Lok Sabha Question No. 1178 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-12-06
Subject: Alternative to Plastics
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Ranjeeta Koli, Rajeshbhai Naranbhai Chudasama, Gomati Sai, Sunil Kumar Soni

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 1178

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06.12.2021

## Alternative to plastics

## 1178.   SHRIMATI RANJEETA KOLI:

SHRI SUNIL KUMAR SONI:

SHRI RAJESHBHAI CHUDASAMA:

SHRIMATI GOMATI SAI:

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

- (a) whether the single-use-plastic has been fully banned throughout the country and if so, the State-wise details thereof including Rajasthan;
- (b) whether the Ministry is aware that India's fight against plastic was severely disrupted due to spread of corona virus and has resulted in dependency on single use plastics;
- (c) the  measures  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  make  the  nation  free  from single-use plastic along with the alternative arrangement being made or likely to be made by the Government instead of single-use- plastic;
- (d) whether the use of plastic in day to day life, especially those used in packaging which is  manufactured  in  violation  of  the  law  has  been  found  to  be  harmful  to  the environment, having thickness less than 40 microns used; and
- (e) the corrective measures taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to ban the use of plastic in packaging industry to prevent environmental degradation?

## ANSWER

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

(a): The Ministry has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, vide GSR NO. 571 (E) on 12th August 2021, in the Gazette of India, prohibiting identified single use  plastic  items,  which  have  low  utility  and  high  littering  potential,  by  2022.As  per  the notification, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified singleuse plastic commodities, including polystyrene and expanded polystyrene, shall be prohibited with  effect  from  the  1st  July,  2022.The  thickness  of  plastic  carry  bags  has  been  increased from fifty microns to seventy five microns with effect from 30th September, 2021, and to one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022.

Separately,34 States/UTs have issued notifications/orders introducing regulations pertaining to complete or partial ban on plastic carry bags and/or identified single-use plastic items, over and  above  the  PWM  Rules.  The  details  are  annexed.  As  per  Annual  Report  submitted  by

Central Pollution Control Board, there is a complete ban on use, store & sale of plastic carry bags in Rajasthan.

(b): The Central Pollution Control Board has issued 'Guidelines for Handling, Treatment and  Disposal  of  Waste  Generated  during  Treatment/Diagnosis/  Quarantine  of  COVID-19 Patients'.    The  Guidelines  provide  steps  for  handling,  treatment  and  disposal  of  wastes including  plastic  wastes.  There  is  a  separate  section  dealing  with  disposal  of  personal protective  equipment  including  waste  masks  and  gloves  being  generated  from  households, commercial establishments, shopping malls, institutions, offices etc.

The  Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016,  and  its  amendments,  mandate  the generators of waste 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.  The  rules  also  mandate  the responsibilities  of  local  bodies,  gram  panchayats,  waste  generators,  retailers  and  street vendors to manage plastic waste.

Further,  to  track  the  generation  and  disposal  of  COVID-19  Bio-medical  Waste (BMW),  CPCB  has  developed  an  app  namely  COVID19  BMW.  The  biomedical  waste generated between June-2020 to June-2021 is 56898.4 tonnes.

(c): The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has taken steps to encourage transition  from  single  use  plastic  items  to  alternate  materials.    NITI  Aayog  has  already constituted a Committee to find out/develop an alternative product to plastic. The Ministry of Environment,  Forest  and  climate  change  has  shared  with  States/UTs  an  indicative  Action Plan  for  elimination  of  identified  single  use  plastics.  This  indicative  Action  Plan  has  a thematic area on development and promotion of alternatives to prohibited single use plastic items and promoting innovation.

(d) & (e): The Central Pollution Control Boardin its report on 'Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal  on  Soil  and  Water  Quality  at  Lucknow  Dumpsites'  had  found  that  dumping  of plastic waste can deteriorate soil and underground water quality due to leaching of additives, colourants, stabilizers and fillers present in the different categories of plastic products.

As  per  Rule  12  of  the  PWM  Rules,  2016,  25  States/Union  Territories  (UTs)  have taken  action  against  deviations  reported  under  the  Rules  in  their  respective  States/UTs, including  on  manufacturing  of  Plastic  Carry  bags/Plastic  sheets  of  thickness  less  than  50 microns.

