Lok Sabha Question No. 479 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-20
Subject: Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: SHOBHA KARANDLAJE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 479

TO BE ANSWERED ON 20.07.2018

## Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018

## 479. KUMARI SHOBHA KARANDLAJE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has notified an Amendment to the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2018 recently and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether Multi  Layered  Plastics  (MLP),  the  shining  cover  of  many  food  and  chips, tobacco products and biscuits packets are likely to be phased out and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether MLP are made up of a layered composition of various types of plastics with non-plastics and are non recyclable and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  billions  of  MLP  are  either  being  burnt  or  dumped  into  our  oceans  and landfills causing serious health repercussions to animals and plants; and
- (e) if  so,  the  concrete  steps  being  taken  by  the  Government  in  setting  up  a  system  for collection and channelling of their post-consumer packaging products, especially for MLP manufacturers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

(a) to  (c) Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules,2018 have been notified by the Ministry on 27 th March, 2018. It was noted that Multi Layered Plastics (MLP) having at least one  layer  of  plastic  as  the  main  ingredient  in  combination  with  one  or  more  layers  of materials such as metalised layers or aluminium foil can be used in waste to energy plants, cement kilns etc in an environmentally sound manner. Further, the MLP, has alternate use for road construction etc. Therefore, the rules have been amended such that the phasing out of Multilayered Plastic (MLP) is now applicable for the MLP which are 'non-recyclable or nonenergy recoverable or with no alternate use'.

Further, a  centralized registration system has been prescribed for the registration of the Producer/Importer/Brand owner. For smaller producers /brand owners operating within 1 or  2  states,  a  state  level  registration  system  is  prescribed.  For  producers  with  presence  in more than 2 states, a national registry has been prescribed. The Rule 15, 'Explicit pricing of carry bags' has been omitted.

(d) and (e) The volume of plastic produced in the world has increased significantly and an increasing  amount  of  plastic  litter  ends  up  in  waterways  and  the  ocean.  Plastic  litter  is hazardous  to  the  marine  environment  because  plastics  are  durable,  buoyant,  waterproof, indigestible, and non-biodegradable. Plastic litter adversely impacts marine life and environment.

The  Government  has  notified  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016.  As  per  the Rules, the generators of waste have been mandated to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not to litter the plastic waste, ensure segregated storage of waste at source and handover segregated waste to local bodies or agencies  authorised by the local bodies.  The rules  also  mandate  the  responsibilities  of  local  bodies,  gram  panchayats,  waste  generators, retailers  and  street  vendors  to  manage  plastic  waste.  The  rules  mandate  the  producers, importers and brand owners to work out modalities for waste collection system based on the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility.

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