Disposed sun films give ULBs a headache

Disposed sun films give ULBs a headache

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangalore, May 19, 2012: The dark tinted films from windows and windshields of vehicles, which vehicle owners are discarding as per the recent Supreme Court ruling, are giving urban local bodies (ULBs) a headache. 

The pollution control board classifies sun films under solid waste and ULBs must handle it according to the municipal solid waste management rules. 

N. S. Channappa Gowda, the deputy commissioner (DC) of Dakshina Kannada, said that he will issue a directive to all ULBs to handle discarded sun film as plastic waste. 

But a senior environmental officer of the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board said that discarded sun films cannot be considered plastic waste. According to the Plastic Waste Management and Handling Rules of 2011, carry bags and plastic less than 40 microns thick as well as sun films must be handled as solid waste. 

He said that discarded sun films can be recycled and used in the manufacture of bitumen, adding that plastic is increasingly being used as an additive for bitumen. 

The Mangalore and Bangalore police have instructed vehicle owners to remove sun films on or before May 19. Vehicle service centres are flooded with vehicles waiting to have their sun films removed. 

According to a recent SC ruling, vehicle owners cannot use any sun control films, but must use only tinted glasses provided by the manufacturer. 

Meanwhile, owners of high-end luxury cars have been making enquiries about how to remove the sun control films on their cars. These luxury cars have factory-fitted tinted glasses, and sun control films are used only in mid-segment cars.