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Journalism of Courage
NEW DELHI, NOV 11: Delhi High Court on Thursday endorsed the Centre’s ban on using `recycled’ plastic carry bags and containers for packaging and supplying food stuff.
Disposing of a public interest litigation in this regard, a division bench comprising Justices Arun Kumar and D K Jain said since the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest in a notification of September 2 had banned the use of recycled plastic carry bags and containers for food items, the petition did not survive.
The court did not agree with the contention of petitioner advocate B L Wadhera that the ban should also be extended to use of such bags for carrying vegetables, fruits, cereals, rice and the like.
This was also opposed by `recycled plastic manufacturers and traders association’ counsel Balmiki Mehta, who said the recycled plastic might have affect prepared food items packed or served at a particular temperature. It did not have any adverse effect on dry food items according to the experts’ report, he claimed.
Central Government counsel H S Phoolka told the court that the Ministry had considered all these aspects before issuing the notification under the Environment Act.
The notification had put a blanket ban on storing, carrying, dispensing and packaging of food stuff by vendors in carry bags or containers made of recycled plastic.
