Manufacturing of only above 50 micron plastic bag allowed: NGT

NEW DELHI: The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) to ensure that no plastic bag less than 50 microns of thickness be manufactured, stocked, sold and used across the country.

The green panel also asked the CPCB to ensure that no unregistered plastic manufacturing and recycling unit is in operation and no unit is running in non-conforming or residential areas.

A bench headed by the National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel said a national framework for extended producers liability be finalised and enforced as far as possible within three months and a report furnished by the Ministry of Environment and Forests (MOEF).

“Thermocol/polystyrene cups, plates, etc. used extensively and haphazardly littered are properly regulated. Special Environment Squads may be set up for enforcement to oversee and ensure that no litter of plastic waste takes place at historical, religious, public places and dumping of plastic waste on drains, river, banks and sea and no burning of plastic takes place in open,” the bench said.

The green panel also asked states and Union territories to submit their compliance reports on the issue of plastic waste management to the CPCB quarterly in a cumulative format, failing which compensation of Rs 1 lakh per quarter shall be

levied by the CPCB.

“The Central Pollution Control Board may compile and file its consolidated report on quarterly basis before this tribunal. First quarterly report be filed before April 29, the next date by e-mail,” the bench said in a recent order.