Tepid response to buy-back policy on banned plastic

Mumbai: While the state government maintains that it has laid down strict measures to implement the plastic ban, the buy-back mechanism for collection of multi-layered plastic packaging items has not yielded much success. According to the state environment department, many manufacturers and brand-owners haven’t still submitted their plans to implement the buy-back mechanism.

The state government had given the manufacturers a September 30 deadline to come up with a buy-back mechanism for plastic used in multi-layered and tetra-packaging. “We have been conducting inter-departmental meetings where various state agencies are working on plans to collect and recycle plastic. We had directed the manufacturers to chalk out a buy-back mechanism for multi-layered plastic packets, but have only got response from three manufacturers till now,” said an official from the state environment department.

While multi-layered packaging is used for snack items like chips and biscuits, tetra-packaging is used for beverages and liquid food items. The state government had directed the manufacturers for the buy-back scheme, which also involves new buy-back prices being printed on the products.

The state government will be holding a meeting with plastic manufacturers, brand-owners and retailers this week to look into the matter. Dairies too have been asked to put in place a buy-back mechanism for milk and related products’ pouches. “A meeting was held between the dairy owners and the environment department, however the state has not received proposals from them,” the official said.