Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry seeks 6-month notice to implement plastic ban in packaging
Coimbatore: The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore has sought 6 months' notice to implement plastic ban in packaging.
The Environment and Forest Department, Government of Tamil Nadu has issued G.O.(Ms) No.37 on 5th June 2020 for withdrawing the exemption granted for use of plastic for packaging.
According to this, the plastic bags, which constitute or form an "integral part of packaging" in which goods are sealed prior to use at manufacturing or processing units, are not exempted any more from the plastic ban.
The Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore, appreciated the Government for bringing this Order, in order to make Tamil Nadu free of discarded plastic, but the announcement has made it clear that plastic carry bags manufactured exclusively for export purpose, plastic used to pack milk and carry bags made from compostable plastics are exempted. It is also learnt that the modalities of implementing the notification are yet to be formulated.
They said that r some of the manufacturing and trading sectors that it is very difficult to switch over to other ways of packing immediately and all the sectors have to plan and find out the source of alternate packing modalities suited to their products.
The press release of the Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Coimbatore said, "On behalf of all manufacturing/trading segment of this region, while our Chamber assures and pledges its support to the Government in this regard, Chamber also pleads with the Government to extend implementation of this notification for a period of further six months effective from January 2021."
They claimed the time extension will help everyone who are all now affected severely due to Covid-19 pandemic, lockdown, closure etc., to develop alternate packing material.
They also plan to collect views and suggestions from all sectors and make a detailed representation to the Tamil Nadu Government.