Lok Sabha Question No. 4308 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-13
Subject: Implementation of Plastic Management Rules,2016
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Manoj Rajoria

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No.4308

TO BE ANSWERED ON 13.12.2019

## Implementation of Plastic Management Rules,2016

## 4308. DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  examined  the  reasons  as  to  why  Plastic  Management Rules, 2016 are not being effectively implemented;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government for  ensuring  meticulous  compliance  of  Plastic Management Rules, 2016?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  to (c) The  Government  has  notified  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016  for environmentally sound management of plastic waste and to prevent plastic pollution 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 the local bodies or agencies authorized by them or 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 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.

For effective implementation of plastic waste management rules, a three pronged strategy has been  adopted  that  include  behavioral  change,  strengthening  of  institutional  system  for collection,  segregation  and  recycling  of  plastic  waste  and  engagement  with  producer, importer and brand owners through Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR).

Further, Hon'ble Prime Minister has announced India's pledge to phase out Single-use plastic by  2022.India  was  one  the  first  large  country  to  take  up  such  initiative  to  combat  plastic pollution.

As  a  part  of  behavioural  change,  on  the  call  of  Hon'ble  Prime  Minister,  a  three-phase campaign 'Swachhta Hi Sewa' was launched from 11th September 2019, which ended on Diwali  i.e.  27th  October,  2019.Under  'Swachhta  hi  Seva',  common  public  of  the  country came together  in  masses  on  2nd  October,  2019  and  collected  Single  Use  Plastic  from  the houses, streets etc and the Urban Local Bodies, Gram Panchayats etcmade arrangements for deposit  this  plastic  at  a  designated  location.  The  start-ups,  technical  bodies  and  corporates came forward with their plans to recycle the collected plastic waste.

The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  is  implementing  Environment Education,  Awareness  and  Training  scheme.  Under  the  National  Green  Corps  (NGC) programme  of  the  Ministry,  about  one  lakh  schools  have  been  identified  as  Eco-clubs, wherein,  nearly  thirty  lakh  students  are  actively  participating  in  various  environment protection and conservation activities including plastic waste management.

The Ministry launched the Green Good Deed (GGDs) movement which is social movement with the aim of bringing about mass environmental awareness in the society at all levels.

Further,  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.

For  spreading  awareness  among  the  coastal  cities  and  towns,  beach  cleaning  drive  was initiated to clean 50 beaches from 11th Nov to 17th Nov, 2019.

For strengthening of institutional system, the Ministry had issued 'Standard Guidelines for Single-Use  Plastic'  on  21 st January  2019  to  all  States/UTs  and  Ministries.  The  Standard guidelines entailed waste management system improvements, legal options for States/UTs to prohibit SUP items through regulatory measures, eco-friendly alternatives, social awareness and  public  education.  The  guidelines  also  included  measures  to  be  taken  by  government offices.

The  Ministry  has  notified  Solid  Waste  Management  (SWM)  Rules  2016,  which  inter  alia, prescribe  door  to  door  collection  and  segregation  of  waste  at  source  all  ULBs.  The  rules emphasise  to  set  up  Material  Recovery  Facilities  (MRF)  by  local  bodies  for  sorting  of recyclable  dry  waste  including  plastic  waste.  It  is  estimated  that  95%  of  the  wards  are covered  under  door-to-door  collection  of  waste  and  approximately  72  %  of  the  wards  are practicing source segregation.

The Rules mandates the Producers, Importers and Brand Owners for collection of used multilayered plastic sachet or pouches or packaging, who introduces such products in the market. The Rules prescribe them to establish a system for collecting back the plastic waste generated due to their products.

Ministry  has  conducted  several  meetings  with  thestakeholders  for  implementation  of  the provisions of EPR. Further, stakeholder consultation workshops were also conducted by the Ministry in Bangalore, Ranchi and Chandigarh.

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