Lok Sabha Question No. 1076 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-07
Subject: Reduction in Proliferation of Plastic
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Suresh Kodikunnil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1076

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 07.02.2020

## Reduction in Proliferation of Plastic

## 1076.   SHRI KODIKUNNIL SURESH:

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

- (a) whether the Government intends to reduce the proliferation of plastic in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  India  is  a  signatory  to  any  specific  International  covenants  concerning reduction  and  phasing  out  of  plastic,  specifically  single-use  plastic  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government is unlikely to achieveits commitment to eliminate all singleuse plastics by the year 2022 and may likely to adopt an indefinite timeframe for the same and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  increase  availability  of  quality  alternatives  to plastics and ensure greater uptake of recycling of plastic waste by devising a scheme for incentivizing recycling efforts at the national level; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Government  has  notified  Plastic  Waste  Management  (PWM)  Rules,  2016  for environmentally sound management of plastic waste and to reduce the proliferation of plastic in the country. The generators of waste under the Rules have been mandated to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not to litter plastic waste, ensure segregated storage of waste at source and handover the segregated waste to local bodies or agencies authorized by them or the registered waste pickers or registered recyclers. For proper regulation and sound recycling of plastic, provisions have been made for registration of all plastic recyclers with the  respective  State/UT  Pollution  Control  Boards/Committees.  Every  urban  local  body  has been  made  responsible  for  setting  up  of  infrastructure  for  collection,  segregation  and processing, including recycling and disposal of plastic waste. The local bodieshave also been mandated to create awareness among all stakeholders about their respective responsibilities.
- (b) India is a party to the Basel Convention, which regulates the transboundary movement and disposal of wastes, including plastic waste. Basel Convention is working on management of  plastic  waste  in  a  safe  and  environmentally  sound  manner.  The  Ministry  has  initiated  a project with the cooperation of Norwegian Government to work to reduce marine litter and plastic  pollution  in  the  country.  Similarly,  a  bilateral  project  with  the German  Government namely 'Closing the loop of marine litter in ecosystems'has also been undertaken.

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

Many  States/UTs  through  their  own  notifications  have  imposed  partial  or  complete prohibition  on  the  use  of  plastic  carry  bags/single-use  plastics.  32  States/UTs  have  issued notifications/orders/regulations  stipulating  a  complete  or  partial  ban  on  plastic  carry  bags and/or other single-use plastic items. The Ministry has also issued the 'Standard Guidelines on Single-Use Plastic' with suggestions on different set of actions for State/UT Governments for minimisation of such items

Further,  on  the  call  of  the  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister, a  campaign  'Swachhta  Hi  Sewa' (SHS) was launched from 11th Sep to 27th October 2019. This campaign inter-alia focused on awareness, advocacy, collection and safe disposal of littered plastic among  all stakeholders and citizens.

Advisories/Instructions  were  also  issued  to  Chief  Electoral  Officers  in  the  State during General Election 2019, regarding phase out of Single Use Plastic. Instructions were also  issued  to  Ministries,  Departments,  Offices  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Governments, Regional Offices, Schools, Corporates, Major PSUs, Institutions in 2018 & 2019 to prohibit SUP products including water bottles, take away coffee cups, lunch wrapped in disposable plastic  packaging,  plastic  bags,  disposable  food  containers,  plates  and  containers  made  of polystyrene foam, plastic straws etc. from their offices.

(d) & (e)For proper regulation and sound recycling of plastic, provisions have been made in the  PWM Rules for  registration  of  all  plastic  recyclers  with  respective  State/UT  Pollution Control Boards/Committees. Every urban local body has been made responsible for setting up  of  infrastructure  for  collection,  segregation  and  processing,  including  recycling  and disposal  of  plastic  waste.  The  local  bodies  have  also  been  mandated  to  create  awareness among all stakeholders about their respective responsibilities.

The Rules mandate plastic producers, importers and brand owners to work out modalities for  waste  collection  systems  based  on  the  principle  of  Extended  Producers  Responsibility (EPR)  involving  the  State  urban  development  department.  The  Rules  further  mandate  the producers,  importers  and  brand  owners  who  introduce  such  products  in  the  market  for collection  of  used  multi-layered  plastic  sachet  or  pouches  or  packaging,  by  establishing  a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to their products.

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