूसरे, वेस्ट प्लास्टिक को रिसायकल्ड करना या फिर जला दिया जाना चाहिए ताकि यह लैंडफिल तक न पहुंचे या फिर हमारे जलाशयों में जाकर इकट्ठा न हो.’ वह आगे कहती हैं, ‘तीसरा, इसका रीयूज या निपटान कुछ इस तरह से किया जाना चाहिए कि वह पर्यावरण के अनुकूल हो और इससे अधिक प्रदूषण या स्वास्थ्य संबंधी खतरे पैदा न हों. लेकिन सबसे जरूरी बात यह है कि जिन प्लास्टिक वस्तुओं को इकट्ठा करना या उनका रिसाइकिल करना मुश्किल है, उन्हें उपयोग से बाहर कर देना जाना चाहिए. यह वह जगह है जहां मौजूदा प्रतिबंध, हालांकि सीमित है, लेकिन फिट बैठते हैं’ कोई ‘व्यवहार्य’ विकल्प नहीं TAIA के प्रतिनिधियों का कहना है कि प्लास्टिक काफी आम है और इसका अब तक कोई अन्य व्यवहार्य विकल्प नहीं हैं. नागपाल ने कहा, ‘बायोडिग्रेडेबल प्लास्टिक काफी महंगी हैं. सड़क किनारे समान बेचने वाले के लिए इसे इस्तेमाल में लाना आसान नहीं है. इससे उसकी लागत काफी बढ़ जाएगी. इसके अलावा उस प्लास्टिक में गर्म खाना और पेय पदार्थ नहीं परोसा जा सकता है.’ उन्होंने कहा, ‘कागज से बना समान पर्यावरण पर और अधिक बोझ डालते हैं. और वैसे भी इन्हें जूस या पेय उत्पादों के लिए इस्तेमाल नहीं किया जा सकता है. अधिकांश पेपर कप की मजबूती के लिए प्लास्टिक का उपयोग किया जाता है. इस वजह ये इसका कचरा नॉन-रीसाइकिलेबल हो जाता है और माइक्रोप्लास्टिक प्रदूषण को बढ़ा देता है.’ एसोसिएशन ने दावा किया कि भले ही प्रधानमंत्री ने 2019 में सिंगल यूज प्लास्टिक पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के भारत की मंशा को जाहिर किया हो लेकिन इसके कोई स्पष्ट दिशानिर्देश नहीं हैं. कुमार ने कहा, ‘सरकार के साथ शुरुआती विचार-विमर्श के दौरान हमें बताया गया था कि रिसाइकिल करने योग्य उत्पादों पर प्रतिबंध नहीं लगाया जाएगा. अगर सरकार उन पर प्रतिबंध लगाने की योजना बना रही थी, तो उन्होंने इस तरह के विस्तार को मंजूरी क्यों दी? जब हम गेल या ओएनजीसी से कच्चे माल के लिए भारी ऑर्डर दे रहे थे तो हमें क्यों नहीं रोका गया?’ नागपाल ने कहा कि वे चाहते हैं कि ‘सरकार हमें बताए कि हमें क्या उत्पादन करना चाहिए कि जिस पर वह प्रतिबंध नहीं लगाएगी.’ टीएआईए के राष्ट्रीय सचिव भावेश भोजानी ने कहा, ‘हमारी रोजगार के साधनों को बंद करने के बजाय, हम सरकार से उन ऐसे खास बिंदुओं की जानकारी देने के लिए कह रहे हैं जिससे प्लास्टिक वेस्ट की रिसाइकिलिंग आसान हो जाए.’ वह आगे कहते हैं, ‘हम सरकार के साथ हैं और सहयोग करने के इच्छुक हैं.’ एसोसिएशन ने सुझाव दिया है कि सरकार 210 मिली से कम क्षमता वाले और 5 ग्राम से कम वजन वाले प्लास्टिक कप के उत्पादन को प्रतिबंधित करे. इसमें कहा गया है कि प्लेट और ट्रे की मोटाई 150 माइक्रोन से कम या वजन 5 ग्राम से कम नहीं होना चाहिए. भोजानी ने कहा कि अगर उत्पाद भारी हैं, तो कचरा बीनने वालों के लिए उन्हें इकट्ठा करने और उन्हें रीसायकल करने वालों को बेचने के लिए अधिक प्रोत्साहन मिलता है. उन्होंने कहा कि उद्योग फोमड प्लास्टिक पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के सरकार के फैसले का समर्थन करते हैं.

