Lok Sabha Question No. 1545 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-09
Subject: Management of Plastic Waste
Ministry: ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Asked by: Shri Naveen Jindal

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1545

TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026

## Management of Plastic Waste

## 1545. SHRI NAVEEN JINDAL:

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

- (a) the details of top ten countries in terms of generation of plastic waste;
- (b) the total quantity of plastic waste generated, collected, disposed of and left unmanaged/burnt, annually, globally as compared to countries plastic waste;
- (c) the mitigation strategies put in place by the Government to curb this menace which has pivot environmental and health ramifications; and
- (d) the comprehensive details of best global plastic recycling practices and processes being put to use and the result thereof?

## ANSWER

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

(a)  &  (b):  There  are  various  reports  published  on  the estimates  of  plastic  waste  generation  by countries and the quantity of unmanaged plastic waste, at the global level. These vary in their assessments on account of data sources, methodologies and assumptions.   Based upon information provided by State Pollution Control Board (SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to Central Pollution Control Board, the plastic waste generated in the country for the year 2022-23 is 4.13 million tonnes. Since 2022, the quantity of plastic packaging waste processed is 191 lakh Tonnes,  as  per  information  available  on  the  dashboard  of  centralized  Extended  Producer Responsibility (EPR) portal on plastic packaging.

(c):   In  order to reduce pollution caused by littered and unmanaged plastic and considering the adverse effect of littered single use plastic items on terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, the Ministry notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, on 12th August 2021, prohibiting identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, from 1st July 2022. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also notified the Guidelines on EPR for plastic packaging vide Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022, on 16th February, 2022. The implementation of ban on identified single use plastic and EPR Guidelines  on  plastic  packaging  will  lead  to  reduction  in  pollution  caused  by  littered  and unmanaged waste.

(d):   As per Plastic Waste Management Rules recycling encompasses the process of transforming segregated plastic waste into a new product or making raw material for producing new products. Further, the plastic waste which cannot be further recycled may be channelized for end of life disposal which includes energy recovery and co-processing (e.g. in cement, steel or any other such industry), waste to oil, road construction as per prescribed guidelines. Additionally, in cases, where waste to oil is used for production of feedstock chemicals for further use in production of plastic it will be considered as recycling. As per information available on the dashboard of centralized Extended  Producer  Responsibility  (EPR)  portal  on  plastic  packaging,  3012  plastic  waste processors are registered under EPR Guidelines on plastic packaging

****