Ministry of Environment tightens rules on bioplastics

Subject: Environment

Section: Pollution

Context:

The Environment Ministry has introduced stricter regulations for labelling disposable plasticware as ‘biodegradable’.

Details:

Products must meet the new standard of leaving no microplastics behind to be considered biodegradable.
There are two main technological solutions to tackle plastic waste pollution:biodegradable and compostable plastics.
- Biodegradable plastics are treated before sale, aiming for natural decomposition, but there’s a lack of tests to confirm complete degradation.
- Compostable plastics can degrade but require industrial or large municipal waste management facilities.

Microplastics:

Microplastics, defined as solid plastic particles insoluble in water and ranging from 1 µm to 1,000 µm in size, have emerged as a significant pollutant in rivers and oceans.
With the ban on single-use plastic in 2022, there has been a heightened focus on biodegradable plastics as an alternative.

Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024: Key points

Defines biodegradable plastics as those that can degrade biologically in environments like soil or landfill without leaving behind microplastics.
The amendments lack specific guidance on chemical tests for establishing the absence of microplastics or the required reduction level to deem microplastics eliminated.
The amendment provides that the manufacture of carry bags and commodities shall be permitted to be made from compostable plastics or biodegradable plastics.
This is subject to mandatory marking and labelling laid down under the rules and regulations of the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) for food contact applications.
The rules require the manufacturers of compostable plastic or biodegradable plastic carry bags or commodities to obtain a certificate from the CPCB before marketing or selling.
Every manufacturer of commodities made from plastic shall-
- Ensure processing of the pre-consumer plastic waste generated in the form of rejected or discarded material at the stage of manufacturing and
- Report to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned.

Issues with the amended rules:

The exact definition of biodegradable plastic remained unclear, leaving several firms, including those utilizing technologies like Symphony’s, without clarity.
The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has faced criticism for not issuing ‘provisional certificates’ for biodegradable products, as their criteria require 90% degradation over two years, with no specific guidelines for interim assessment.
Manufacturers showing partial degradation, such as 5% in 45 days, were denied certification due to this lack of clarity in the rules.

Rules on Plastic Waste Management so far:

Plastic-waste management rules, 1999: Its aim was to restrict the use of plastic carry bags (thickness 20 µm or less) and prevent food from being packaged in recycled plastic.
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2003: It diluted the restriction on carry bags but mandated registration of manufacturing units with regional pollution control authorities.
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2011: For the first time, there was a national law proposing a ban on the use of plastic materials in sachets to store, pack or sell gutkha, tobacco, and pan masala.
Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016: It included many progressive propositions, like ‘polluter pays’ and ‘extended producer responsibility’.
Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021: The rules aim to prohibit the use of specific single-use plastic items, which have “low utility and high littering potential” by 2022.

Source: TH