Lok Sabha Question No. 752 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-23
Subject: Phasing out of Single-use Plastics
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Bholanath (B.P. Saroj), Upendra Singh Rawat

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

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 752 TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.07.2021

## Phasing out of Single-use Plastics

## 752. SHRI BHOLANATH (B.P. SAROJ): SHRI UPENDRA SINGH RAWAT:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  guiding  principles  finalized  by  the  Government  for  definition  of banned single-use plastics;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  finalized  and  released  the  complete  list  of  single-use plastics in public domain and if so, the details thereof and if not, the time by which it is likely to be released;
- (c) whether the Government has issued any standard guidelines to States/UTs to phaseout single-use plastics by 2022 and if so, the details thereof along with the manner in which  the  Government  ensures  uniform  implementation  of  Extended  Producer Responsibility (EPR) at the State level;
- (d) whether the Government is contemplating at developing any roadmap for Research and  Development  to  find  alternatives  to  single-use  plastics  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) whether any technical group has been formed to study the said subject matter and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a)  &  (b):The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  had  issued  a  draft notification in the Gazette of India vide GSR No. 169 (E) on 11 th March 2021 for amending Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, inter alia prohibiting the use of identified single use plastic items by 2022, for public consultation. The regulatory regime for phasing out single use plastic items is based on low utility and high littering potential of such items.

As per the draft notification, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following identified single use plastic items is proposed to be prohibited as per schedule given below

|   S. No. | Items                                                                          | Phase out date   |
|----------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------|
|        1 | Carry bag made of virgin or recycled plastic less than120 microns in thickness | 30.09.2021       |

|   2 | Non-woven plastic carry bag less than 60 GSM (Gram per square meter) or 240 microns in thickness                                                                                                                         | 30.09.2021   |
|-----|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------|
|   3 | Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration                                                                         | 1.1.2022     |
|   4 | single-use plastic (including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene) items Plates, cups, glasses, forks, spoons, knives, straw, container and container lids, trays, plastic/PVC banners less than 100 microns, stirrers. | 01.07.2022   |

The  above  provisions  shall  not  apply  to  commodities  (including  carry  bags)  made  of compostable plastic material.

(c)The Ministry had also issued 'Standard Guidelines for Single-Use Plastic' on 21 st January 2019  to  all  States/UTs  and  Ministries.  The  Standard  guidelines  entails  waste  management system improvements, legal options for States/UTs to prohibit SUP items through regulatory measures, eco-friendly alternatives, social awareness and public education.

A draft Guideline Document on Uniform Framework for Extended Producers Responsibility under  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016,  was  prepared  by  the  Ministry  for  effective implementation  of  Extended  Producers  Responsibility  by  producers,  importers  and  brand owners.  The  draft  Guidelines  was  put  on  the  website  of  the  Ministry  for  comments  of Stakeholders in June 2020. Around 160 comments had been received on the draft Extended Producer  Responsibility  Guidelines.  The  comments  received  on  the  Guidelines  have  since been compiled and have been processed.

(d) & (e) The  Department  of  Science  and  Technology  has  a  programme  on  waste management technologies under which research and development on  alternatives to single use  plastics  is  supported.  A  Committee  has  also  been  constituted  to  find  out  /  develop  an alternative product to plastic by NITI Aayog.

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