Chandigarh, Nov 12: Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has called on 14 leading brands over their contribution to hard-to-recycle plastic waste, following a groundbreaking state-level audit.
The Plastic Waste Brand Audit-2025 covered Amritsar, Bathinda, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Mohali, and Patiala. It examined 6,991 kg of municipal waste, including 613 kg of plastic, and found that 88% of it was difficult to recycle. Among 11,810 plastic packets analysed, 14 brands were responsible for nearly 59% of non-recyclable waste, officials said.
PPCB Chairperson Reena Gupta said, “No company will be allowed to pollute Punjab. We will fix accountability and clean up all our cities. We have given them one month to prepare their plans. Failing which penal action will be taken.”
The board has instructed the brands to develop and present time-bound strategies to encourage post-use plastic collection by consumers. Authorities cautioned that some producers were fulfilling their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations merely “on paper” through unverifiable certificates or by outsourcing waste processing to other states.