सीएसई ने लगाया आरोप, कहा- प्रतिबंधित एकल-उपयोग वाली प्लास्टिक वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं

सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने बुधवार को कहा कि एक जुलाई से प्रतिबंधित की जा रहीं एकल-उपयोग वाली प्लास्टिक (Single use Plastic) वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं है क्योंकि इसमें बहु-परत पैकेजिंग को शामिल नहीं किया गया है जो प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण संबंधी एक सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरनमेंट (सीएसई) ने बुधवार को कहा कि एक जुलाई से प्रतिबंधित की जा रहीं एकल-उपयोग वाली प्लास्टिक (एसयूपी (Single use Plastic)) वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं है क्योंकि इसमें बहु-परत पैकेजिंग को शामिल नहीं किया गया है जो प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण संबंधी एक वास्तविक खतरा है. केंद्रीय पर्यावरण मंत्रालय (Ministry of Environment) ने अगस्त 2021 में एक अधिसूचना में एसयूपी वस्तुओं को ‘प्लास्टिक की वस्तुओं के रूप में परिभाषित किया था, जिनका निपटान या पुनर्चक्रण करने से पहले एक ही उद्देश्य के लिए एक बार उपयोग किया जाना होता है.’ अधिसूचना में चयनित एसयूपी वस्तुओं को चरणबद्ध तरीके से समाप्त करने की योजना भी सामने रखी गई थी. एक जुलाई से लागू होने वाले प्रतिबंध में प्लास्टिक कैरी बैग (75 माइक्रोन से कम मोटाई, दिसंबर 2022 में 120 माइक्रोन तक संशोधित), ईयरबड्स, प्लास्टिक क्रॉकरी आइटम (चम्मच, प्लेट, ग्लास), स्ट्रॉ, जैसी वस्तुएं और कुछ प्रकार की प्लास्टिक पैकेजिंग सामग्री शामिल है. सीएसई की ठोस कचरा प्रबंधन इकाई के कार्यक्रम प्रबंधक सिद्धार्थ सिंह ने कहा कि प्रतिबंध के साथ मुख्य चिंताओं में से एक यह तथ्य है कि प्रतिबंधित वस्तुओं की सूची व्यापक नहीं है. सूची में बहु-परत पैकेजिंग (एमएलपी) शामिल नहीं है. सीएसई के अनुसंधानकर्ताओं ने कहा कि एमएलपी का इस्तेमाल चिप्स से लेकर शैंपू और गुटखा पाउच तक लगभग सभी तेजी से चलने वाली उपभोक्ता वस्तुओं में किया जाता है. प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण वास्तविक खतरा है: सुनीता नारायण सीएसई की महानिदेशक सुनीता नारायण ने कहा, ‘जब प्लास्टिक प्रदूषण की बात आती है तो यह (एमएलपी) वास्तविक खतरा है, क्योंकि इन वस्तुओं को एकत्र करना लगभग असंभव है और संसाधित करना बिलकुल असंभव है.’ उन्होंने कहा, ‘इस पैकेजिंग सामग्री के साथ केवल यही किया जा सकता है कि इसे भस्म करने के लिए सीमेंट संयंत्रों को भेजा जाए.’ सरकार का कहना है कि सभी पैकेजिंग सामग्री को विस्तारित उत्पादक जिम्मेदारी (ईपीआर) अधिसूचना के हिस्से के रूप में शामिल किया गया है. सटीकता का आकलन करने के लिए सार्वजनिक रूप से कुछ भी उपलब्ध नहीं इसके तहत जो कंपनियां इस सामग्री का निर्माण या उपभोग करती हैं, उन्हें इसे वापस लेकर पुनर्प्रसंस्करण के लिए भेजने की आवश्यकता होती है और इस बारे में कंपनियों के लिए वार्षिक लक्ष्य तय किया गया है कि कितना संग्रह किया जाना है. नारायण ने कहा कि यह कागज पर अच्छा लगता है, लेकिन जिस तरह से ईपीआर तैयार किया गया है या उसे लागू किया जा रहा है, उसमें बड़ी समस्याएं हैं. उन्होंने कहा, ‘उदाहरण के लिए, इस प्लास्टिक सामग्री की मात्रा या कंपनी द्वारा उत्पन्न कचरे के बारे में कोई जानकारी नहीं है. यह न केवल स्व-घोषणा पर आधारित है, बल्कि इसकी सटीकता का आकलन करने के लिए सार्वजनिक रूप से कुछ भी उपलब्ध नहीं है. इसका मतलब है कि प्रत्येक कंपनी के लिए जो लक्ष्य निर्धारित किया गया है, वह व्यर्थ है.’

