GOVERNMENT OF ANDHRA PRADESH
ABSTRACT
Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department - Phasing out of plastic carry
bags – Recycled Plastics manufacture and usage Rules, 1999 under Environment
(Protection) Act, 1986 – Strict enforcement of rules -District Level Taskforce Committee –
Constituted – Certain guidelines – Orders – Issued.
MUNICIPAL ADMINISTRATION & URBAN DEVELOPMENT (F2) DEPARTMENT
G.O. Ms. No.158
Dated: 04-04- 2006
Read the following:
1. G.O. Ms. No. 25, EF & ST (Env.) Department, dated 30-3-2001.
2. G.O. Ms. No. 128 MA & UD (F2) Department dated 18-3-2006.
O R D E R:
1.
2.
Discarded plastics pose a threat to human health and environment. Due to its nonbiodegradable nature, littering of plastics causes irreversible damage to the
environment. Plastic wastes hinder the natural aeration process of the surface water
bodies, choke municipal sewer lines and storm water drains and clog the bar-screens
of sewage treatment plants. They interfere with various agricultural operations,
prevent natural recharge of underground water and contribute to visual pollution.
Consuming food wrapped in coloured plastic has adverse effects on health.
Municipalities/Municipal Corporations routinely receive reports of death of cows and
other animals from ingesting plastic bags.
In the G.O. issued vide ref. 1st above, orders have been issued, among others,
banning manufacture, sale and use of recycled and coloured plastic carry bags less
than 20 microns in thickness in the state and levying penalties for violation under
Environment Protection Act, 1986. The Member Secretary, Andhra Pradesh State
Pollution Control Board, shall be the authority for enforcement of the provisions of
the rules related to manufacturing and recycling of plastics less than 20 microns in
thickness. The District Collector of the concerned district and the Municipal
Commissioner of the concerned Municipality/Corporation shall be the authority for
enforcement of the provisions of these rules related to the use, collection,
segregation, transportation and disposal of plastic carry bags and containers. They
are also required to enforce the provision of the rules pertaining to thickness and
marking of carry bags being used by the vendors.
3.
In the G.O. issued vide ref. 2nd above, orders have been issued to constitute District
Level Taskforce Committee to organize special drives for enforcing the ban on
plastic carry bags.
4.
After detailed discussions and on the observation and directions given by the
Hon’ble High Court of Andhra Pradesh, Government felt necessary to have wider
representation of officials and non-officials in the District Level Taskforce Committee
to effectively organize, supervise and monitor the enforcement of the rules in the
reference above cited. Government therefore in supersession of the orders issued in
the G.O. 2nd read above, hereby constitute the District Level Task Force Committee
with the following members:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
District Collector
Chairpersons/Mayors of concerned Municipality/
Municipal Corporations in the District
Commissioners of Municipalities/Municipal
Corporations in the District
General Manger. District Industries Centre
Regional Officer, A.P. Pollution Control Board
District Supply Officer
District Panchayat Officer
8
Two Sarpanchas of Gram Panchayats abutting Urban
Local Bodies
9
Two representatives of NGOs of concerned District
10 District National Green Corps Convener
Commissioner of Municipality/ Municipal Corporation at
11
District Headquarter
5.
Chairman
Members
Member
Member
Member
Member
Member
Members nominated by
the concerned District
Collector.
Members nominated by
the concerned District
Collector.
Member
Member convener
The Committee shall meet once in a month. The committee shall constitute the sub
taskforces and cover the whole district jurisdiction i.e. Urban and Rural areas for strict
enforcement of Recycled Plastic Manufacture and Usage Rules 1999 as follows: A. The District Level Taskforce Committee shall ensure destruction of existing plastics
bags of less than 20 microns in thickness available with the manufacturers,
wholesalers, dealers, retailers, supermarkets, pharmaceutical industries, others etc.
with immediate effect.
B. Manufacturers of recycled plastic carry bags having printing facilities shall
code/mark carry bags and containers as per Bureau of Indian Standards
Specification: IS: 14534:1998 entitled "The Guidelines for Recycling of Plastics" and
the end product made out of recycled plastics shall be marked as "recycled" along
with the indication of the percentage of use of recycled material. Manufacturers
shall print on each packet of carry bags as to whether these are made of "recycled
material" or of "virgin plastic". The plastic manufacturers shall stop production of
the plastic bags less than 20 microns from both virgin plastic as well as recycled
plastics with immediate effect. The plastic manufacturers shall print on the carry
bags (a) Name of the manufacturer with full address (b) Lot Number, (c) Thickness
of the carry bag (d) percentage of recycled plastic use.
