Govt drafts policy for plastic recycling units in SEZs

The Union ministry of commerce and industry plans to allow recycling of plastic waste or scrap by units located in special economic zones (SEZs).

The ministry has prepared a 'Draft policy on units in Special Economic Zones (SEZs) carrying on recycling of plastic scrap or waste' which states that import of plastic waste/scrap shall be permitted only as per the approved capacity of the Letter of Approval issued to a particular unit.

The draft policy has been circulated early this month to various stakeholders including all ministries, development commissioners and state governments, inviting comments on the document with in a fortnight.

In the draft, the ministry had defined what constituted waste or scrap and restricted the type of plastic which can be imported by the units in SEZ.

According to the draft policy "Plastic scrap/ waste constitute those fractions of plastics generated by various plastic processing operations or those fractions generated in the production process of plastics in a plant, which have not been put to any use whatsoever and as such can be termed as virgin or new material which can be recycled into viable commercial products using standard plastic processing techniques but without involving any process of cleaning whereby effulents are generated."

Also, it said, that the type of plastic waste allowed for import for such units in SEZs would be restricted to such type of scrap for which they have the necessary plant and machinery installed for reprocessing within their approved capacity in the letter of approval issued to them.

The draft policy by ministry of commerce and industry assumes significance as earlier the environment ministry had raised concerns on illegal imports of the hazardous waste.

Further, the draft said, each consignment of plastic waste imported by unit shall be accompanied with a certificate from the factory in which it was generated. However, it said, in case of mis-declaration regarding the material being free from any toxic/hazardous substances by the importer, action as per the laws of Ministry of Environment would be taken by the competent authority.

And, before clearance of the plastic scarp or waste, all imported consignments of plastic waste shall be subjected to scrutiny and testing. SEZ or customs authorities have been authorised to collect samples and send the same to nearest laboratory of Central Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (CIPET) or Customs laboratories for analysis and verification that such imported consignments are in conformity with the description/definition as prescribed in the draft policy.

Recycled plastic is used in manufacturing sheets, bags, tarpaulin, agricultural pipes.