Lok Sabha Question No. 1131 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Single-use Plastic
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Kotagiri Sridhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1131

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## Single-use Plastic

## 1131. SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

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

- (a) whether the Government has decided not to implement a blanket ban on single-use of plastic;
- (b) if so, the details thereof along with the time-frame to phase out single-use plastic from the country;
- (c) whether the Government is implementing the ban in a phased manner and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether cigarette packs that come with plastic wrapping have not been brought under the gamut of banned items; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof and the

## ANSWER

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

(a)to (e) The Ministry  has  issued  'Standard  Guidelines  on  Single-use  Plastics'  to  all Ministries under the Government of India and to all States/UTs for extensive implementation in respective offices and in the States. The Guidelines suggests about the actions to be taken by the State/UT Governments for minimization of usage of Single-use Plastics. The focus of the Government is to first generate awareness among the public and all stakeholders about the challenges of plastic pollution and later regulatory provisions may follow.

Considering the high environmental cost associated with the management of Singleuse  plastics,  particularly  the  adverse  effect  on  marine  environment,  and  the  need  for  a definitive response supplementing the actions undertaken by various States/UTs to combat Single-use plastic pollution, Hon'ble Prime Minister has announced India's pledge to phase out Single-use plastic by 2022.

On the call of Hon'ble Prime Minister, a three-phase campaign 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' (SHS) was launched from 11th Sep, 2019, which ended on Diwali i.e. 27th October 2019. This  campaign  inter-alia  focused  on  awareness,  advocacy,  collection  and  safe  disposal  of littered plastic.

Under the campaign,all stakeholdersi.e. general public, students, industry, governments and local bodies came together and collectedwasteplastic from houses, streets, public  places  like  parks,  beaches,  markets,  religious  and  tourist  places  etc.  Urban  Local Bodies,  Gram  Panchayats,  Government  organisations  and  others  made  arrangements  to deposit  the  collected  plastic  waste  at  designated  locations  for  recycling.Start-ups,  technical bodies and corporates came forward with their plans to recycle the collected waste. Eventual goal of the campaign was that the plastic waste is not dumped on land or into water but is recycled in environmentally sound manner. The campaign has achieved its near-term goal of creating awareness on the menace of plastic pollution.

As reported by States, about 13,829 tonnes of plastic waste was collected and sent for environmentally sound  recycling/disposal and about 1.23 lakh awareness  /shramdaan activities  were  undertaken  all  over  the  country.  The  local  bodies  and  States  have  set  up systems emerged out of campaign for collection and safe disposal of such waste.

As per the provisions of Rules,there is a prohibition for use of plastic bags, plastic sheet or like with thickness less than 50 microns. Further, sachets using plastic material are prohibited for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala.

*****