Plastic waste disposal: No reply to pollution control board notices, 802 firms get final chance
The State Pollution Control Pollution Board (SPCB) has given one final opportunity to 802 companies selling commodities packaged in plastic material in Himachal to ensure proper disposal of plastic waste, as they have not responded to the notices issued to them.
The board had issued notices to 1,199 companies, which are selling their products packaged in plastic material, directing them to ensure proper collection and processing of plastic waste. “Out of 1,199 companies, 802 have not responded to the notices so, we have given them one final opportunity before initiating action against them under the Plastic Waste Management Rules,” said Anil Joshi, Member Secretary of the Himachal Pradesh State Pollution Control Board.
The notices were issued on the High Court of Himachal directives on proper plastic waste management to ensure that these companies take extended producer responsibility for ensuring scientific waste disposal of the packaging material in which their products were sold. “The companies have been given two weeks’ time to file their replies, specifying the mechanism they have adopted to ensure proper disposal of waste being generated from their products,” he added.
Can take help of urban local bodies
If these companies do not respond to the notices issued by the SPCB for the second time, fines can be imposed on them. The companies will either have to enter into an agreement with a plastic waste processor for the proper disposal of waste or assign this task to urban local bodies to create such a facility to ensure scientific disposal of waste. —Anil Joshi, member secretary of HP state pollution control board
Besides, the SPCB has also issued notices to 2,552 companies, which have units in more than one state. The companies have their units in Himachal but are not registered with the HP Pollution Control Board. They have been clubbed in three categories — producer, brand producer and importer.
An SPCB official said that there was no mechanism to ascertain the amount of plastic waste being generated but a rough estimate could be made from the annual returns filed by these companies. The fine, too, would be imposed at the rate of plastic per metric tonne, he added.
Hillsides and nullahs littered with plastic waste such as mineral water bottles, wrappers of chips, biscuits and other eatables is a common sight in Himachal. Though Himachal is among the states that have banned the use of plastic bags but with no practical solution to scientific disposal of plastic waste, the fragile hill ecology is facing serious consequences.
Can take help of urban local bodies
If these companies do not respond to the notices issued by the SPCB for the second time, fines can be imposed on them. The companies will either have to enter into an agreement with a plastic waste processor for the proper disposal of waste or assign this task to urban local bodies to create such a facility to ensure scientific disposal of waste. Anil Joshi, Member Secretary of HP State Pollution Control Board
