Sanitary pad disposal bags mandatory from January 2021, says Javadekar

Union Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar on Sunday (March 8) said the Centre would make it mandatory for sanitary napkin companies to provide bio-degradable disposal bags from January next year.

He said sanitary napkin companies should ensure that each pad is sold with a disposable, bio-degradable bag.

Javadekar was speaking at an International Women’s Day event in Pune attended by waste collectors, who he referred to as “swachhta sevaks”.

He said that despite the norms in place about the proper disposal of sanitary pads, they are being disposed of in a way that was harmful to waste collectors.

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“I have observed that despite the repeated appeal to sanitary pad manufacturers, they are still not providing bio-degradable disposal bags. From January 2021, the Union government will make such bags mandatory,” said Javadekar.

He also said cleanliness norms in force in municipal areas will now also be applicable to villages having a population of more than 3,000.

He stressed on the decentralised model where waste generated by educational institutes and housing societies should be collected, segregated, and disposed at the premises itself.

Javadekar further said he has decided to allot funds for the construction of garbage sheds which will be designed by SWaCH, an autonomous cooperative society of self-employed waste collectors based in Pune.

“I celebrate my Diwali with waste-pickers to understand their work and problems, we all city dwellers want garbage shed for us, but not too close from our home. This mindset should change. I have decided to give funds from the Member of Parliament Local Area Development Fund for construction of 50 big and 50 small garbage sheds which are designed by SWaCH,” he said.

(With inputs from agencies)