Now, milk producers would be recycling plastic milk bags and packets to curb environment pollution and minimise the use of plastics in the state. In a series of meetings with the Environment Ministry, the producers and suppliers of milk and milk related items agreed to recycle the milk plastic bags, given the government hear their plea.
Under this move, the consumer has to pay additional 50 paisa per plastic bag on buying the milk packet. Once the consumer returns the packet after the use of milk, they can get back their deposited 50 paisa per plastic packet. However, the responsibility of recycling these plastic bags will be of the milk suppliers and oil producers of the particular brand.
In Maharashtra, per day, one crore plastic bags are generated which amounts to 31 tonnes of plastic every day. “We have also given permission to milk producers to start the recycling plants in their premises. Once this happens, then we will not see any plastic on the road. We have to employ one by one move to enable a plastic-free society. Some firms have already started their recycling plants,” said Ramdas Kadam, Environment minister to DNA.
