Buy back scheme for plastic milk bags soon: Ramdas Kadam

Mumbai: More than a year since the plastic ban came into force in the state, and the buyback scheme for plastic milk pouches will start within a month’s time. Environment minister Ramdas Kadam told the state Legislative Assembly on Thursday that he had recently held a meeting with milk producers and they had agreed to the government notification of charging consumers 50 paise as deposit money when buying milk pouches.

Under this scheme, the buyer, while purchasing the milk pouch, will have to deposit 50 paise which he or she will get back after returning the bag to the seller.

The state government imposed a ban on the manufacture, use, sale, distribution and storage of plastic materials such as one-time-use bags, spoons, plates, PET and PETE bottles, and thermocol items on March 23 last year.

“The money will be deposited with the seller and after giving back the empty pouch the next day, consumers can take back their money. Else, they can keep the money and buy another pouch,” said the minister.

Mr Kadam also said that the amount of milk being purchased did not matter and that the charges would be a flat 50 paise per pouch, irrespective of the quantity. The implementation of the scheme would start within a month’s time.

The minister pointed out that one crore plastic bags were thrown on the streets and 31 tonnes of plastic garbage was generated daily. He claimed that nearly 80 per cent of the plastic came into Mahara-shtra from the neighbouring state of Gujarat.

He said he had personally visited the Maharashtra—Gujarat border to take action against trucks ferrying plastic into the state.

“1.20 lakh tonnes of plastic has been seized so far. As many as 24 companies are into processing of 550 tonnes of plastic per day,” he said.