Lok Sabha Question No. 2733 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-17
Subject: Plastic Ban and Implementation of the Global Plastics Treaty
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Kaushalendra Kumar, Shri G Kumar Naik, Adv K. Francis George, Shri Ramprit Mandal, Shri Dinesh Chandra Yadav

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2733

TO BE ANSWERED ON 17.03.2025

## Plastic Ban and Implementation of the Global Plastics Treaty

## 2733:   SHRI G KUMAR NAIK:

SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR:

SHRI DINESH CHANDRA YADAV:

SHRI RAMPRIT MANDAL:

ADV K. FRANCIS GEORGE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any steps to ensure the effective implementation of the plastic ban across the country especially concerning single-use plastic and excessive packaging and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is conducting any review to achieve the goals of single use plastic ban, if so, the status thereof;
- (c) Keeping in view the upcoming global plastics treaty negotiations in 2025, the manner in  which  Government  is  preparing  for  its  commitments  under  this  international agreement and the measures considered to reduce plastic production, consumption and waste in the country;
- (d) the details of the enforcement of existing plastic waste management rules and the penalties for non-compliance by manufacturers and local authorities, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (e) whether the Government is considering/proposed to consider promoting any alternatives  for  single  use  plastics,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  if  not,  the  reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

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

(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a) to (e): The  Ministry  of  Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  notified  Plastic Waste  Management  Amendment  Rules,  2021,  on  12th  August  2021,  prohibiting  identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, were prohibited with effect from 1 July 2022.

The  following  steps  have  been  taken  to  strengthen  implementation  of  Plastic  Waste Management Rules, 2016 and to implement ban on identified Single Use Plastic items:

- (i) All thirty-six States/UTs have constituted the Special Task Force under the chairpersonship of the Chief Secretary / Administrator for elimination of identified single use Plastic items and effective plastic waste management. 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.

(ii) Directions have been issued under Section 5 of the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986 for  setting  up  of  institutional  mechanism  for  enforcement  of  provisions  of  Plastic  Waste Management Rules, 2016 to all State Pollution Control Boards / Pollution Control Committees. Directions  have  also  been  issued  to  E-commerce  companies,  leading  Single  Use  Plastic sellers/users, and plastic raw material manufacturers with respect to phasing out of identified single use plastic items. Separately, custom authorities have been asked to stop the import of banned SUP items.

(iii) For effective monitoring of ban on identified Single Use Plastic items and plastic waste management  in  the  country,  the  following  online  platforms  are  in  operation:  (a)  National Dashboard for monitoring of  comprehensive action plan implementation, (b)  CPCB Monitoring  Module  for  Compliance  on  Elimination  of  Single  Use  Plastic,  and  (c)  CPCB Grievance Redressal App.

- (iv) States and Union Territories have been asked to undertake regular enforcement drives to implement ban on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry bags having thickness less than one hundred twenty microns covering fruit and vegetable markets, wholesale markets, local markets, flower vendors, units manufacturing plastic carry bags etc. Actions have been taken by concerned authorities on the deviations, which include seizure of banned single use plastic items and levy of penalty. As per details provided by SPCB/PCC and details available at SUP compliance monitoring portal, a total of 8,61,335 inspections have been conducted and 1976 tonnes of banned single use plastic items have been seized and a total of 19.8 crores of fine has been levied.

Central  Government,  State  Governments  and  local  authorities  have  taken  steps  on  moving towards eco-friendly alternatives. The Department of Science and Technology and Department of Biotechnology support research and development projects for alternatives to banned singleuse  plastic  items,  as  per  scheme  guidelines.  The  Ministry  of  Micro,  Small  and  Medium Enterprises has schemes to provide support to MSME units, which include support to such units  which  were  earlier  involved  in  manufacturing  of  banned  single  use  plastic  items  for switching over to alternatives / other products. The ban on identified single use plastic items has triggered development of innovative eco-alternatives. In keeping with the development of eco-alternatives, Bureau of Indian Standard has notified Indian Standard IS 18267 for Food Serving Utensil Made from Agri By-Products.

The Indian delegation had participated in the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution including in the marine environment, held in Busan, Republic of Korea from 25 th  November 2024  to  1 st December  2024.  The  negotiations  at  INC-5  could  not  reach  agreement  on  the commitments  related  to  plastic  production,  consumption  and  plastic  waste.  The  Indian delegation  has  inter  alia  emphasized  that  any  commitments  under  the  proposed  instrument should  address  plastic  pollution as  agreed to in the  United  Nations  Environment Assembly resolution 5/14, based upon the Rio principles and national circumstances and capabilities of the countries.

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