Friday, March 29, 2024

Punjab Pollution Control Board to promote compostable carry bags

Amritsar, Apr. 17 (Punjab Post Bureau) – Plastic carry bags in the state of Punjab are major environment PPN1704201814hazard as these clog drains/sewers leading to health hazard for the living creatures besides remaining in the environment for a long time without degradation. All the municipal dumps and the municipal solid waste collection points are witness to the problem created by the plastic carry bags.

Although Govt. of Punjab has imposed a blanket ban on the manufacture, sale and use of plastic carry bags in the State, but the supply and use of plastic carry bags could not be controlled as there is a huge demand from the public for such carry bags.

Now, the raw material for manufacturing of compostable carry bags has been allowed to be imported by the Govt. of India and a few companies have also been allowed to manufacture/sell compostable carry bags confirming to IS0 standards in terms of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.Punjab pollution Control Board is interacting with these companies to introduce compostable carry bags in Punjab.

PPCB Chairman, K.S Pannu called a meeting of 100 odd plastic carry bags manufacturers of Punjab last week and advised them to shift to manufacturing of compostable carry bags by using starch granules derived from maize and potatoes etc. Interestingly, the same machines with which the plastic carry bags are manufactured can be used to manufacture the compostable carry bags of starch based granules. Although presently compostable carry bags are little bit expensive as compared to plastic carry bags, but we cannot compromise with the degradation of environment because of meager economic considerations. The compostable carry bags get decomposed into the soil within a period of 3-4 months.

Punjab Pollution Control Board Chairman on 15/03/2018 held a meeting with the officials of SGPC in Golden Temple, Sri Amritsar and impressed upon them to take lead to switch over to compostable carry bags in the Golden Temple Complex from 01/04/2018 and in all the Gurudwaras of the state. He further informed that initially all the bulk consumers of carry bags shall be imposed upon to switch over compostable carry bags.

The Punjab Pollution Control Board has engaged for 20 quintals of compostable carry bags as first lot and supplied it to SGPC for usage in Sri Darbar Sahib from 0/04/2018. Accordingly from 01/04/2018 to till date the compostable carry bags are in use in the Golden Temple. The SGPC has also given the order for compostable carry bags for use in Sri Darbar Sahib upto 31/03/2019.

Today, Subash Chander Assistant Deputy Commissioner General and Er. Harbir Singh, SEE, PPCB, Amritsar took a meeting with the whole sale dealer of plastic carry bags, where 50-60 dealer of carry bags attended the meeting. In the meeting the dealer were made aware of the fact that 04 no. suppliers are available, who can supply the compostable carry bags, immediately as per demand. So it was decided by the DC, Amritsar and PPCB that from 15/05/2018 all the dealers of carry bags of Amritsar will start selling only compostable carry bags, and if any person is found to be selling the plastic carry bags, strict action shall be initiated as per law.

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