GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FORESTS AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO: 3112
ANSWERED ON: 06.08.2021
Ban on Plastic
Gopal Chinayya Shetty

(a) whether the Government proposes to impose a complete ban on plastic across the country in view of the pollution caused by plastic;

(b) if so, the details thereof; and

(c) if not, the reasons therefor?

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