NGT instructs Apollo Tyres to strictly follow plastic waste norms following allegations of improper disposal of carbon black jumbo bags.
The Southern Bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed Apollo Tyres Limited to strictly adhere to plastic waste management guidelines and the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework. This directive follows a petition alleging improper disposal practices involving used plastic jumbo bags that previously contained carbon black—an essential raw material in tyre manufacturing.
The case originated from a complaint by J. Parthiban of Tiruvallur, who claimed that Apollo Tyres was disposing of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) jumbo bags into the open market. These bags, despite containing residual carbon black, were reportedly ending up in the hands of local residents. They were being reused for purposes like storing cattle feed or as roofing sheets in homes and farms. The petitioner raised concerns that such informal reuse, especially during rains, could result in environmental contamination and pose health risks to humans and animals.
In response, Apollo Tyres denied all allegations of mishandling. The company asserted that carbon black is a non-hazardous substance and that all used bags were cleaned properly before being handed over to Jeeva Enterprises, a registered plastic recycler. Apollo revealed that it generates approximately 5,000 used jumbo bags per month and that it had ceased the reuse of these bags since 2022 due to concerns raised by suppliers. The company assured that it now ensures proper recycling through authorised channels.
The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) confirmed that Apollo Tyres holds a valid Consent to Operate, follows zero liquid discharge practices, and has generally complied with environmental regulations. However, the board had earlier recommended that the company avoid selling its used plastic bags to unauthorised scrap dealers, advising instead that all waste be routed through approved recyclers.
In its defense, Apollo stated that converting its operations to use silos or tankers in place of jumbo bags at its Chennai facility was not viable, citing space and infrastructure constraints. However, to prevent the unauthorised reuse of used bags, Apollo proposed to cut and clean them before sending them for recycling—despite acknowledging that this would incur additional operational expenses.
After reviewing the submissions, the NGT bench, headed by Justice Pushpa Sathyanarayana and expert member Satyagopal Korlapati, determined that Apollo Tyres had not breached any existing environmental standards. Nevertheless, the tribunal directed the company to fully implement the guidelines set by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) and to strictly comply with its own submitted undertaking regarding waste management.
