The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) on March 14, 2024, issued the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2024 to further amend the Plastics Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The following amendments have been stated:
• After rule 7 which states Responsibility of Gram Panchayat, the following rule shall be inserted, namely:- ―
7A. Responsibility of Panchayat at District level.-
o The Panchayat at District level shall undertake assessment of plastic waste generated, including plastic waste existing at dump sites, by the 30th June of every year for rural areas of the district and also estimate the quantity of plastic waste to be generated in following five-year period.
o The Panchayat at District level shall assess the plastic waste management infrastructure available for collection, segregation and processing and report to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned by 30th June each year.
o The Panchayat at District Level shall include in the annual report the following details on plastic waste management, namely:-
(i) plastic waste generated, including plastic waste existing at dump sites, in a year;
(ii) plastic waste management infrastructure available for collection, segregation, processing;
(iii) projection of plastic waste to be generated;
(iv) status on framing and implementation on byelaws;
(v) actions taken action to prevent stocking, distribution, sale and usage of banned Single Use Plastic items.
• In rule 9 which states Responsibility of producers, Importers and Brand Owners, for sub-rules (1) and (2), the following sub-rules shall be substituted, namely:-
(1) The Producers, Importers and Brand Owners who introduce any plastic packaging in the market shall be responsible for collection of such plastic packaging.
(2) Where any Producer, Importer or Brand owner fulfils his extended producer responsibility, he is deemed to have complied with his responsibility under sub-rule (1).
(2A) The Producers, Importers, Brand Owners, manufacturers, and manufacturers of commodities made from compostable plastics or biodegradable plastics, shall fulfil Extended Producer Responsibility as per guidelines specified in Schedule- II.
• For rule 17, the following rule shall be substituted:
17. Annual reports.-
o Every person engaged in recycling or processing of plastic waste shall prepare and submit online an annual report in Form-IV to the local body concerned and also to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned by the 30th April of every year.
o Every manufacturer and importer of plastic raw material shall prepare and submit online a quarterly report in Form VII to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned by the last day of month following the quarter and an annual report by 30th June of every year.
o Every person engaged in the sale of plastic raw material or an intermediate material used for manufacture of plastic packaging shall prepare and submit online an annual report mentioning therein the detail of transactions to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned by the 30th June of every year.
o Every urban local body and Panchayat at District Level shall prepare and submit online an annual report in Form –V to the Urban Development Department and to Rural Development Department, respectively, and also to the State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned by the 30th June every year.
o The State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned shall cause the report submitted by the urban local body and Panchayat at District level to be audited by itself or through a designated agency and copy of the report of such audit and the annual report shall be made available on website of State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee concerned.
o The State Pollution Control Board or Pollution Control Committee shall prepare and submit online an annual report in Form VI to the Central Pollution Control Board on the implementation of these rules by the 31st July of every year.
o The Central Pollution Control Board shall prepare a consolidated annual report on the implementation of these rules and submit to the Central Government along with its recommendations on or before the 31st August of every year.
They shall come into force on March 14, 2024.
[Notification No. G.S.R.. 201(E)]
