GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2277
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09.12.2024
Impact of Plastic on Climate Change
2277. SHRI UJJWAL RAMAN SINGH:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is contemplating to reduce the usage of plastic in order to mitigate/stop the harmful effect of climate change;
(b) if so, the details of safety measures being taken by the Government to prevent the diseases due to the plastic making process which involved oil excavation, refining, etc.;
(c) whether the Government is also contemplating to promote the use of cotton clothes in place of synthetic clothes, which is made of plastic in order to prevent/mitigate the ill effect of climate change; and
(d) 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 (d): The Plastic Waste Management Rules (PWMR), 2016, provides the statutory framework for plastic waste management in an environmentally sound manner throughout the country. Considering the adverse effect of littered single use plastic items on terrestrial, aquatic and marine ecosystems, the Ministry has 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 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, which lead to reducing the plastic foot print of plastic packaging. The implementation of ban on identified single use plastic items coupled with extended producer responsibility on plastic packaging will reduce pollution caused by littered and unmanaged plastic waste and plastic waste minimization.