With  reference  to  managing  plastic  packaging  waste,  the  Ministry  has  notified  the draft  Regulations  on  the  Extended  Producer  Responsibility  for  plastic  packaging  under Plastic  Waste  Management  Rules,  2016,  as  amended  from  time  to  time,  in  the  Gazette  of India vide GSR No. 722 (E) on 6th October, 2021for public consultation.

Further, the following steps have been taken to strengthen implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 and also to reduce the use of identified single use plastic items:

(i) The States/UTs have been requested to constitute a Special Task Force under Chairpersonship of Chief Secretary/Administrator for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Already, 19States/UTs have constituted the Special Task Force till date. A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted  by  the  Ministry  for  taking  coordinated  efforts  to  eliminate  identified  single  use plastic  items  and  effective  implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. The first  meeting  of  the  National  Task  Force  was  held  on  30 th August  2021  for  reviewing  the progress made for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.

- (ii)  The  State  /UT  Governments  and  concerned  Central  Ministries/Departments  have  also been requested for the development of a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and its implementation in a time bound manner.
- (iii) Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, have been issued to  all  States/Union  Territoriesinter  alia  for  setting  up  for  institutional  mechanism  for strengthening enforcement of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.
- (iv) The  Government  has  been  taking  measures  for  awareness  generation  towards elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.  A two month long Awareness Campaign of Single Use Plastic 2021 has been organized. The Ministry has also organized pan India essay writing competition on the theme for spreading awareness amongst school students in the country. To encourage innovation in development  of  alternatives  to  identified  single  use  plastic  items  and  digital  solutions  to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge - Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup  India Initiative.

(v) A total financial allocation of Rs. 1,41,678 crores over a period of 5 years from 20212026  has  been  made  under  Urban  Swachh  Bharat  Mission  2.0,  with  a  focus  on  complete faecal  sludge  management  and  waste  water  treatment,  source  segregation  of  garbage, reduction in single-use plastic, reduction in air pollution by effectively managing waste from construction-and-demolition activities and bio-remediation of all legacy waste dump sites.

Further, under SBM (U) Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has released advisory on plastic waste management, capturing plastic waste generation, plastic waste management rules  and  various  ways  to  manage  plastic  waste  through  reduce,  recycle  and  recovery techniques.  Single  use  plastic  ban  has  been  incorporated  as  an  important  component  in Swachh Survekshan 2022, Star rating of Garbage Free Cities and as an entry condition for participating in Safaimitra Suraksha Challenge, to reduce plastic waste.

Under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, has issued operational guidelines to the States and Union Territories for the sustainability of open defecation free status and solid and liquid waste management in rural areas which includes plastic waste management.

## Annexure

## Notification for banning manufacture, use, sale import and handling of single use plastic products

(Based on the data available in submitted Annual reports by SPCBs/PCCs)

|   S. No | Name of State/UT               | Complete or Partial Ban   | Date of Gazette or Executive Order   | Remarks                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
|---------|--------------------------------|---------------------------|--------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Andaman & Nicobar Islands      | Complete ban              | 02.08.2010 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on manufacture, store, import, distribution, transportation, recycle, sell & use of plastic carry bags.                                                                                                                         |
|       2 | Andhra Pradesh                 | Not Banned                | Not Available                        | Not Banned                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
|       3 | Arunachal Pradesh              | Complete ban              | 03.07.2012 (Executive Order)         | Complete ban on manufacture, store, import, transportation, sell& use of polythene/plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                        |
|       4 | Assam                          | Complete Ban              | 30.04.2019 (Gazette)                 | Plastic carry bags, banners, buntings, cups, cling films, flex, flags, plates, sheets (used for spreading on dining tables irrespective of thickness) including the above items made of thermocol and plastic which use plastic micro beads. |
|       5 | Bihar                          | Complete ban              | 11.12.2018 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on manufacture, store, import, transportation, sell& use of plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                                  |
|       6 | Chandigarh                     | Complete ban              | 30.07.2008 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on manufacture, storage, import, sale, use transportation & disposal of plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                      |
|       7 | Chhattisgarh                   | Complete ban              | 24.12.2014 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on manufacture, store, import, transportation, recycle, sell & use of polythene/plastic carry bags.                                                                                                                             |
|       8 | Daman Diu & Dadra Nagar Haveli | Complete ban              | 24-01-2014 & 22.09.2017 (Gazette)    | Forbidding the use, sale/ storage of all kinds of plastic bags                                                                                                                                                                               |
|       9 | Delhi                          | Complete ban              | 23.10.2012 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on manufacture, import,store, sell & use of plastic products (poly Propylene, non-woven fabric type carry bags), plastic film or plastic tube to pack or cover any book including magazine & invitation/greeting cards.         |
|      10 | Goa                            | Partial ban               | 16.03.2015                           | Government imposed ban on Manufacture, stock, import, transportation, recycle, sale & use of plastic (carry bags, cups, forks, paper plates, spoons) in Chorla Ghat area Mandi Wildlifesanctuaries .                                         |
|      11 | Gujarat                        | Partial ban               | 28.06.2011 (Gazette)                 | Complete ban on plastic products in Gandhi Nagar                                                                                                                                                                                             |