Single use plastic ban: Implementation is a big problem, says CSE

Narain said, “Implementation of the ban will be the key.The ban on plastic carry bags, for instance, is not novel. As many as 25 states and Union territories have already banned them, as per the latest report of the Central Pollution Control Board. While states say it is difficult to regulate this item based on plastic thickness, it is clear that the enforcement is inadequate.” As India bans single-use plastic from 1 July, the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) while welcoming the step has shown concern over its implementation. Sunita Narain, Director General, CSE said: “Even as we believe that this ban is too limited, we have to admit that it is a critical step towards controlling the menace. We do not need to be warned about the problem. We live it every day. Our cities are littered with non-biodegradable plastic material, and it is greatly adding to environmental stress and degradation.” However, Narain added, “Implementation of the ban will be the key. The ban on plastic carry bags, for instance, is not novel. As many as 25 states and Union territories have already banned them, as per the latest report of the Central Pollution Control Board. While states say it is difficult to regulate this item based on plastic thickness, it is clear that the enforcement is inadequate.” “One of the main concerns with the ban is the fact that the list of banned items is not comprehensive,” says Siddhartha Singh, programme manager, Solid Waste Management unit, CSE. For one, the list does not include multi-layered packaging (MLP). CSE researchers point out that MLP is used in almost all fast-moving consumer goods, from chips to shampoos to gutka pouches. Says Narain: “This is the real menace when it comes to plastic contamination, because these items are almost impossible to collect and absolutely impossible to process. The only thing that can be done with this packaging material is to send it to cement plants for incineration.” The government says that all packaging material has been included as part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) notification. Under this, the companies that manufacture or consume this material are required to take it back and send it for reprocessing – in fact, annual targets have been fixed for companies on how much is to be recollected. Narain points out that while this “sounds good on paper, there are huge problems in the way EPR has been designed or is being implemented. For instance, there is no information on the quantity of this plastic material or the waste the company generates. Not only is it based on self-declaration, but there is nothing available in the public domain to assess its accuracy. This means the target that has been set for each company is meaningless”. She said that the way ahead is to ensure that plastic items are recycled or disposed of safely. “For this, we need a three-pronged strategy. Firstly, all the plastic produced and used should be collected for disposal. Secondly, the waste plastic must be recycled or incinerated; it should not reach landfills or choke our waterbodies,” she said. The environmentalist further said, “Thirdly, the reuse or disposal has to be in a manner that is environmentally friendly and does not end up creating more pollution or health hazards. But most importantly, those plastic items that are difficult to collect or recycle should be eliminated from use. This is where the current ban, however limited, fits in.” In an August 2021 notification, the Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change (MoEFCC) had defined single-use plastic commodities as “plastic items intended to be used once for the same purpose before being disposed of or recycled”. The notification had also put forward a plan for phasing out 21 selected single-use items. The ban that comes into effect this year will cover all these items, which include plastic carry bags (less than 75 micron in thickness, to be revised to 120 micron in December 2022), earbuds, plastic crockery items (spoons, plates, glasses etc), straws, and certain kinds of plastic packaging material.

