22 Karnataka plastic firms, among 687 nationwide, face closure

Bengaluru: A whopping 687 Plastic Producers, Importers, and Brand Owners (PIBOs), including 22 in Karnataka, are on the brink of closure due to their non-compliance with environment protection rules.

In a notice dated January 15, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has given these units a 10-day window to explain their failure to follow the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) rules. Despite being granted ample time for compliance, the units now face the prospect of punitive action.

Regulations prohibit PIBOs from operating without proper registration obtained through the centralised EPR portal. After securing clearance, they are required to file annual returns on plastic packaging waste as part of fulfilling their EPR obligations.

In October 2023, the CPCB extended the deadline for industries to submit their returns to November 30, warning that a penalty of Rs 5,000 per tonne would be imposed on non-compliant PIBOs.

The CPCB said the 687 units submitted applications under the PIBO category, but these were not approved as the pollution boards sought additional details. The notice states: "The EPR obligations for 2022-23 have not been fulfilled and the annual report not filed by your unit as the complete application for grant of registration is yet to be re-submitted... Continuing operations as PIBO and introducing plastic packaging in the economy without obtaining registration... is in violation of the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016." 

The CPCB has directed the 687 units to provide reasons why their operations should not be closed, and penalties imposed. "Your unit is hereby given an opportunity to submit a reply or take necessary action within 10 days of this notice, failing which appropriate action will be taken," CPCB chairman Tanmay Kumar said.

Efforts to obtain a response from Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB) officials regarding actions against the violators were unsuccessful. The KSPCB had previously faced controversy when central authorities uncovered a case involving fake EPR certificates from an industry.