Revolutionizing Waste Management: How Bengaluru’s Bold Move Could Earn You Big Money!

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The Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) is poised for a transformative shift with the impending implementation of the Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) in Solid Waste Management policy.

This strategic move promises to usher in a substantial boost to the revenue streams of Bengaluru Solid Waste Management Ltd. (BSWML), potentially amounting to a staggering ₹100 crore on an annual basis, according to informed sources within the civic body.

Interestingly, the EPR policy, although originally introduced under the aegis of the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2016 by the Union Ministry of Forest, Environment, and Climate Change, languished in relative obscurity within the BBMP’s purview for years. This lack of interest in embracing EPR was not exclusive to BBMP; it extended its apathy across all urban local bodies (ULBs) in the State. Remarkably, the State government has now made the consequential decision to embrace this much-neglected policy.

In the intricate web of the EPR policy, the onus is placed squarely upon producers, importers, and brand owners of plastics to shoulder the responsibility for treating, reusing, recycling, or disposing of their products post-consumer usage. In the absence of such a structured system, corporations resorted to outsourcing their waste to collection centers, a practice that came at a financial cost. Simplifying this convoluted dynamic, BSWML now has the opportunity to levy a fee for the segregation, processing, co-processing, or final disposal of plastic and other solid waste, effectively shifting the financial burden back onto the companies generating this waste, predominantly in the form of packaging.

Significantly, allegations have arisen that non-governmental organizations engaged in waste processing surreptitiously collected EPR fees from companies without the civic body’s knowledge. Over the last three years, BBMP has borne the brunt of this revenue leakage. The civic body, however, harbors immense potential to amass an annual revenue windfall ranging from ₹80 crore to ₹100 crore through the systematic implementation of the EPR framework, as astutely estimated by sources within the civic body. This fiscal injection stands to render BSWML financially self-reliant. Furthermore, the official adoption of the EPR policy by the civic body is poised to herald a new era, necessitating companies utilizing dry waste collection centers to remit fees directly to BSWML, thereby obliterating any rogue elements covertly siphoning EPR funds.

Intriguingly, an official divulged that a recent presentation showcased the successful implementation of the EPR policy in the state of Uttar Pradesh, hinting at the imminent statewide adoption of this pivotal policy, transcending the boundaries of BBMP. The winds of change are palpable, as BBMP, in synergy with the State government, readies itself to embrace this paradigm shift in solid waste management, one that promises not only fiscal rejuvenation but also enhanced environmental stewardship.