BMC battles confusion over use of biodegradable plastic

Mumbai: Confusion looms over the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation's (BMC) inspectors regarding the use of biodegradable plastic bags in supermarkets across Mumbai.

A senior BMC official stated that supermarkets like D-mart and Big Bazaar are using biodegradable bags for storing raw food items and other materials, which is not allowed according to the plastic ban rules.

The BMC has sought clarification from the state government on this matter.

“The booklet regarding plastic ban that we have received stated that biodegradable plastic bags could be only used for storing agricultural, horticultural, plant nurseries items and for collecting solid waste. But these bags are being used at D-mart and Big Bazaar for packaging of food items, even when the notification states that they are banned for packaging of these products,” said a senior BMC official.

Under the new notification issued on June 30, the state government has allowed packaging of groceries and staples in plastic above 50 microns and having minimum weight of 2 gram, for retailers. However, it should have the name of the manufacturer, details of type of plastic and buyback price printed. For industrial packaging, a minimum of 20 per cent recyclable plastic should be used. Moreover, for multi-layered packaging used in fast moving consumer goods like snack items, manufacturers are given three months time to chalk out a mechanism to collect and deposit used plastic packets of such items at collection centres.

The ban notification also has defined ‘plastic’ as a material, which contains as an essential ingredient a high polymer such as polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, vinyl, low density polyethylene etc.

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