Drive against use of recycled plastic bags in full swing
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 16 2011:
The drive against use of recycled plastic bags which is banned under the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011, on grounds of health, carried out by the Manipur pollution Control Board (MPCB) is in full swing.
As a part of the drive which was carried out today in the shops and establishment and hotels of Imphal city, officials of MPCB checked the use and sell of recycle plastic bags and further warned them to abstain from using and selling it in future.
Surprisingly almost all the shopkeepers and hotel owners were unaware of the Plastic Waste Rule 2011, and were found indulging in the use of the recycled plastic bags.
The MPCB members explained the rules of the newly instituted Plastic Waste Rule, 2011 in great detail and strictly warned them against further use and sell of the product.
They further told them that if in case they were found selling the recycled plastic bags to customers, they are liable to a fine of upto Rs 1 lakh and 5 years imprisonment under section 15 (1) of the Environment Protection Act 1986 .
The recycled plastic bags are made from the already used plastic bags which have been thrown away as garbage.
These bags are collected and recycled again and reused.
If these recycled plastic bags are used for wrapping edibles it causes harm the human body as it contains a lot of toxic chemical elements.
The Plastic waste Rule, 2011 has been implemented under the Ministry of Forest and Environment from February 4 this year.
According to the Rule, the thickness of plastic bags should be not less than 40 microns.
But in Manipur, plastic bags whose thickness is below 15 microns are sold abundantly.
The drive carried out by the officials of the MPCB has already covered Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Imphal West and Imphal East.
In Ukhrul the use of recycled plastic bags has almost ceased.
But it is widely used in Imphal East and West.
In order to fully implement the Plastic waste Rule a proposal for the establishment of a State level Advisory body has been submitted to the Cabinet for approval.
Commissioner, MAHUD will be the Chairman of the advisory body.
Official reports reveal that the proposal put up to the cabinet also asks to fix more responsibility to the SP and DC of Chandel to check and control the procurement of recycled plastic bags along the Moreh-Imphal road where most of the recycled plastic bags are being brought in the state.
Since the recycled plastic bags are supposed to be used while black-topping of roads under the Plastic Waste Rule, the Public Works Department and the BRTF has been advised to use the products for the said purpose, it said.