Banned single-use plastic items not comprehensive; multi-layer packaging real menace: CSE

The ban that comes into effect from July 1 covers items such as plastic carry bags (less than 75 micron in thickness, to be revised to 120 micron in December 2022), earbuds, plastic crockery items (spoons, plates, glasses), straws, and certain kinds of plastic packaging material. The list of single-use plastic (SUP) items being banned from July 1 is not comprehensive as it excludes multi-layer packaging which is the real menace when it comes to plastic contamination, green think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) said on Wednesday. In an August 2021 notification, the Union environment ministry had defined SUP commodities as “plastic items intended to be used once for the same purpose before being disposed of or recycled”. The notification had also put forward a plan for phasing out selected SUP items. The ban that comes into effect from July 1 covers items such as plastic carry bags (less than 75 micron in thickness, to be revised to 120 micron in December 2022), earbuds, plastic crockery items (spoons, plates, glasses), straws, and certain kinds of plastic packaging material. One of the main concerns with the ban is the fact that the list of banned items is not comprehensive, said Siddharth Singh, programme manager, Solid Waste Management unit, CSE. For one, the list does not include multi-layered packaging (MLP). CSE researchers pointed out that MLP is used in almost all fast-moving consumer goods, from chips to shampoos to gutka pouches. CSE director general Sunita Narain said, “This (MLP) is the real menace when it comes to plastic contamination, because these items are almost impossible to collect and absolutely impossible to process.'' ''The only thing that can be done with this packaging material is to send it to cement plants for incineration,” she said. The government says that all packaging material has been included as part of the extended producer responsibility (EPR) notification. Under this, the companies that manufacture or consume this material are required to take it back and send it for reprocessing and annual targets have been fixed for companies on how much is to be recollected. Narain said while this sounds good on paper, there are huge problems in the way EPR has been designed or is being implemented. “For instance, there is no information on the quantity of this plastic material or the waste the company generates. Not only is it based on self-declaration, but there is nothing available in the public domain to assess its accuracy. This means the target that has been set for each company is meaningless,” she said. “Worse, under EPR, companies are required to recycle or reprocess the material they collect only by 2024. The question, then, is what is happening to the plastic waste that is being collected -- is it being stored or dumped?” Narain said. One of the plastic items to be banned is plastic straws and giant FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) companies are claiming that these are an inherent part of the product packaging and have a low littering propensity. These companies are seeking an extension of six to twelve months on the ban. However, CSE researchers rubbished the claim, and pointed out that the industry has already received an extension of six months, with the deadline moved from January 1, 2022 to July 1, 2022.

