Lok Sabha Question No. 4285 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Single use Plastic
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Nishikant  Dubey, S.R. Parthiban, Gaurav Gogoi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4285

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019

## Single use Plastic

## 4285.   DR. NISHIKANT DUBEY: SHRI PARTHIBAN S.R.: SHRI GAURAV GOGOI:

Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government is working on a definition for single use plastic and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has set up any committee to look into the issue of single use plastic in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Committee has submitted its report to the Government, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether the banning of single use plastic will result in the loss of jobs in the plastic sector and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the steps taken by the Government in this regard along with the alternate plans, if any, to eradicate plastic use in food packaging?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BABUL SUPRIYO)

- (a) The plastic products, which arecommonly used for packaging, carrying or dispensing commodities and include items intended to be used only once, for the same purpose, before they are discarded can be termed as 'Single Use Plastic' for ease of understanding.
- (b) and (c) The  Department  of  Chemicals  and  Petrochemicals  (DCPC),  Ministry  of Chemicals and Fertilisers, has constituted a committee to look into the issues of Single-use plastic. The Committee has identified a list of possible Single-use plastic items based of their utilities and environmental impact and submitted its report to the Department.

(d) and (e) Considering the high environmental cost associated with the use ofSingle-use plastic,  particularly  the  adverse  effect  on  soil,  water  bodies  and  on  marine  environment, Hon'ble  Prime  Minister  has  announced  India's  pledge  to  phase  out  Single-use  plastic  by 2022.

As per the plastic Waste Management Rules ,2016 the carry bag made if virgin or recycled plastic  less  than  fifty  microns  in  thickness  has  been  prohibited.  There  is  complete  ban  on sachets  using  plastic  material  used  for  storing,  packing  or  selling  gutkha,  tobacoo  and  pan masala. Further, 23 State and 9 UTs through their own notification have also imposed partial or complete prohibition on the use of plastic carry bags/single use plastic.

However,  to  support  the  economic  stability  of  the  people  working  in  the  sector,  the Government has identified Compostable plastic as one of the alternatives. To promote the use of compostable plastic, the restrictive provision of minimum thickness of fifty microns, as per Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016, does not apply to carry bags made up of compostable plastic,  conforming  IS/ISO 17088. Some of the State Governments which have banned the use of plastic bags in their respective States are allowing only the Compostable plastic bags for  plant  nurseries,horticulture,  agriculture  and  other  uses.  Apart  from  the  traditional materialssuch as jute bags, leaf plates, bamboo cutleries, the new materialssuch asbagassebased products, banana stem-based products etc are now widely available in the market.

Regarding,the use of plastic in food packaging, the Rules prohibit the use of carry bags made of recycled plastic or products made of recycled plastic for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging ready to eat or drink food stuff.

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