(a) whether the Government has taken any steps to ban/curb/minimize the use of plastic;
(b) if so, the details thereof along with the available alternatives to plastic for packaging of various products; and
(c) the details of the schemes formulated by the Government to minimize the use of plastic and promote alternatives to it along with the funds allocated for the purpose, scheme-wise?
MINISTER FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI PRAKASH JAVADEKAR)
(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.
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Statement referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Starred Question No. 275 to be answered on Friday, the 6th December, 2019 on “Alternatives to Plastic” by Shri Sanjay Kaka Patil
(a) to (c) The Government has notified Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. The Rules prohibits the use of carry bag made of virgin or recycled plastic less than fifty microns in thickness. Sachets made of plastic material for storing, packing or selling gutkha, tobacco and pan masala is also prohibited. As per the Rules, the generators of waste have been mandated to take steps to minimize generation of plastic waste, not to litter the plastic waste, ensure segregated storage of waste at source and handover segregated waste to local bodies or agencies authorized by the local bodies. The rules also mandate the responsibilities of local bodies, gram panchayats, waste generators, retailers and street vendors to manage plastic waste. The rules mandate the producers, importers and brand owners to work out modalities for waste collection system based on the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility.
Central Pollution Control Board as developed guidelines for (i) Management of Sanitary Waste (ii) Disposal of non-recyclable fraction (Multi-layered) plastic waste (iii) Collection, Segregation and Disposal of Plastic Waste (iv) Co-processing of plastic waste in Cement Kilns (v) Disposal of Thermoset Plastic Waste including Sheet Moulding Compound (SMC) and Fibre Reinforced plastic
Further, Hon’ble Prime Minister has announced India’s pledge to phase out all Single-use plastic by 2022. In this perspective, to create mass awareness among the common public, plastic industry, recycling units and other stakeholders, a three-phase campaign of “Swachhta Hi Sewa” was launched by Hon''ble Prime Minister from 11th Sep, 2019, which ended on Diwali i.e. 27th October 2019. This campaign inter-alia focused on awareness, advocacy, collection and safe disposal of littered plastic.
There is no specific scheme formulated by the Government, however, in view to minimize the usage of plastics, the Ministry has issued “Standard Guidelines on Single Use Plastic” with suggested different set of actions for State/UT Government to minimize the usage of single use plastics. The guidelines are focused to target those kind of Single Use Plastic for which alternatives are readily available. Such as jute bags, cloth bags, paper bags are available as an alternative to plastic carry bags. Similarly, sufficient alternatives available for the plastic cutlery like paper plates and leaf plates, paper/earthen cups and glass, wooden spoons, paper straws, multi-layered (aluminum + paper) pouches in place of container and container lids, wooden trays, stirrers made of wood. Apart from the traditional material, the new material like bagasse based products, banana stem based products are widely available in market.
Further, the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 defines the norms for compostable plastic as an ecologically sustainable and green alternatives of plastics. The provision of thickness is not applicable to carry bags made up of compostable plastic. However, the compostable plastics has to conform to the Indian Standard: IS 17088:2008 titled as Specifications for Compostable Plastics. Certificate has been granted to 53 compostable plastic bags manufacturers/sellers till now.
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