Maharashtra government’s insistence on plastic manufacturers and dairies to set up a mechanism for recycling milk pouches has created an air of uncertainty, as members of both sectors do not want to take up the responsibility of recycling pouches under the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) rules.
Plastic manufacturers are of the view that recycling pouches is not their responsibility and the Maharashtra Government's enforcement of rules is not legally tenable in the court of law. They have indicated that they will stop supplying plastic films to dairies for making product pouches from December 15 if EPR rules are laid on them.
In 2016, the Centre had notified the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, replacing the earlier Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011. About 15,000 tonnes of plastic waste is generated every day across the country, out of which 9,000 tonnes is collected and processed, but 6,000 tonnes of plastic waste is not being collected, which has a hazardous impact on the environment.
Under the 2016 rules, EPR is the responsibility of producers and generators of plastics. Under the rules, plastic waste management and buyback system of plastic waste is the responsibility of both parties. Maharashtra Governemnt has also suggested the use of glass bottles for milk distrbution.
A senior member of Maharashtra Plastic Manufacturers’ Association told BusinessLine on condition of anonymity that the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) is yet to create the guideline for buyback.
He pointed out that milk pouches used at homes are made from virgin food grade plastics, which get largely recycled through informal recyclers such as scrap dealers. EPR rules should not be entrusted on plastic manufacturers, and the initiative should be taken up only by municipal authorities.
“Today 500 ml of milk requires 5 gm of plastic packaging but the same quantity of milk will require 500 gm of a recyclable glass bottle under alternative mechanism, which will add to the transportation costs, plus a huge amount of water will be required for steam cleaning the bottles,” the member said.
Former President of Indian Dairy Association, Arun Narke, said that the Maharashtra Government's insistence on recycling of pouches by dairies is not a viable idea. Alternative packaging such as bottles and reinforced cartons will again add to the costs. In the past, glass bottles were used for milk distribution but there was a lot breakage of bottles. There have also been cases of customers receiving milk laced with glass splinters, he said.
Narke, who was also the Chairman of Gokul Dairy for 15 years, said that the dairy sector in Maharashtra is already in financial stress due to market conditions. If such onerous conditions are added, then the dairies will have no other option but to reduce buying milk from farmers.
Gokul is the largest cooperative dairy in Maharashtra with a daily processing capacity of 12 lakh litres. Out of the total processed milk, about 90 per cent gets distributed as milk pouches and the rest is used for value-added milk products.