|   12 | Haryana          | Complete ban                 | 20.08.2013 (Gazette)                                                                                                                   | Complete ban on manufacture, stock, import, transportation, recycle, sell & use of plastic (carry bags, cups, forks, paper plates, straws, spoons& containers for the usage of foodstuffs)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|------|------------------|------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|   13 | Himachal Pradesh | Complete Ban                 | 07-07-2009 & 13-08-2009 (Gazette)                                                                                                      | Complete ban on use of Carry bags (irrespective of size), polythene, non- biodegradable material, disposable plastic cups, plates, and glasses                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 |
|   14 | Jammu & Kashmir  | Complete Ban                 | 03.01.2017 (SRO 45 order- Notification) Jammu District Magistrate has on 01.10.2020 ordered strict enforcement of SRO 45 notification. | Complete ban on manufacture, stocking, distribution, sale and use of polyethylene carry bags, plastic sheets or like, cover made of plastic sheet, plastic packaging and multilayered packaging less than fifty microns in thickness within territorial limits of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|   15 | Jharkhand        | Complete Ban                 | 17.10.2017 (Gazette)                                                                                                                   | Complete ban on manufacture, import, storage, transport, sell and usage of plastic carry bags in the whole State                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
|   16 | Karnataka        | Complete ban                 | 11.03.2016 (Gazette)                                                                                                                   | State government banned the plasticbanners, buntings, carry bags (plastic & compostable), cups, cling films, flex, flags, plates, spoons & sheets made of plastic or Thermocol and microbeads usage in the                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
|   17 | Kerala           | 01.01.2020 (Executive Order) | 22.11.2010 (Executive Order)                                                                                                           | entire state Complete ban on the manufacture, storage, transport and sale of plastic carry bags( irrespective of thickness); plastic sheets( used as table spread); plates, cups and decorative materials made of thermocol/stryrofoam; SUP items like cups, plates, dishes, spoons, forks, straw, stirrer; plastic coated paper cups, plastic coated paper plates, plastic coated paper bowls, plastic coated paper bags; Non woven bags, plastic flags, plastic bunting; plstic water pouches, non branded plastic juice packets ; plastic juice packets; PET/PETE bottles of drinking water of capacities less than 500 ml; garbage bags (plastic); PVC flex materials and plastic packets. |
|   18 | Ladakh           | Partial Ban                  | (Order no-40- LA (GAD) of 2020 dated 23.06.2020)                                                                                       | Ban on the use of plastic water bottles and other plastic made objects in Government offices and other institutions                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            |
|   19 | Lakshadweep      | Complete                     | 25.01.2019                                                                                                                             | Complete ban on use, store & sale of plastic                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |

