NGT bans burning of plastic, rubber across the country

There shall be no unregulated open burning of plastic or rubber or such other articles anywhere in India, says the tribunal

The National Green Tribunal has banned "unregulated open burning" of plastic, rubber or such other articles across the country.

"All the plastic waste/scrap dealers and/or recyclers including the members of the PVC and Plastic Waste Dealers Association, respondent herein, shall be restrained from carrying on their business of segregation of plastic waste and its eventual transfer to recyclers or disposal contrary to and without registration under the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011," a bench headed by NGT Chairperson Justice Swatanter Kumar said.

"There shall be no unregulated open burning of plastic or rubber or such other articles anywhere in India," it said.

The tribunal passed the order while observing "there is a need to totally ban unregulated handling and disposal of plastic waste and to issue incidental directions for its regulation and restoration of environment in some measure, if not fully".

The tribunal also observed in its judgement that plastic and the waste generated from its use "need not be baneful for the environment and eventually the mankind" if it is handled properly and directed all municipal authorities to strictly enforce the provisions of the Plastic Waste(Management and Handling) Rules 2011.

It directed all the municipal authorities to "set up, operationalise and coordinate the waste management systems within their limits, work out and set up systems for use of plastic waste in road construction and/or in co-incineration plans for generation of energy in accordance with law and lastly incorporate necessary provisions in their by laws for enforcement of the said rules".

The NGT's judgement came on a plea alleging illegal burning of plastic, rubber and related waste in various villages in North and North West Delhi.

The matter was initially being heard by the Delhi High Court which had in 2011 transferred it to the tribunal.