The Need for Reverse Logistics: Unravelling the Producer Responsibility

Abstract

Everyone wants a clean environment and surroundings. The onus of this often rests with the government be it the Centre, state or Local Self Governments. There are of course funds for such initiative. At all these levels funds are allocated for waste removal. Waste management is not about mere removal which ends in dumping. Upon close examination it can be seen that when it comes to items like plastic packaging, tyres and e- waste, nobody knows how to manage these categories better than the people who manufacture them. The waste management is an unsolved issue particularly in developing countries like India. The bulk of municipal solid waste is in fact discarded packaging. The producers/manufacturers and brand-owners have an obligation under the Extended Producer Responsibility to find solutions to discarded packaging. Using the existing laws and legal framework available and the 4 years’ data available from 4ULBs/LSGs to derive weights and volumes of plastic and other packaging from municipal solid waste and work out cost implications of the same. Nearly 84 % of the dry waste generated form ULBs/LSGs consists of plastic and other packaging. This indicates that the role of producers and brand owners is not insignificant. They should definitely aim at sustainable business models either by helping ULBs/LSGs manage their waste through proper recycling supply chain so rent rust PROs with the task bearing financial obligations of the same.