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 25th November 2024 to 1st 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.