Prakash Javadekar: Disposable bags a must with sanitary pads

Representation pic/Istock

From January next year, sanitary pad manufacturers will have to mandatorily provide packets for disposal of each pad, Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Sunday.

Speaking here, Javadekar said that it has been observed that production and usage of sanitary napkins and diapers has greatly increased in the country, but they are still being discarded in a way which is harmful to waste-pickers.

"We will implement the rule that January 2021 onwards all sanitary pad manufacturers will have to compulsorily give degradable bags for disposal of each sanitary napkin. This rule is already in existence but is not being followed by the manufacturers," he said.

He also announced that all habitations with more than 3,000 population would have to make provision for waste management. "We should address the waste pickers as 'Swachhta Sevika' from this International Women's Day as they are doing a great service to the nation", the minister said while interacting with women workers of SWaCH Pune, a wholly-owned workers' cooperative.

He emphasised on the decentralised model wherein garbage by educational institutes and housing societies should be disposed of at the premises itself. "There is a rule for compulsory picking of garbage and disposal for municipal towns... this rule will be made compulsory for all the habitations with more than 3,000 population," he added.

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