Aafrin Kidwai 
Picture credit: by Hans Braxmeier from Pixabay
Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Mr Ashwini Kumar Choubey in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha has shared details of plastic waste generated in the country during the last five years as per the Annual Reports of Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
| Year | Plastic Waste Generated (TPA) |
| 2015-16 | 1,589,418 |
| 2016-17 | 1,568,714 |
| 2017-18 | 660,787 |
| 2018-19 | 3,360,043 |
| 2019-20 | 3,469,780 |
In the written reply it was stated that there is no proposal under consideration at present for launching a Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) in the biodegradable and recyclable plastics sector. The Plastic Waste Management Rules (PWM), 2016, provide the statutory framework for use of compostable plastic conforming to Indian Standard IS: 17088 after certification by Central Pollution Control Board before marketing or selling. As per PWM (Second Amendment) Rules, 2022, biodegradable plastics shall conform to the standard notified by Bureau of Indian Standards and certified by CPCB before marketing or selling.
It was stated that keeping in view that unmanaged and littered plastic waste has adverse impacts on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, have already been prohibited, with effect from 1st July, 2022, vide PWM (Amendment) Rules, 2021. The MoEFCC has also notified the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging vide PWM (Amendment) Rules, 2022.
The objective of enforceable obligations of a minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste under the Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste and develop recycling infrastructure for plastic packaging waste. Schemes of Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals, Government of India, are available for technical and financial assistance to develop recycling infrastructure for plastic waste, per scheme guidelines.
Disclaimer: This article is taken from a press release issued by the Press Information Bureau of India.
