The Bombay High Court yesterday asked liquor manufacturers to buy back used plastic bottles for packaging liquor and ensure that they are recycled and reused to address environmental concerns arising from haphazard dumping of such bottles. The HC was hearing a petition filed by liquor manufacturers opposing the recent state General Resolution (GR) banning use of PET bottles for packaging liquor.

The suggestion to buy back used bottles was given to the bench of Chief Justice D H Waghela and Justice S J Sonak by the lawyers — Aspi Chinoy and Janak Dwarkadas — representing the liquor manufacturers. They told the bench rather that banning plastic bottles, which were creating environmental issues, let the manufacturers buy back old bottles from wines shops — purchased from customers or scavengers a price of say Rs 5 per bottle. Thus ensuring that all the bottles come back and are reused after recycling.