Plastic Waste Management (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022 Amended to Define 11 more Terms

· “Products with Plastic Packaging” covered under the definition of “Importer”

· “Compostable Plastics” Replaced with “Biodegradable Plastics” whose Imports are Allowed for Another Year

· Schedule I of Draft Rules Replaced

[MoEF Notification G.S.R. 522(E) dated 6 July 2022]

· “Biodegradable plastics” means plastics, other than compostable plastics, which undergoes degradation by biological processes under ambient environment (terrestrial or in water) conditions, without leaving any micro plastics, or visible, or distinguishable or toxic residue, which has adverse environment impacts, adhering to laid down standards of Bureau of Indian Standards and certified by the Central Pollution Control Board;‘;

· “End of Life disposal” means using plastic waste for generation of energy subject to relevant guidelines in force, which includes co-processing (e.g. in cement, steel or any other such industry) or waste to oil, except in cases where feedstock chemicals are produced for further use in the production of plastic which may then be considered under recycling or for road construction as per Indian Road Congress guidelines etc.‘

· “Importer” means a person who imports plastic packaging or products with plastic packaging or carry bags or multilayered packaging or plastic sheets or like

· “Plastic Packaging” means packaging material made by using plastics for protecting, preserving, storing, and transporting of products in a variety of ways

· “Plastic Waste Processor” means recyclers of plastic waste as well as entities engaged in using plastic waste for energy (waste to energy) including in coprocessing or converting plastic waste to oil (waste to oil) except in cases where feedstock chemicals are produced for further use in the production of plastic which may then be considered under recycling , industrial composting

· “Post-consumer plastic packaging waste” means plastic packaging waste generated by the endues consumer after the intended use of packaging is completed and is no longer being used for its intended purpose;

· “Pre-consumer plastic packaging waste” means plastic packaging waste generated in the form of reject or discard at the stage of manufacturing of plastic packaging and plastic packaging waste generated during the packaging of product including reject, discard, before the plastic packaging reaches the end-use consumer of the product;

· “Recyclers” are entities who are engaged in the process of recycling of plastic waste

· “Reuse” means using an object or resource material again for either the same purpose or another purpose without changing the object‘s structure

· “Use of recycled plastic” means recycled plastic used as raw material, instead of virgin plastic, in the manufacturing process

· “Waste to Energy” means using plastic waste for generation of energy and includes co-processing (e.g. in cement, steel or any other such industry);‘.