India bans single-use plastic from July 1; violators can be penalised

The next time you visit the markets in India, you may not find plastic cups, straws, cutlery, earbuds and thermocol as the country-wide ban on single-use plastics, which have been a threat to the planet and ecosystem for decades, comes into effect from July 1. The Indian environment ministry issued a notification to ban single-use plastics below 100 microns in August 2021 to be implemented from July 1, 2022. Plastics are huge contributors to climate change. 130 million metric tonnes of plastic were discarded globally in 2019. In its fight against the climate crisis, India has decided to put a blanket ban on not just manufacturing, but sale, purchase, import, distribution, stocking and any kind of usage of single-use plastics (SUPs), including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene. Plastics take forever to break down and emit toxic greenhouse gases. With India's bold step, all products made of single-use plastic including plastic straws, plastic cutlery, plates, cups and glasses, earbuds, thermocol items, wrapping films around sweet boxes, invitation/greeting cards and cigarette boxes, will be off the shelves from Friday. Also, plastic carry bags under 100 microns of thickness will be banned from July 1, 2022, while those up to 120 microns will be banned by the end of the year. While several restaurants and people have consciously broken up with single-use plastic, markets still have a huge stock of such products to do away with. The organized sector though seems prepared to deal with the ban and switch to alternatives. However, it is the unorganized sector and small shop owners who seem hassled and unprepared, especially regarding the cost of alternatives to single-use plastics. Some small restaurant owners expressed concern that the cost of alternatives was costing almost double that plastic. "The move to ban plastic is good but we need cheaper alternatives. We were using plastic containers to deliver food items but now with the ban coming into effect, the only alternative we know is paper containers. But they are very expensive. One plastic box 250 ml capacity costs us Rs 6 while the same in paper costs us Rs 11-12," said a restaurateur who did not wish to be identified. Indian Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that enough time has been given already to get to rid of single-use plastic. The ban was first announced by India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, 2021. Though environment experts termed it as a critical step by India towards controlling the plastic menace, they also felt that the ban on plastic carry bags is not novel. As many as 25 Indian states and Union territories have already banned them, as per the latest report of the country's pollution watchdog Central Pollution Control Board. "While states say it is difficult to regulate this item based on plastic thickness, it is clear that the enforcement is inadequate," said Indian think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Another pollution expert said that it was a welcome move by India which would reduce plastic waste generation in the country. "We welcome the ban on single use plastic items by India and hope that this would be enforced on ground by the regulatory/monitoring bodies and supported by citizens. The ban will help reduce plastic waste generation in the country," said Ashish Jain, Director, Indian Pollution Control Association (IPCA). But what happens if you don't abide by the ban in India? It may attract stringent provisions under the Environment Protection Act, which entail a jail term of up to 5 years and fine up to Rs one lakh. However, India's Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that the power to take punitive action rests with urban local bodies and the state pollution control boards. Penalties may vary from state to state. For example, in India's national capital, the municipal corporations could levy a fine ranging between Rs 500 and Rs 5,000. Yadav said that the Indian government does not want to create a panic among citizens and wants to encourage the practice of choosing alternatives to plastics, some of which are already available. "We want people's participation and cooperation in this movement to eliminate the plastic menace. We don't want this to be done out of fear," Yadav said. Apart from India, several other nations have pledged to eliminate single-use plastic. Canada recently announced that it will ban the manufacture and import of SUPs by the end of this year. Bangladesh became the first country in 2008 to ban thin plastic waste while New Zealand banned plastic bags in 2019, and China announced plastic ban in 2020. Several states in the United States have banned it too.

All Noida villages to have tap water by end of next year, says irrigation dept

Noida: The irrigation department has recently surveyed and found that over 90 villages in Noida do not have tap water connection and residents are forced to use groundwater for their daily needs Noida: The irrigation department has recently surveyed and found that over 90 villages in Noida do not have tap water connection and residents are forced to use groundwater for their daily needs. The district administration is in the process of building storage tanks and getting tap water connection to these villages within this year. Of the 90 villages surveyed, 12 were transferred to the authorities (Noida, Greater Noida and Yamuna Expressway), while 78 remained with the district administration. During the survey conducted over the past two months, it was found that government or community land was available in 68 villages. “We are now at different stages of identifying land in the villages, preparing a detailed project report, constructing water tankers and providing tap water connections. Most of the households have submersible pumps and extract much more water than required. With tap water connection, we will be able to reduce water wastage substantially and will be able to prevent the groundwater levels from receding further,” said Suhas LY, district magistrate, Gautam Budh Nagar. A detailed project report (DPR) has been made for providing tap water connection in each of these villages and is being sent for approval to the State Water Sanitation Mission (SWSM) under the Namami Gange Programme. Officials said that the DPR for 48 villages have already been sent and 37 of these have also been approved. “We have started constructing water storage tankers and laying tap water pipelines in some of the villages. We have also started testing the water flow in five villages where 3,500 tap water connections have been given so far. The aim is to ensure that the entire work for these 48 villages is complete by the end of this year and all villages in the district have tap water before the end of next year,” said Bharat Bhushan, executive engineer, irrigation department. The five villages where testing is going on are Nagla Chamru, Chakrasenpur, Khangora, Ballabhnagar and Milakh Karimabad. Most of these villages without tap water connection are in Dadri block. The total cost of the project in the 48 villages for which DPR has been prepared is about ₹115 crore. It will benefit 18,000 households with a total population of around 113,000 people, sources said. The 30 villages for which DPR is yet to be prepared include 12,000 households with a population of around 70,000. According to the Central Ground Water Authority, Gautam Budh Nagar is among the most ‘water-stressed’ districts in the state. A report by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) on the state of water in Uttar Pradesh in 2021 also mentions the district being highly over-exploited. In the last five years, the average pre-monsoon groundwater level in Noida increased from 9.95 metres in 2016 to 25.28 metres in 2020 — a change of 154%. For Greater Noida, the average groundwater level dropped from 6.66 metres to 12.75 metres during the same period — a change of 91.41%. Officials said that having tap water connection is a step towards checking the rapidly falling groundwater table in the district.

