Seeking to boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s plan to eliminate single-use plastics waste by 2022, over 45 academicians, scientists, and NGOs have come together to appeal to the FSSAI and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change “not consider any non-recycled, non-biodegradable materials
(Tetra pack, plastic/glass bottles, aluminum cans) for new food/beverage packaging, till the time packaging waste producers do not deploy their resource under the EPR framework to collect and recycle waste generated by their products.”
The group has proposed 61%-71% recycling rate as a benchmark to allow any non-biodegradable packaging material for new product/beverage categories.
The decision to allow new packaging materials must be taken post evaluating their environmental impact and subsequently assessing the health impact of uncollected waste,” said Vinod Shukla, president of Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Smriti Manch and nephew of late Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya.