Amazon, Flipkart need to establish plastic waste collection system: CPCB


PTI, Jan 28, 2020, 5:42 PM IST

New Delhi: E-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and need to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to the packaging of their products, the Central Pollution Control Board told the NGT on Tuesday.

The apex pollution monitoring body told the National Green Tribunal that as per provisions 9(2) of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, “Primary responsibility for collection of used multi-layered plastic sachet or pouches or packaging is of Producers, Importers and Brand Owners who introduce the products in the market.

“Amazon Retail India Private Limited and Flipkart Private Limited are involved in packaging and selling of other companies’ products and thus introducing plastic packaging in the market. They need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under PWM Rules and should obtain registration as brand owner after submitting proper documents,” CPCB said.

The submission came in response to a plea filed by a 16-year-old boy who has approached the tribunal to stop e-commerce giants Amazon and Flipkart from excessive plastic use in their packaging.

Aditya Dubey, through his legal guardian, has pleaded the NGT to direct Amazon and Flipkart to stop excessive use of plastic in packaging the goods delivered by the firms.

“The e-commerce companies are covered under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. But due to a lack of monitoring and implementation, the respondents continue to use excessive amounts of plastic in wrapping and packaging their sold items,” said the plea, filed through advocate Divya Prakash Pande.

Dubey’s plea had contended that the companies deliver items in cardboard boxes, which are too large when compared to the size of the items being delivered.

“To ensure that the sold items do not move around in the outsized boxes, they wrap the items in multiple layers of plastic sheets and plastic bubble wraps and thereafter fill the large empty spaces in the boxes with additional sheets of single-use plastic,” it had said.

A bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel had posted the matter for hearing on January 3, 2020.

The plea has also said that though the home-delivery service of e-commerce companies have been very useful for consumers, they have given rise to serious environmental challenges due to excessive use of plastics in packaging.

Once goods are delivered, the plastic waste is thrown away in the garbage and it ends up at landfill sites, leading to a burden on the earth and damaging the environment, it said.

“Single-use plastic has emerged as one of the biggest environmental challenges for our planet. It is cheap, useful, ubiquitous and very deadly. The fact that it’s non-biodegradable and is recycled in very small percentages means that our plant is with the passage of time is becoming a big dumping ground for single-use plastic. Single-use plastic breaks down into smaller fragments known as microplastics and then contaminates soil and water,” the petition had said.

Dubey said the two companies have not made any arrangements for either taking back the plastic material or ensuring that it is recycled.

“Plastic packaging constitutes 43 per cent of the total plastic waste generated in India and it is imperative that a direction be issued to the respondents that they should stop using plastic packaging materials and shift to environment-friendly packaging option,” the plea had said.

Udayavani is now on Telegram. Click here to join our channel and stay updated with the latest news.

Top News

BJP stages protest against Karnataka govt over Waqf properties row

Youth attempts suicide after being humiliated in public for wearing ripped jeans in Belthangady

India crawl to 51 for 4 after losing top-order

Nursing student suicide: Three students arrested in Kerala

Nadda’s letter to Kharge full of falsehoods: Cong

10 month baby gets new heart, new life

Actress Kasthuri released from jail, says ‘I thank those who made me raging storm’

Related Articles More

Baku climate talks: The ‘X’ factor that could determine future of Global South

Kidnapped for ransom in 1998, 26/11 survivor Gautam Adani faces biggest trial

Gautam Adani charged in US with USD 250 mn bribery, fraud

India’s GDP growth likely to slip at 6.5 pc, maintains 7 pc estimate for FY25: Icra

RBI cautions public about ‘deepfake’ video of governor being circulated on social media

MUST WATCH

Christmas Cake Fruit Mixing

DK Shivakumar

Rose Cultivation

Geethotsava

Naxal Operation


Latest Additions

SC notice to Gujarat govt on Asaram’s plea seeking suspension of sentence in 2013 rape case

BJP stages protest against Karnataka govt over Waqf properties row

US charges against Adani, 7 others could lead to arrest warrants, extradition bid: attorney

Youth attempts suicide after being humiliated in public for wearing ripped jeans in Belthangady

Baku climate talks: The ‘X’ factor that could determine future of Global South

Thanks for visiting Udayavani

You seem to have an Ad Blocker on.
To continue reading, please turn it off or whitelist Udayavani.