Mission Sustainability Conclave | Mobius Foundation

Mobius Foundation in partnership with Zee Network and WION launched a one-year-long public awareness initiative called ‘Mission Sustainability – Population v/s Planet’. This unique campaign commenced with a two-hour-long “ Thought Leadership Conclave” with eminent dignitaries and experts including Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, and Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI AAYOG. The Campaign focused on the impact of overpopulation on issues such as Climate Change, Bio-Diversity, and Natural Resources, Energy Crisis, Air Population, Job and Housing, Water Pollution, Depletion of Non- Renewable Resources, Education, and Empowerment, Waste Generation, Education, Over Consumption patterns, etc. The programme was titled “MISSION SUSTAINABILITY- POPULATION VS. PLANET” for the English audience on WION Channel and संभलना ज़रूरी है – जनसंख्या बनाम प्रकृति” for Hindi and regional audience on Zee News and it’s regional network. The successful closing of the campaign was marked with an on-ground event “MISSION SUSTAINABILITY CONCLAVE”. The conclave was an amalgamation of stakeholders and dignitaries from across the field of ‘Environmental Sustainability’. The event was divided in to two robust panel sessions “India’s Road Map to Sustainability” and “ Way Forward” along with an exclusive one-on-one fireside chat with the Chairman of Mobius Foundation, Mr. Pradip Burman. Sudhir Choudhary, CEO and Editor-in-Chief, WION delivered the opening remarks. Rajendra Singh, Water Man of India addressed the conclave with a special message emphasising that ”Indian traditional system has sustainable knowledge. We must make use of it to build a better and sustainable future for our children Firstly ‘Indian indigenous knowledge system’ should be revived and secondly ‘population growth should be controlled’”. Sessions 1 “India’s Road Map to Sustainability”, shed light on India’s efforts towards population stabilisation and family planning initiatives. Panelists in the session were Poonam Muttreja, Executive Director, Population Foundation of India, Anumita Roy Chowdhury, Executive Director, Centre for Science and Environment, and Dr. Ram Boojh, CEO, Mobius Foundation. Dr. Ram Boojh, CEO Mobius Foundation said that “We must bring down our population to a sustainable level for Mobius Foundation is contributing through its project ‘Aakar’ in 4 districts of Uttar Pradesh” Session 2 “ The Way Forward” brought out focused areas where we as an individual can contribute in population control and also ways Government can take initiatives towards family planning. The panelists in the session were Kartikeya Sarabhai, Director, Center for Environment Education, Shyamala Mani, Senior Advisor, Public Health Foundation of India, and Shruti Sinha, Manager, Chintan Environmental Research and Action Group. The session highlighted that we cannot step out of urban lifestyle but what we can do is understand that urbanization or benefits of urbanization don’t have to be in contradiction to being environmentally friendly or climate-conscious. So, very simply put, what we need to change is our consumption patterns, our economy, and our consumption culture, and the way we look at consumption in a whole. Moreover, Climate change is not an elite issue. It’s very much connected to frontline communities, livelihoods, incomes and lives Kartikeya Sarabhai during the session emphasized and said “India is one of the very few countries, which has recognized the importance of bringing “Environmental Education” at the primary level of the educational system”. He also said “Indian culture has always been rich in tradition, that is climate-friendly. We have always chosen environment-friendly cultural practices and rituals, our attitude towards the environment has been different and we must redeem this and we can still be one of the fastest-growing economies”. During one on one exclusive fireside chat, Mr. Pradip Burman, Chairman Mobius Foundation, and an environmental crusader had to say that “I totally agree that while the government can do a lot, we as individuals can do small things contributing to big change. Being water-wise, composting and recycling, waste segregation will make a large impact”. During the event “ Mission Sustainability- Population Vs Planet” a Campaign Report was also launched by the eminent dignitaries present at the occasion. Conclave marked its closure with the closing remarks by Palki Sharma Upadhyay, Executive Editor, WION followed by scrumptious lunch. About the Mobius Foundation: The Mobius Foundation is a non-profit organisation, committed to supporting sustainability, empowering technologies, strengthening systems, encouraging healthy behaviour and focusing on education. The Foundation intends to create sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities to break longstanding practices that are detrimental to human existence. The Mobius Foundation has been working in India since 2015, collaborating with a diverse range of civil society partners and NGO partners to contribute to achieving a sustainable India.

