GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2306
TO BE ANSWERED ON: 09.08.2021
Single-Use Plastics
2306. SMT. AMBIKA SONI:

(a) the current status of single use plastic in the country;

(b) whether Government has taken any new initiative to phase out single use plastic

products and if so, the details thereof; and

(c) the fresh steps taken by Government on plastic waste management including reducing

plastic waste generation, finding suitable alternatives for single use plastic products,etc.?

ANSWER

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

(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) to (c):The Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016, prohibits manufacture, import,

stocking, distribution, sale and use of carry bags and 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. Separately,34 States/UTs have issued

notifications/orders introducing regulations pertaining to complete or partial ban on plastic carry

bags and/or identified single-use plastic items, over and above the PWM Rules.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had also issued a notification in the

Gazette of India vide GSR No. 169 (E) on 11th March 2021 containing draft provisions for

amending Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, inter alia prohibiting the use of identified

single use plastic items by 2022, for public consultation.

As per the notification containing draft provisions, the manufacture, import, stocking,

distribution, sale and use of the following identified single use plastic items are proposed to be

prohibited as per schedule given below

1. No. Items Phase out date

1 Carry bag made of virgin or recycled plastic less than120 microns

in thickness

30.09.2021

2 Non-woven plastic carry bag less than 60 GSM (Gram per square

meter) or 240 microns in thickness

30.09.2021

3 Ear buds with plastic sticks, plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags,

candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene [Thermocol] for

decoration

1.1.2022

4 single-use plastic (including polystyrene and expanded

polystyrene) items

plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives,

straw,trays, wrapping/packing films around sweet boxes; invitation

cards; and cigarette packets, plastic/PVC banners less than 100

micron, stirrers.

The above provisions shall not apply to commodities (including

carry bags) made of compostable plastic material.

01.07.2022

The following steps have been taken to strengthen implementation of Plastic Waste Management

Rules, 2016 and also to reduce the use of identified single use plastic items:

(i) The States/UTs have been requested to constitute a Special Task Force under Chairpersonship

of Chief Secretary/Administrator for elimination of single use plastics and effective

implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Already, 19States/UTs have

constituted the Special Task Force till date. 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) The State /UT Governments and concerned Central Ministries/Departments have also been

requested for the development of a comprehensive action plan for elimination of single use

plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, and its

implementation in a time bound manner.

(iii) Directions under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, have been issued to

all States/Union Territoriesinter alia for setting up for institutional mechanism for strengthening

enforcement of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.

(iv) The Government has been taking measures for awareness generation towards elimination

of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. A

two month long Awareness Campaign of Single Use Plastic 2021 has been organized. 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 – Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of

Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup India Initiative.

(v) A total financial allocation of Rs. 1,41,678 crores over a period of 5 years from 2021-2026 has been made under Urban Swachh Bharat Mission 2.0, with a focus on complete faecal sludge management and waste water treatment, source segregation of garbage, reduction in single-use plastic, reduction in air pollution by effectively managing waste from constructionand-demolition activities and bio-remediation of all legacy waste dump sites. Under the Swachh Bharat Mission Grameen Phase II, Department of Drinking Water and Sanitation, has issued

operational guidelines to the States and Union Territories inter alia for solid and liquid waste management in rural areas which includes plastic waste management.

(vi) The Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises has taken steps to encourage transition from single use plastic items to alternate materials. NITI Aayog has already constituted a Committee to find out/develop an alternative product to plastic. The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate change has shared with States/UTs an indicative Action Plan for elimination of identified single use plastics. This indicative Action Plan has a thematic area on development and promotion of alternatives to prohibited single use plastic items and promoting innovation.