Extended producer responsibility (EPR): Disposal of plastic waste – Coke, Pepsi, Bisleri, Patanjali fined

CHENNAI/DELHI: The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has fined beverage makers Coke and Pepsi and bottled water maker Biseri for violating filing statutory returns to government bodies regarding the collecting and disposal of plastic waste.

While Bisleri has been penalised Rs 10.75 crore, Pepsico India Holdings will have to pay Rs 8.7 crore and Hindustan Coca Cola Beverages has been asked to pay Rs 50.66 crore fine.

All companies have been granted a timeframe of 15 days to remit the penalty and fulfil the rules that have been violated. Extended producer responsibility (EPR), is an exercise and a policy method in which producers take accountability on behalf of the organization for the disposal of products they create once they have been designated no longer useful by consumers.

While Bisleri penalised for 21,500 tonnes of plastic at Rs 5,000 a tonne, Pepsi was held responsible for 11,194 tonnes of plastic waste and Coke provided documents to CPCB saying it collected 4,417.78 tonnes of plastic waste for the period January to September 2020 as against a EPR target of 1,05,744 tonnes.

Other beverage makers including Patanjali were penalised for Rs 1crore while Nourishco Benevarges has been asked to pay up Rs 85.9 lakh. Both Coke and Pepsi said they were examining the CPCB notice.

Coke’s spokesperson said,: “We are in receipt of the notice issued by the Central Pollution Control Board. As part of the global operations of The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) we operate in full compliance with the regulatory framework and within the ambit of the laws of the land, both in letter and spirit. We are currently studying the order and will be working with the relevant authorities to resolve the issue, within the stipulated timeframe.”

PepsiCo India said it was a law abiding corporate citizen and complies with all its Extended Producers’ Responsibilities for collection of plastic waste. Just like some other industry members, PepsiCo India has received a notice from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) proposing to levy an environmental compensation for non-certification by the Urban Local Bodies of its Progress Reports filed with CPCB.

“The notice is being examined and an appropriate response is being filed.”- said a PepsiCo India spokesperson.

A Bisleri spokesperson later said, “Bisleri is a compliant organisation and adheres to the provisions of PWM Rules, directions and orders passed thereunder from time to time. We have timely submitted all the requisite documents as and when advised by CPCB duly endorsed from SPCB/PCC/ULB’s. As a dedicated and socially responsible corporate, we have adhered to all the guidelines issued by the government.”

“Both SDMC and EDMC in Delhi are aware and have been most supportive of our program. We are currently working closely with the regulators to share detailed information relating to our actions on compliance to resolve the issue at the earliest,” she added.