Delhi’s environment dept chalks out draft action plan on climate change

A draft of Delhi’s new state action plan on climate change has been prepared and is to be presented before a steering committee chaired by the Chief Secretary before it is made public for comments, according to officials in the Environment Department. It will then be submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change for approval. The process of consulting different departments to put the plan together began in January this year, and the draft was prepared by the Environment Department with GIZ providing technical assistance, according to a senior official in the department. Stakeholder consultations for Delhi’s previous climate action plan lasted for as long as seven years – from 2011 to 2018 – and the plan was finalized in 2019. The plan later expired, since it was meant to be for a decade, and the projections in it were also made for a decade, the official added. The new plan will include temperature and rainfall data, and based on projections, will chalk out adaptation and mitigation strategies, the official said. The projections made in the plan will be till 2030. The common framework for state-level climate action plans chalked out in 2010 at a national consultation workshop calls for vulnerability assessments for various sectors and groups. It recommends the assessment of the “physical and economic impact” on vulnerable sectors. The previous plan, for instance, identified health, energy, water resources, urban planning (infrastructure, waste management and land use), transport, and agriculture, forest and biodiversity, as sectors that are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. “The new plan will have clearer linkages between the vulnerabilities assessed and the action,” the official said, pointing out that the previous plan was a more general one that looked at what was already happening in the city. “The revised action plans need to be more ‘actionable’. Much of the time, the plans are usually platitudes… what’s happening, what is the risk involved in the future, and the action part is still a little weak and vague. In Delhi, such plans will need a focus on clean energy transition in transportation, and technologies for emission control. We will have to develop systems to respond to the crisis that arises during heatwaves, even of infrastructure, electricity, water supply, ”said Avikal Somvanshi, senior program manager, Urban Lab, Center for Science and Environment.

Green Revolution 2.0: Saying No to Plastic is Fantastic, Finding Options Isn't, Say Industries Ahead of Single-Use Ban