|    |                | ban          | (Gazette)                                                 | carry bags of all thickness, plastic coated carry bags, plastic flags, plastic sheets/films used for wrapping, plastic sheets used as dining table covers, thermocol cups and plates, plastic coated paper cups and plates, plastic teacups, plastic tumblers, plastic teacups, water pouches/packets/PET plastic water bottles, straws,                                 |
|----|----------------|--------------|-----------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 20 | Madhya Pradesh | Complete ban | 24-05-2017 (Gazette)                                      | Production, Storage, Transportation, sale & use of plastic carrybags.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
| 21 | Maharashtra    | Complete Ban | 23-03-2018 (Gazette) Amendment 11th April, 2018           | Complete ban in the whole State for manufacture, usage, sale storage,transport, and distribution, wholesale & retail, import of the plastic& compostable bags and the disposable products manufactured from plastic & thermocol (polystyrene) - disposable dish/spoon, cups, bowl, container, fork, plates, glasses, straw, non- woven polypropylene bags, cups/pouches. |
| 22 | Manipur        | Complete Ban | 12.9.2017 Notification no. 56/38/99 for&Envt              | Complete ban on use, store & sale of plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 23 | Meghalaya      | Partial Ban  | 16.2.2017 Notification No. MPCB/TB- 144B/2016- 2017/79    | Use and sale of plastic bags less than 50 microns has been prohibited and public notice has been issued                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 24 | Mizoram        | Partial Ban  | With effect from 1.8.2019 By Aizwal Municipal Corporation | Complete ban on plastic carry bags below 50 microns                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 25 | Nagaland       | Complete ban | 01.01.2004 (Gazette)                                      | Complete ban on use, store & sale of plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| 26 | Odisha         | Partial ban  | 29.09.2018 (Executive Order)                              | Ban on use and sale of plastic carry bags, bottled drinking water Polyethylene Terephthalate bottles of less than 200 ml capacity; SUP disposable cutleries like thermocol (polystyrene), dish/spoon, cups, bowl, container, fork, glasses & plates in Bhubaneshwar, Berhampur, Cuttack, Puri, Rourkela & Sambalpur                                                      |
| 27 | Puducherry     | Complete ban | 30.07.2019                                                | (i) Polythene/Plastic/Polypropylene carry bags; (ii) Polythene/Plastic/Styrofoam (Thermocol) cups; (iii) Polythene/Plastic/Styrofoam (Thermocol) plates; (iv) Plastic sheet pouches used for                                                                                                                                                                             |

|    |               |              |                              | cooked food wrapping; (v) Plastic sheets used for spreading on dining table; (vi) Water pouches; (vii) Plastic straw; (viii) Plastic flag.                                                                                   |
|----|---------------|--------------|------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 28 | Punjab        | Complete ban | 18.02.2016 (Gazette)         | Complete ban on Manufacture, stock, distribute, recycle, sale & use of plastic carry bags.                                                                                                                                   |
| 29 | Rajasthan     | Complete ban | 01.08.2010 (Gazette)         | Complete ban on use, store & sale of plastic carry bags                                                                                                                                                                      |
| 30 | Sikkim        | Complete ban | 19.05.2016 (Gazette)         | Complete ban on sale & use, storage of disposable items (cups, plates, spoons, containers, etc..) made from Styrofoam.                                                                                                       |
| 31 | Tamil Nadu    | Complete Ban | 01.01.2019 (Gazette)         | Complete ban on manufacture, sell, use, storage, Transportation and distribution of 'Single-use plastics' i.e. plastic carrybags, flags, sheets using for food wrapping, straws, tea cups, tumblers, water packets & pouches |
| 32 | Telangana     | Not Banned   | Not Available                | Not Banned                                                                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 33 | Tripura       | Complete ban | 10.03.2015 (Gazette)         | Complete ban on Sell, use, storage, Transportation & import of plastic carrybags (including polypropylene, non-woven fabric type) plastic tube to pack or cover any book including magazine & invitation/greeting            |
| 34 | Uttar Pradesh | Complete ban | 22.12.2015 (Gazette)         | cards. Sell, use, Storage, Transportation & import of plastic carrybags (including polypropylene, non-woven fabric type) plastic tube to pack or cover any book including magazine & invitation/greeting cards.              |
| 35 | Uttarakhand   | Complete Ban | 01.01.2017 (Gazette)         | Sell, use, storage& Transportation, of plastic carry bags.                                                                                                                                                                   |
| 36 | West Bengal   | Partial ban  | 11.01.2018 (Executive Order) | Completely banned in religious and historical places.                                                                                                                                                                        |

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