Question : Phasing out of Single-use Plastics

(a) the details of the guiding principles finalized by the Government for definition of banned single-use plastics;
(b) whether the Government has finalized and released the complete list of single-use plastics in public domain and if so, the details thereof and if not, the time by which it is likely to be released;
(c) whether the Government has issued any standard guidelines to States/UTs to phase-out single-use plastics by 2022 and if so, the details thereof along with the manner in which the Government ensures uniform implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) at the State level;
(d) whether the Government is contemplating at developing any roadmap for Research and Development to find alternatives to single-use plastics and if so, the details thereof; and
(e) whether any technical group has been formed to study the said subject matter and if so, the details thereof?

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) & (b):The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had issued a draft notification in the Gazette of India vide GSR No. 169 (E) on 11th March 2021 for amending Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, inter alia prohibiting the use of identified single use plastic items by 2022, for public consultation. The regulatory regime for phasing out single use plastic items is based on low utility and high littering potential of such items.

As per the draft notification, the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of the following identified single use plastic items is proposed to be prohibited as per schedule given below

S. 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, forks, spoons, knives, straw, container and container lids, trays, plastic/PVC banners less than 100 microns, stirrers. 01.07.2022

The above provisions shall not apply to commodities (including carry bags) made of compostable plastic material.

(c)The Ministry had also issued “Standard Guidelines for Single-Use Plastic” on 21st January 2019 to all States/UTs and Ministries. The Standard guidelines entails waste management system improvements, legal options for States/UTs to prohibit SUP items through regulatory measures, eco-friendly alternatives, social awareness and public education.

A draft Guideline Document on Uniform Framework for Extended Producers Responsibility under Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, was prepared by the Ministry for effective implementation of Extended Producers Responsibility by producers, importers and brand owners. The draft Guidelines was put on the website of the Ministry for comments of Stakeholders in June 2020. Around 160 comments had been received on the draft Extended Producer Responsibility Guidelines. The comments received on the Guidelines have since been compiled and have been processed.

(d) & (e) The Department of Science and Technology has a programme on waste management technologies under which research and development on alternatives to single use plastics is supported. A Committee has also been constituted to find out / develop an alternative product to plastic by NITI Aayog.

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