(a) the details of the steps taken to check pollution caused by the use of plastic and to what extent these steps have been effective;

(b) whether Government has any data regarding the generation of plastic waste in the country during the last five years and if so, the State-wise and year-wise details thereof; and

(c) the percentage of plastic waste generated in the country which is being recycled and the State-wise and year-wise details thereof?

(a): The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended, provide the statutory framework for plastic waste management in an environmentally sound manner throughout the country. The Rules prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic sheets less than fifty microns in thickness in the country. There is complete ban on sachets using plastic material used for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala. The Rules also provide measures for recycling of plastic waste and its end of life disposal in an environmentally sound manner.In order to address pollution caused by littered and unmanaged plastic waste the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has banned identified single use plastic items, which have high littering potential and low utility with effect from 1st July, 2022 under Plastic Waste Management Rules. Plastic carry bags having thickness less than one hundred and twenty microns have also been prohibited with effect from the 31st December, 2022. Further, over and above the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as per Annual Report of Central Pollution Control Board, thirty five States/UTs have issued notifications/orders to introduce regulations ertaining to complete or partial ban on plastic carry bags and/or identified single-use plastic items.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change notified the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) 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 guidelines provide for moving towards sustainable plastic packaging and reducing the plastic foot print. 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. 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) Regular enforcement drives have been undertaken by CPCB, SPCBs/PCCs along with local authorities to implement ban on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry bags having thickness less than one hundred twenty microns.

(b) & (c): As per Annual report of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) on the status of plastic waste management on the implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, the

Plastic waste generated in the country during the last five years is as given below:

S. No. Year

1. 2016 17 1,568,714

2. 2017 18 660,787

3 2018 19 3,360,043

4 2019 20 3,469,780

5. 2020 21 4,126,997

 The plastic waste generated state-wise and year-wise as per Central Pollution Control Board Annual reports have been provided in Annexure I.  he total Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) of registered Producers, Importers and Brand owners (PIBOs) for plastic packaging is around 3.2 million tonnes for the year 2022 – 23, under EPR Guidelines. Already, around 44785 PIBOs and 2615 Plastic Waste Processors are registered on the Centralized EPR portal for plastic packaging. The quantum of EPR certificates generated by registered plastic waste processors after processing of plastic packaging waste including recycling amounts to 8.1 million tonnes.