Lok Sabha Question No. 96 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-18
Subject: Import of PET Bottles
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Adala Prabhakara Reddy, Beesetti  Venkata Satyavathi, Kotagiri Sridhar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 96

TO BE ANSWERED ON 18.07.2022

## Import of PET Bottles

## 96. SHRI ADALA PRABHAKARA REDDY: DR. BEESETTI VENKATA SATYAVATHI: SHRI SRIDHAR KOTAGIRI:

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

- (a)   whether the Government banned the import of plastic waste in the country in 2019;
- (b) if  so,  whether  the  Government  has  recently  allowed  import  of  PET  Bottles,  as  plastic waste, for processing in the country;
- (c)   the reason for banning import of plastic waste and now allowing import of PET Bottles; and
- (d)   the steps taken by the Government to strengthen collection of PET plastic in the country rather than importing such waste given that more than 14 lakh tonnes of PET plastic are consumed annually in the country?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST  AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to  (d)  The  Hazardous  and  Other  Wastes  (Management  and  Transboundary  Movement) Rules, 2016 were amended on 1 st March, 2019 to prohibit the import of solid plastic waste into  the  country  including  Special  Economic  Zones  (SEZs)  and  Export  Oriented  Units (EOUs ). The import was banned to boost domestic collection and recycling of plastic waste including Polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

However, the situation was reviewed later and the rules were amended in November, 2021  to  allow  import  of  PET.  The  PET  import  was  allowed  to  fill  the  gap  in  waste availability of PET recycling units which in turn provide raw material to Yarn manufacturing units. There was shortage of plastic waste raw material for recycling units in spite of more than 90% collection of PET waste. The rationale is that the PET recycling industry is anchor for domestic waste management and as long as available domestic waste is being collected and recycled, the growth of the industry should not be hindered by lack of raw material.

The  policy  provides  that  import  would  be  allowed  only  to  actual  recyclers  having valid  authorization  and  Consent  to  Operate  so  as  to  ensure  that  waste  is  channelized purposefully. Also the permitted import quantity would be restricted only to fill the gap in recycling capacity and not to replace the domestic waste processing.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the Guidelines on the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic waste, including PET,by Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022. As per the guidelines, the producer, importers and brand-owners have EPR obligation for plastic waste. They shall ensure minimum level of recycling  (excluding  end  of  life  disposal)  of  plastic  waste  collected  under  EPR.  The enforceable prescription of minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste collected under EPR will further strengthen circular economy of plastic packaging waste.

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