The Union Environment Ministry has permitted containers made of polyethylene terephthalate, as plastic waste, to be imported for processing.
- The import of plastic waste was banned in 2019, however, the decision to roll back the ban was taken after representations were made by several industries in the business of processing waste.
- They said there was too little waste available for them in India and this was causing them financial losses.
- An expert committee of the Environment Ministry, in 2021, recommended that firms which had applied for permission could import polyethylene terephthalate flakes and bottles up to 50% of their production capacity.
What is Polyethylene terephthalate ?
- Polyethylene terephthalate is a category of plastic, and nearly 90% of the domestic supply of containers using them is already recycled.
- PET is a clear, strong, and lightweight plastic that is widely used for packaging foods and beverages, especially convenience-sized soft drinks, juices and water.
- Because of PET’s unique properties, it is rapidly becoming the world’s preferred packaging material for foods and beverages.
- Like glass, it is a very strong and inert material that does not react with foods, is resistant to attack by micro-organisms, and will not biologically degrade. But unlike glass, PET is extremely lightweight, easy and efficient to transport, and shatterproof.
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