Lok Sabha Question No. 1547 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Measures to Reduce Plastic Consumption and Promote Alternatives
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri P C Mohan

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1547

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Measures to Reduce Plastic Consumption and Promote Alternatives

## 1547. SHRI P C MOHAN:

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

- (a) the progress  made in  phasing  out  single-use plastics  since  the  nationwide  ban came into effect in July 2022;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to monitor and enforce compliance among manufacturers and retailers;
- (c) the measures adopted to reduce overall  plastic consumption, including awareness drives, waste-segregation initiatives and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mechanisms;
- (d) the viable alternatives such as biodegradable, paper-based or compostable materials being promoted for packaging and daily-use products; and
- (e) the incentives and support programmes introduced for industries, startups and urban local bodies  to  adopt  eco-friendly  materials  and  plastic-recycling  technologies,  particularly  in Karnataka and Bengaluru?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF  STATE  IN  THE  MINISTRY  OF  ENVIRONMENT,  FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE (SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)

(a):   The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting identified Single Use Plastic (SUP) items, which have low utility and high littering potential, with effect from 1 July 2022. Regular enforcement  drives  were  undertaken  to  enforce  ban  on  identified  single  use  plastic  items  by CPCB/SPCB/PCC along with local  authorities across  the country.  As  per  details  provided  by SPCB/PCC  and  details  available  at  SUP  compliance  monitoring  portal,  a  total  of  8,62,356 inspections have been conducted and 1990 tonnes of banned single use plastic items have been seized and a total of Rs. 19.85 crores of fine has been levied from July, 2022, till January, 2026.

(b)  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.

(c) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also notified the Guidelines on the Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging vide Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022, on 16th February, 2022. The Guidelines stipulate mandatory targets on EPR, recycling of plastic packaging waste, reuse of rigid plastic packaging and use of recycled plastic content. The EPR Guidelines provides mechanism to promote sustainable plastic packaging inter  alia  based  on  the  following  criteria:  (i)  package  designing  promoting  reuse;  (ii)  package designing amenable for recycling; (iii) recycled plastic content in plastic packaging material and; (iv) package designing for environment. These steps will lead to reducing the plastic foot print of plastic packaging.

As per information available on the dashboard of centralized Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal on plastic packaging, around 58685 producers, importers and brand owners and 3012 plastic waste processors are registered under EPR Guidelines on plastic packaging. Further, since 2022, the quantity of plastic packaging waste processed is 191 lakh Tonnes.

(d) & (e):   The ban on identified single use plastic items has triggered development of innovative eco-alternatives. Central Government, State Governments and local authorities have taken steps on  moving  towards  eco-friendly  alternatives.  Based  upon  the  information  provided  by  State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees, the Ministry of Environment, Forests and  Climate  Change  and  Central  Pollution  Control  Board  have  prepared  a  'Compendium  of Manufacturers  /  Sellers  of  Eco-alternatives  to  Banned  Single  Use  Plastic  Items',  which  was released on World Environment Day, 2025. The compendium provides details of nearly 1000 units spread  across  the  country.  The  Compendium  is  available  on  the  website  of  CPCB  for  wider dissemination and use.  In keeping  with the  development of eco-alternatives, Bureau  of Indian Standard had earlier notified Indian Standard IS 18267 for Food Serving Utensil Made from Agri By-Products.

The Government of Karnataka, in coordination with the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board (KSPCB), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and other stakeholder departments, has introduced and implemented several  incentives  and  support  programmes  to  encourage  industries,  startups  and local  bodies  to  adopt  eco-friendly  materials  and  plastic-recycling  technologies.  Under  the Karnataka  Startup  Policy  and  allied  innovation  programmes,  startups  working  on  sustainable materials, plastic alternatives, recycling technologies and circular economy solutions are provided incentives  such  as  reimbursement  of  patent  filing  costs,  market  access  support,  incubation facilities, and financial assistance through state-supported innovation funds. The Government of Karnataka has given preference to Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises in procurement of goods and  Engineering,  Procurement,  and  Construction  (EPC)  tenders  for  setting  up  recycling infrastructure.

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