Maharashtra government moots plan to collect used milk packets

Soon, your milk polypacks may be returned to the retailer in exchange for coupons that can be redeemed on purchase of milk. The state government and milk federations are finalising a project in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur for a buyback scheme under the plastic ban.

The state government's ban on disposable, single-use plastic and plastic products has introduced a buyback and refund scheme for milk polypacks and packaged drinking water bottles. Here, consumers will pay a minimum refundable buyback price of 50 paise per milk polypack above the MRP.

A senior official from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) said in a meeting with milk federations that it had been decided to implement a pilot project for buyback of milk polypacks in Mumbai, Pune and Nagpur.

"Most people purchase milk from a distributor who delivers it at their doorstep. We have asked milk federations to use the same delivery chain in reverse to collect the used polypacks and give coupons or the buyback price to consumers," he explained.

However, a senior official from a milk dairy with a significant chunk of the market in Mumbai admitted this scheme would not be easy to implement. "If these milk bags are not washed properly by consumers before returning them, they will give off a horrible stench. There are chances of milk bags being duplicated to collect the buyback price. There can be no doubt about the need for a ban on use of plastic but the state government should have gone about it in a better way," he explained.

PLASTIC MENACE

• About 40 lakh litres of milk is sold in polypacks, while rest is sold loose.
   
• The plastic ban was introduced in the state in July, and authorities are fighting to implement it.