Lok Sabha Question No. 1127 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-11-22
Subject: Ill-effects of Chemicals of Plastics
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Uday Pratap Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1127

TO BE ANSWERED ON 22.11.2019

## Ill-effects of Chemicals of Plastics

## 1127. SHRI UDAY PRATAP SINGH:

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

- (a) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to offset the ill-effects of chemicals of plastics and control the use of plastics, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of the steps taken by the Government to create public awareness towards clean environment and encourage public participation in maintaining clean environment;
- (c) whether the Government has formulated any plan with regard to any other useful material to be used as an alternative to plastics;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

- (a) The  Central Pollution Control Board  assigned a study to Indian Institute of Toxicological Research (IITR), Lucknow to study 'Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal on Soil and Water Quality at Lucknow Dumpsites'. The soil and water quality data revealed that the heavy metals, chloride, phthalates migrate from plastic waste into the surrounding medium. The  leachate  can  cause  considerable  pollution  problem  by  contaminating  the  surrounding soil,  ground  or  surface  water.  As  per  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016,  carry  bags made of recycled plastic or products made of recycled plastic are prohibited to be used for storing, carrying, dispensing or packaging ready to eat ordrink food stuff. 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.

(b) to (e)     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 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 clean environment and the menace of pollution.

The  Government  has  identified  Compostable  plastic  as  one  of  the  alternative.  The  Rules define  norms  for  compostable  plastic.  Further,  to  promote  the  use  of  such  plastic,  the provision  of  minimumthickness  of  fifty  microns  does  not  apply  to  carry  bags  made  up  of compostable  plastic, conforming IS/ISO 17088.

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