C. The District Level Taskforce Committee shall organize inspections/surprise raids of
all the plastic carry bags/containers manufacturers in the District by Sub-Taskforces
and take action as per Rule 8 (a) of G.O. Ms. No. 25, EFS & T department dated
30-3-2001 and submit the report as per Annexure-I to the Member Secretary,
Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board by 2nd of every month.
D. There shall be a total ban on the sale and usage of plastic carry bag less than 20
microns in thickness in all shops/traders, establishments, hospitals, medical shops,
hotels, religious worship places (storing and carrying the prasadam) food courts,
vegetable markets, meat shops (chicken, mutton, beef, pork, and fish stalls
(including marine and inland eatable products)), pan shops, Bar & Restaurants,
dairies and where the food stuffs either in case of raw or cooked are sold. Subtaskforces will inspect all such Traders/Establishments and take action as per Rule 8
(b) of G.O. Ms. No. 25, EFS & T Department dated 30-3-2001 and submit the
monthly report as per Annexure-II to the Commissioner and Director of Municipal
Administration by 2nd of every month.
E. The District level Taskforce committee shall ensure to prohibit the throwing or
disposing off the plastic articles in public places. The persons found throwing plastic
articles namely water bottles, cool drink bottles, plastic containers etc. should be
penalized under Rule 8 (c) of the G.O. Ms. No. 25, EFS & T Department dated
30-3-2001.
F. The District level Taskforce committee shall also expedite the provisions under Solid
Waste Management notification of 2000 duly taking immediate action on
segregation at source (duly adopting two bin system in all wards), door to door
collection, transportation and disposal of Biodegradable and non-biodegradable
solid waste in a time bound manner. The apartments, group housing colonies
should be insisted to segregate the domestic plastics waste from other domestic
garbage before dumping them in waste collection centers and also create
awareness programmes in the public as well as Shopkeepers, Vegetable Market
Owners, Vegetable Vendors, Fruit Vendors, Chicken & Meat stalls, Supermarkets,
Medical Shops and others etc. and submit the monthly report as per Annexure-III
to the Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration by 2nd of every
month.
G. The District level Taskforce committee shall organize public awareness campaigns
about the hazards and dangers of using plastic and recycled plastic carry bags and
littering public places , on environment and health of human beings, and also the
penalty provisions of the rules, through cinema exhibit slides, electronic media etc.
They should also conduct awareness programmes on segregation of biodegradable and non bio-degradable wastes at source, Double Bin Culture, waste
management and disposal etc. and submit the monthly report as per Annexure-IV
to Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration by 2nd of every month.
The Municipal Commissioner of District Headquarter Municipality/ Corporation shall
coordinate and furnish the above reports to the Member Secretary, Andhra Pradesh
Pollution Control Board and Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration by 2nd of
every month. In turn, the Member Secretary Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board and
Commissioner and Director of Municipal Administration shall furnish the consolidated report
along with their remarks to the Government in Environment Forests and Science &
Technology Department and Municipal Administration & Urban Development Department
respectively by 5th of every month.
(BY ORDER AND IN THE NAME OF THE GOVERNOR OF ANDHRA PRADESH)
VEENA ISH
SECRETARY TO GOVERNMENT
To
The Commissioner & Director of Municipal Administration, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad,
The Member Secretary, Andhra Pradesh Pollution Control Board, Hyderabad,
All the District Collectors,
All the Commissioners of Municipal Corporations,
All the Commissioners of Municipalities through Commissioner & Director of
Municipal Administration, Hyderabad,
All the Members of the Committee through District Collectors,
The Director, Directorate of National Green Crops, Hyderabad.
Copy to:
Environment Forests Science & Technology Department,
Panchayat Raj & Rural Development Department,
Industries & Commerce Department,
Consumer Affairs, Food & Civil Supplies Department,
The Director of Civil Supplies, Andhra Pradesh Hyderabad.
//FORWARDED BY ORDER//
SECTION OFFICER