Bhubaneswar, Aug. 31: The housing and urban development department has begun the process of implementing the new Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, by registering those companies and firms in the city that use plastic extensively.

These firms will be registered under extended producer's responsibility, a component of the new plastic waste management rules, where the firms will have the responsibility to recycle, reuse and dispose of the plastic waste generated by them.

Now, the housing and urban development department is planning to discuss this with a beverage giant that has its unit at the industrial estate in Khurda. 'Extended producer's responsibility is an important component of the new plastic waste management rules,' said an official of the housing and urban development department.

He said the department had written to the beverage company and called their officials to discuss the issue. 'Since it is a new rule that the manufacturer will have to take care of the generated waste itself, it needs some clarification and planning. We will register the companies and also help them manage the waste,' said the official.

In March last year, the Union ministry of forest, environment and climate change had notified the new plastic waste management rules and asked the respective state governments to formulate bye-laws under it and implement the same in the cities and towns. Besides taking care of major plastic waste generators, the housing and urban development department has also asked Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation to start registering other small vendors and shopkeepers using plastic in the city. Here, the petty users will not handle their own waste, but will pay to the civic body for the same.

'We have began the process to select a firm, which will identify the street vendors, shopkeepers, producers and manufacturers of plastic and collect fees for the use of plastic materials, carry-bags or polythene from event sites and household level,' said mayor Ananta Narayan Jena.

He said the firm would also device a mechanism for source segregation, collection, storage, transportation and recycling of the plastic waste. 'The firm will put up a mechanism for collection of plastic waste through rag pickers in a safer manner. It will engage with the community for sustainable waste management practice and develop a strategy for safe handling of the plastic waste,' said the mayor.

Environmentalists have slammed the officials for slow implementation of the new rules. 'The rules have been notified in March last year and should have been implemented fully by now,' said environmentalist Alok Mohanty.