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EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY (EPR) FOR & PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA

Need of EPR in India

India, where plastic use is on an exponential rise, produces close to 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste each day. Although the per capita plastic consumption in India is lower (6kg per capita per annum) but India faces a larger problem in managing and disposing off this waste. The problem gets predominantly worsened with the rampant use of single use plastics which block the waterways, exacerbate natural disasters and when burnt emit toxic emissions. Plastic packaging accounts for nearly half of all plastic waste in India, much of which is thrown away just a few minutes of its first use. When discarded in landfills or in the environment, plastic can take up to thousand years to decompose. On the same lines, Multi-layer Plastic (MLP) is a nuisance as it stays forever in the environment, as till 2018, it failed to add value to revenue generation of rag pickers. Thereby, it remained uncollected, unaccounted and indestructible causing clogging of the sewage system, polluting streams and groundwater resources with irreparable damage to the environment and public health. The Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) have been unable to develop and implement

IPCA’s EPR model for Plastic Waste Management

  • IPCA has developed an innovative mechanism for creating a sustainable collect back system of post-consumer plastic packaging waste keeping the EPR at fore.
  • IPCA has created a network of waste collectors across India and sensitized them on segregation and value generation capability of plastic waste. Simultaneously, IPCA has also created a network of recyclers who desire good quality plastic waste that can be use as raw material.
  • Stakeholders for EPR i.e Producers/Importers/Brand Owners (PIBOs) are engaged to ensure a reduction in plastic litter resulting from post-consumer packaging plastic waste.
  • IPCA plays the role of an intermediary agency to bring together the EPR stakeholders, waste collector community and recyclers on a common forum to build this sustainable supply chain in dealing effectively with the plastic waste problem in India.

EPRO Implemented

  • IPCA is the first PRO, certified and approved by CPCB for Plastic Waste Management and has initiated Project EPRO since Nov 2017.
  • Under Project EPRO, IPCA is involved in advocacy, networking and capacity building for collection and segregation of plastic waste at PAN India level.
  • EPRO is being implemented across 20 states presently.
  • IPCA is working in compliance with Plastic waste management Rules 2016, in brand neutral and geography neutral manner on behalf of more than 50 Brand owners like Nestle, Dabur, Perfetti, Parle Agro, Mother Diary, Glaxosmithline, Asian Paints, Pidilite, Britannia, Amway, Yakult etc for effective collection and disposal of plastic waste.

Economy 

  • Increase in per capita income of the waste collectors by 10-15%.
  • Creation of gainful employment for network of 6000 waste collectors across India.
  • Boom for recycling industries.
  • Reduction in coal dependency. 

Social

  • Awareness generation of more than 6000 waste collectors regarding plastic waste.
  • Education and training on plastic waste collection and processing for better revenue generation.
  • Inculcating Social Responsibility towards upliftment of waste collector community.

Environmental

  • Reduction of landfill burden by preventing approximately 43,22,487kg CO2eq and equivalent gases emissions.
  • 10,517 MT of plastic waste has been successfully collected and processed by IPCA till Feb 2019.
  • Salvation of water bodies.
  • Prevention of waste burning due to effective collect back mechanism.