Port Blair (Sri Vijaya Puram): Entities involved in the production, import, sale, branding, processing and handling of plastic packaging and plastic waste in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands have been asked to secure mandatory registration under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended, and comply with their prescribed Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations, failing which they may face regulatory action.
Reiterating the statutory requirements, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has directed all entities covered under the EPR framework to obtain the requisite registration on the Common EPR Portal without delay. The move is aimed at strengthening regulatory oversight, ensuring accountability across the plastic packaging supply chain and improving the scientific management and processing of plastic waste.
All concerned entities have accordingly been advised to register immediately, ensure that transactions involving plastic packaging and plastic waste comply with the prescribed regulatory provisions, and accurately report such transactions on the portal.
Significantly, the compliance responsibility also extends to ensuring that unregistered suppliers and buyers, wherever registration is applicable, obtain the necessary approvals and fulfil their respective EPR targets, transaction-reporting requirements and annual return-filing obligations.
The CPCB has cautioned that violations of the prescribed requirements will invite appropriate action under the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended.
The regulatory emphasis assumes particular significance for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, where effective plastic waste management is crucial to protecting the fragile island ecosystem, preventing plastic pollution of coastal and marine habitats, and ensuring accountability at every stage of the plastic packaging lifecycle.
