GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 2408
ANSWERED ON: 13.12.2021
Scientific Recycling of Plastic Waste
Shardaben Anilbhai Patel
Janardan Mishra
Mitesh Rameshbhai (Bakabhai) Patel
(Dr.) Ram Shankar Katheria
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to state:-

(a) whether the Government has formulated any action plan to encourage the small entrepreneurs engaged in scientific recycling of plastic waste;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) if not, the details of the measures taken by the Government for the disposal of plastic waste from those Units which were closed down by National Green Tribunal and rehabilitated; and

(d) the details of institutions/administrative departments working on the awareness campaign to eliminiate the use of plastics?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c): Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016, as amended provide the regulatory framework for management of plastic waste generated in the country.As per Rule 5(a) of PWM Rules, plastic waste, which can be recycled, shall be channelized to registered plastic waste recyclers.As per Rule 13(5) of PWM Rules, plastic waste recyclers are required to be registered with the concerned SPCB/PCC. There are 1419 number of registered recyclers present across the countries, which recycle15.62 lakh tons plastic waste. 

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has notified the draft Regulations on the Extended Producer Responsibility for plastic packaging under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended from time to time, in the Gazette of India vide GSR No. 722 (E) on 6th October, 2021for public consultation. 

As per the draft notification, the producer, Importers &brand-owners respectively shall ensure minimum level of recycling (excluding end of life disposal) of plastic packaging waste collected under Extended Producer Responsibility. The enforceable prescription of minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste collected under Extended Producer Responsibility to producer, Importers &brand-owners in the draft notification will further strengthen circular economy of plastic packaging waste and encourage scientific recycling of plastic waste. 

The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has schemes like Prime Ministers Employment Generation Programme (PMEGP), Raw Material Assistance Scheme, Incubator, Design and IPR Scheme which may be availed by the concerned small entrepreneurs engaged in scientific recycling of plastic waste, as per scheme guidelines. 

(d): The Union Government through various central ministries and government agencies has been involved in generating public awareness on plastic waste management including single-use plastics. Some of the public awareness campaigns run by Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, and Society for Integrated Coastal Management (SICOM) are given below:

• A three-phase campaign “Swachhta Hi Sewa” was undertaken in 2019 where citizens collected Single Use Plastic from the houses, streets etc. and deposited the waste at designated locations for recycling.
• Further, for spreading awareness among the coastal cities and towns, beach cleaning drive was also taken up across 50 beaches.
• Under the National Green Corps (NGC) programme of the Ministry, about one lakh schools have been identified as Eco-clubs, wherein, nearly thirty lakh students are actively participating in various environment protection and conservation activities including plastic waste management. 

As part of Iconic Week Celebrations of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change from 4th to 10th October 2021 under Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, 64 events were organized across the country as part of awareness programme to avoid the use of single-use plastics. These events were organized by regional offices, subordinate and attached offices, autonomous institutions of the Ministry, Institutions under Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE), ENVIS Centres supported by the Ministry, Central Pollution Control Board, State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees. 

Further, the Ministry has organized an Awareness Campaign of Single Use Plastic 2021. Four events have already been organized as part of the Campaign. The Ministry has also organized pan India essay writing competition on the theme for spreading awareness amongst school students in the country. To encourage innovation in development of alternatives to identified single use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management, the India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon2021, has been organized for students of Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup India Initiative.