Lok Sabha Question No. 799 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-12
Subject: Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Bill, 2022
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT,  FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Keshari Devi Patel

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

## LOK SABHA

## UN-STARRED QUESTION No. 799 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12.12.2022

## Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Bill, 2022

## 799. SHRIMATI KESHARI DEVI PATEL:

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

- (a) the salient features of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Bill, 2022;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to phase out all other plastic items like milk, chips, bread etc. in addition to all plastic items that are already banned by the Government from 1st July, 2022;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;
- (d) the time limit fixed for phasing out all plastic items to achieve the goal of ban on plastic; and
- (e) the details of efforts being made by the Government to spread awareness among people?

## ANSWER

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

(a):  There  is  no  Plastic  Waste  Management  (Amendment)  Bill,  2022.  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) to (d): The Ministry had notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the  following  identified  single  use  plastic  items,  which  have  low  utility  and  high  littering potential with effect from 1st July, 2022:

(i) ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, icecream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for decoration;

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

(ii) banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.

The prohibited items 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.

(e)  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 have been made on elimination of single use plastics. These videos have been translated in 19 languages and  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.  A National  Expo  on  eco-alternatives  to  banned  single  use  plastics  items  and  Conference  of Startups - 2022 were organized jointly with Government of Tamil Nadu in Chennai on 2627th September 2022.

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