Central Pollution Control Board asks Flipkart, Amazon to improve plastic waste management

By

Isabelle Crossley

Published
Jan 29, 2020

The Central Pollution Control Board has asked e-commerce platforms Flipkart and Amazon to follow the 'Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016' and told the National Green Tribunal that the businesses must fulfil their responsibilities.

 
Pollution monitoring organisation the CPCB has accused foreign-owned e-commerce giants Flipkart and Amazon of failing to manage plastic waste resulting from online shipments. The CPCB opined that the two businesses need to establish a system for collecting back plastic waste generated from product packaging of items sold on their multi-brand platforms. 
 
"Amazon Retail India Private Limited and Flipkart Private limited are involved in packaging and selling of other companies’ products and thus, introducing plastic packaging in the market,” said the CPCB in a statement on January 28, the Press Trust of India reported.

“They need to fulfil their extended producer responsibility under PWM Rules and should obtain registration as brand owner after submitting proper documents."
 
The CPCB filed its submission to the NGT following a plea by a 16-year-old Aditya Dubey who, through his legal guardian, told the tribunal that the two businesses were using an excessive amount of plastic.

"Single-use plastic has emerged as one of the biggest environmental challenges for our planet,” read Dubey’s petition, filed by advocate Divya Prakash Pande, according to the Press Trust of India. 
 
“It is cheap, useful, ubiquitous and very deadly,” said Dubey. “The fact that it's non-biodegradable and is recycled in very small percentages means that our plant is with passage of time becoming a big dumping ground for single use plastic. Single-use plastic breaks down into smaller fragments known as microplastics and then contaminates soil and water."
 
Indian authorities are taking measures against plastic use and plastic shopping bags have been banned in a number of areas. The Indian government is also working to promote sustainability, especially in the fashion industry, through its promotion of Khadi weaves. 
 
Both Amazon India and Flipkart have come under fire recently for a number of issues. The Confederation of All India Traders has accused Amazon India of goods and services tax avoidance and alleged foreign direct investment regulations violations.