The Hindu     24.08.2012

Plastic materials seized

The Corporation health officials seized 1.5 tonne of plastic covers/packets of less than 40 microns in thickness and disposable plastic cups, from shops and establishments during a massive raid conducted in the city on Thursday.

City Health Officer (in-charge) H. Ramachandran told the reporters that fines to the tune of Rs. 19,750 were slapped on 15 shop owners out of the 100 shops inspected in Eswaran Koil Street, Daily Market, Old Bus Stand, Mangalam Road, Govindagounder Street and Arisikadai Street. The shops found using plastic materials were mainly groceries, tea stalls, sweet shops and wholesale merchants.

“We have seized the materials exercising the powers vested under Sections 41, 44 and 107 (a) (b) (c) of Tamil Nadu Public Health Act 1939, and fined the shopkeepers using the provisions under Plastic Handling and Management Rule, 2011,” he added.

Mr. Ramachandran pointed out that in the case of plastic cups, there were no stipulation of thickness in the laws and hence, the shop owners should totally refrain from its usage.

Recycling

“We have already created awareness among the traders and shopkeepers of the guidelines in using plastic materials before going for the crackdown,” he said.

The City Health Officer said the plastic materials seized during the day would be recycled and used for laying roads.