Lok Sabha Question No. 310 (STARRED), answered on 2022-08-08
Subject: Single Use Plastic
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Dileshwar Kamait, Navneet Ravi Rana

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

## LOK SABHA

## STARRED QUESTION No. *310

TO BE ANSWERED ON 08.08.2022

## Single Use Plastic

## * 310.    SHRI DILESHWAR KAMAIT: SHRIMATI NAVNEET RAVI RANA:

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

- (a) the salient features of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  phase  out  all  other  plastic  items  such  as packings  of  milk,  chips,  bread,  etc.  other  than  the  plastic  items  banned  by  the Government with effect from 1st July, 2022;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, then reasons therefor along with the time-frame for complete phase out of all plastic items to achieve the target of total ban on plastic; and
- (d) the details of efforts being undertaken by the Government to spread awareness among themasses?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI BHUPENDER YADAV)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

***

## Statement  referred  to  in  reply  to  parts  (a)  to  (d)  of  Lok  Sabha  Starred Question  No.  310  to  be  answered  on  8 th August,  2022  on  'Single  Use Plastic' by Shri Dileshwar Kamait, Shrimati Navneet Ravi Rana, Hon'ble Members of Parliament.

(a):  The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  notified  the  Guidelines  on Extended  Producer  Responsibility  for  plastic  packaging  vide  Plastic  Waste  Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, on 16th February 2022.

The key highlights of the Guidelines on Extended Producers Responsibility (EPR) on plastic packaging  notified  on  16th  February  2022  are  (i)  mandatory  registration  of  Producers, Importers,  and  Brand  Owners  (PIBOs)  and  Plastic  Waste  Processors  (PWPs)  through centralized  online  portal,  (ii)  coverage  of  four  categories  of  plastic  packaging  viz.  rigid packaging,  flexible  packaging,  multi-layered  plastic  packaging,  and  compostable  plastic packaging,  (iii)  clearly  defined  targets  for  EPR,  (iv)  mandatory  targets  for  reuse  of  rigid plastic  packaging,  minimum level of recycling  of plastic waste and use of recycled plastic content in plastic packaging, (v) centralized online portal to support implementation of EPR, (vi)  provision  sale  and  purchase  of  surplus  EPR  certificates,  (vii)  levy  of  environmental compensation for non-fulfilment of  EPR  obligations,  (viii)  provision  for  verification,  audit and monitoring of obligated entities.

(b)  &  (c):  Considering  the  adverse  effect  of  littered  single  use  plastic  items  on  terrestrial, aquatic  and  marine  ecosystems,  the  Ministry  has  notified  the  Plastic  Waste  Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting the following identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, with effect from 1 st July 2022.

- (a) ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, icecream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration;
- (b) plates,  cups,  glasses,  cutlery  such  as  forks,  spoons,  knives,  straw,  trays,  wrapping  or packing  films  around  sweet  boxes,  invitation  cards,    and  cigarette  packets,  plastic  or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.

The  notification  also  prohibits  manufacture,  import,  stocking,  distribution,  sale  and  use  of plastic  carry  bags  having  thickness  less  than  seventy  five  microns  with  effect  from  30th September, 2021, and having thickness less thanthickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022. Non-woven plastic carry bags of less than 60 gram persqm (GSM) is also prohibited from 30 th September 2021.The items that have been banned have been identified based upon recommendations of an Expert Committee constituted by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India. The plastic packaging for milk, chips, bread etc. is covered under the Guidelines on Extended  Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging. As per the Guidelines, the producers, importers and  brand  owners  introducing  plastic  packaging  in  the  market  are  mandated  to  undertake EPR for environmentally sound management of plastic packaging waste.

(d)  The  Union  Government  through  various  central  ministries  and  government  agencies hasbeen involved in generating public awareness on plastic wastemanagement and elimination of single-use plastics. The Ministry of Environment,Forest and Climate Change had launched Prakriti - Mascot on 5th April 2022. Three videos of PRAKRITI on ban on single use plastics have been made and translated in 19 languages. These have been shared with  States  and  UTs  for  further  dissemination.A  dedicated  webpage  with  all  awareness material has been created for making available all information materials and videos for wider dissemination and use by stakeholders. An E-Pledge on Swachh Bharat Harit Bharat Green Pledge  has  been  launched  on  My  Gov  Platform  for  generating  public  movement  amongst citizens on 5th April 2022. A one month long pan India awareness campaign was organized from 1 st July 2022 along with States and Union Territories.

***