Delhi Govt writes Centre to authorise maximum labs to test SUP alternatives

New Delhi: A day after highlighting the high GST and import duty levied on Single-Use plastics (SUP) products, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal on Wednesday raised the issue of the low number of laboratories to test alternatives to SUP.

The Minister has written to the Union Environment Ministry urging it to authorise the maximum number of testing labs in the country for the task.

Currently, units engaged in the manufacture of compostable products have to obtain mandatory certifications from the CIPET laboratory which is the only laboratory to test such products in the country. 

In the letter written to Union Environment Minister Bhupendra Yadav, the Delhi Minister said that the manufacturers are forced to wait for nearly six months to receive their test reports while they pay a hefty amount of Rs 4-5 lakhs for the process.

“During the discussion with all the panellists involved in the three-day Plastic Vikalp Mela organised by the Delhi Government, it was observed that the units engaged in the manufacture of compostable bags/products are required to obtain tests reports from the CIPET laboratory before obtaining the certification from CPCB. At present, CIPET is the only laboratory in the country to issue such tests. The manufacturers have to wait for almost six months for the test/report from this lab and also have to pay a hefty rate of around Rs 4-5 lakh,” Rai noted in the letter.

He urged the Central Government to authorise the maximum number of labs to encourage the manufacturers to produce more alternative products to SUP on a large scale, which eventually help in the effective implementation of the SUP ban by the Government of India.

“The government must authorise more laboratories if we want to promote alternatives to single-use plastic throughout the country, especially given how time-consuming the procedure is. So that startups/entities engaged in manufacturing single-use plastic alternatives can get the certification at affordable rates and in a reasonable time. Doing so will motivate the manufacturers to move more towards single-use plastic alternatives. It will also facilitate better implementation of the single-use plastic ban on the ground,” Rai said in the letter.

“The government must collaborate to support and encourage new businesses and entrepreneurs that provide alternatives to single-use plastics in order to eliminate the supply of the 19 banned SUP items,” he added.

On Tuesday, based on the inputs from the manufacturers, Rai urged the Centre to reduce the GST rates on raw materials used in the manufacturing of alternatives to SUP.