While most industries have already replaced some of the single-use plastic items such as cutlery and ice-cream sticks, it is the shortage of paper straws that has given them a big jolt Preparations are underway on war-footing as India readies itself for a ban on notified single-use plastic items. While directions have already been issued to all states to curb the supply of banned items, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has also asked petrochemical industries to stop the supply of plastic raw materials to those engaged in the production of the banned items, starting July 1. Amid tight domestic supply of raw materials, industries are scurrying for imports to ensure their supply chain continues unhindered. “We are gearing up to handle the situation,” Mother Dairy MD Manish Bandlish tells News18. “The challenge is that we do not have any local vendor who could help us meet this demand. So like most other companies, we are also compelled to import paper straws, a critical item, at much higher costs. We have already placed the orders, but there are logistical constraints as the same supplier is providing straws to multiple players.” Advertisement While most industries have already replaced some of the single-use plastic items such as cutlery and ice-cream sticks, it is the shortage of paper straws that has given them a big jolt. Mother Diary alone consumes over 20 million (2 crore) straws per annum. It is among the several enterprises which has written to the government authorities, including the CPCB, to defer the ban by six months to at least a year. “We are yet to get any response. We can just wait and see. But we will try to manage the best we can,” he adds. NO STANDARDISATION In the quest for sustainable and viable alternatives, another challenge that the industry is facing is the lack of standardisation. Industry rues that the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) is yet to finalise quality standards for alternatives, their bio-degradability, the process for manufacturing as well as handling of the waste of alternatives such as biopolymers/bioplastics. “The usual process for testing the compostability of alternate molecules takes at least six months, and it is yet to be done. There are no standards or quality checks in place for many of these alternatives, without which no industry can use them as the quantity it needs is huge,” rues Dr Praveen Aggarwal, CEO of industry body Action Alliance for Recycling Beverage Cartons (AARC), which has also sought an additional time of 18 months. For the packaging industry, the challenge is also to search for a direct alternative to locally available BOPP films (polypropylene) used extensively for packaging products as it prevents moisture and can hold weight better than a cellophane sheet. The notified list of banned items also includes packaging/wrapping plastic films for sweet boxes, cigarette packets and invitation cards. TOUGH TRANSITION For small and micro industries, the transition to paper sticks for cotton ear buds is also riddled with difficulties. In the absence of local vendors, the MSME units which have so far imported paper from countries like Finland & Sweden lament that it is putting a financial burden on them. Confectionery giants like Perfetti Van Melle India known for candies and lollipops is importing its paper sticks from Europe. According to industry representatives, roughly Rs 3.50-crore machinery for manufacturing paper stick has already been imported mostly by medium and large enterprises, and at least Rs 2-crore machines are expected to reach by September. The pandemic-induced restrictions over the last one year further delayed the process. “Some units that have tried to purchase and import the new machinery ended up with a roadblock after China put a ban,” Vinod Kumar, president of India SME Forum tells News18. “Unlike the bigger companies, the smaller units cannot afford to import machinery and alternative items/raw materials at a scale to meet the demand.” Advertisement Although some units are in the process of converting/calibrating the higher-end machines to run biodegradable sticks for making cotton buds, Kumar says, many machines cannot be modified. “A staggered ban till January 2023 will give us time to stabilise, and find options for the lowest cost source while remaining competitive,” he implores the government. The search for alternatives has led stakeholders to explore products made up of compostable/biodegradable plastic, biopolymers, bamboo, paper to even steel. But unlike plastic which offers durability, convenience and unique advantage of insulating products from air-borne germs, the other alternatives have not inspired much confidence. Wood/bamboo can splinter and is susceptible to mildew growth as it can absorb moisture, while paper gets soggy before a drink is finished. “The industry is not against the ban, but just how it is being implemented. While it is up to the industry to figure out the alternatives, there is also a question of availability of raw material, especially for MSMEs which the government need to handhold to make the change,” says Sandip Chhetri, CEO at TradeIndia.com. TIME TO MANAGE According to All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association director-general Deepak Ballani, the focus should also be on stepping up action on proper management of plastic waste, which he terms as the bigger challenge than flow of SUP items. “We also want Clean India and are ready to transition. But why not focus on the root of the problem – plastic waste. We need to improve waste segregation at source level, and amp up our recycling infrastructure,” he says. As the industry scrambles to procure the alternatives in enough quantities, while still hoping for at least a year’s deferment to the ban, experts highlight that it must shift its attention to other ideas to tide over the current challenge – one of which could be re-designing product packaging. “The best way to get rid of the plastic waste is to perhaps move towards a different product design, which can eliminate the need for that item. All these SUP items were identified on the basis of their “low utility”, so it is not very difficult for the industry to innovate and experiment with some design changes. If it works, it can help them tide over the problem of dependency on imports,” suggests Siddharth Singh, Programme Manager (environmental governance and waste management) at Delhi-based Centre for Science and Environment. “It is certain that the world will eventually move to plastic-free alternatives in coming years, and we will have no choice but to adapt, so why not begin now?”