Watch the third episode of the GREEN MANDATE hosted by Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy and Rainmatter Foundation, on the ‘Extended Producers Responsibility on Plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016’ in conversation with Ms. Satyarupa Shekhar, Asia Pacific Coordinator, Break Free From Plastic.
The Government of India notified the Guidelines on Extended Producers Responsibility on plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 on 16th February, 2022. These guidelines put the responsibility of reusing, recycling and disposing of plastic in a time bound and targeted manner on producers and importers of plastic, brand owners including online marketplaces and retailers. The guidelines also set up a market based tool which allows for sale and purchase of surplus extended producer responsibility certificates and enables the Pollution Control Boards to impose environmental compensation for non-fulfilment of extended producer responsibility targets. Earlier, the government had already mandated a ban on single use plastic from July, 2022.
Ms. Satyarupa provides overall leadership and coordination in the Asia Pacific region, at Break Free From Plastic (BFFP) for the development of holistic and inclusive strategies to dramatically reduce plastic production, pollution, and usage. She works with and supports frontline communities and organisations working to promote sustainable, effective, and locally-driven initiatives. Prior to joining BFFP, Satyarupa has worked with policy research and advocacy groups to make visible communities and issues that remain invisible to and neglected by governments and the general public. She has worked with Chennai’s city government and a Tamil Nadu state department to improve their data-management practices to plan civic infrastructure better, institute zero-waste systems and single-use plastic ban, and has supported the creation of data that has been used by the city government and courts to provide evidence for failures in service provision.
Satyarupa holds a Master’s degree in Economics from the University of Hyderabad, and a European Masters in Law and Economics degree.
