(a) whether the Government is advising from time-to-time not to use plastic bags;
(b) if so, whether the Government proposes to closethe manufacturing units of plastic bags;
(c) if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of losses caused by use of plastic?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (d):The Ministry has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, vide GSR NO. 571 (E) on 12th August 2021, in the Gazette of India, prohibiting identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, by 2022.
As far as, plastic carry bags are concerned,the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags having thickness less than seventy five microns with effect from 30th September, 2021, and having thickness less thanthickness of one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022.Further, over and above the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, as amended, thirty four states/UTs have issued notifications/ordersto introduce regulations pertaining to complete or partial ban on plastic carry bags and/or identified single-use plastic items. The details are annexed.
The Central Pollution Control Boardin its report on “Impact of Plastic Waste Disposal on Soil and Water Quality at Lucknow Dumpsites” had found that dumping of plastic waste can deteriorate soil and underground water quality due to leaching of additives, colourants, stabilizers and fillers present in the different categories of plastic products.
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