Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021 Notified, Prohibiting
Identified Single Use Plastic Items by 2022
·
Thickness of plastic carry bags increased from 50 to 75 microns
from 30th September, 2021 and to 120 microns with
effect from the 31st December, 2022.
·
Guidelines for Extended Producer Responsibility given legal force
·
Single Use Plastic will Phase Out by 2022
[Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change Press
Release/13.08.2021]
In line with the clarion call given by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi to phase out single use plastic by 2022, keeping in view the adverse
impacts of littered plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, the Ministry
of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India, has notified the
Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which prohibits identified single
use plastic items which have low utility and high littering potential by 2022.
Pollution due to single use plastic items has become
an important environmental challenge confronting all countries. India is committed
to take action for mitigation of pollution caused by littered Single Use Plastics.
In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India had piloted a
resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, recognizing the
urgent need for the global community to focus on this very important issue. The
adoption of this resolution at UNEA 4 was a significant step.
The manufacture, import, stocking, distribution,
sale and use of following single-use plastic, including polystyrene and expanded
polystyrene, commodities shall be prohibited with effect from the 1st July, 2022:-
a.
ear buds with plastic sticks,
plastic sticks for balloons, plastic flags, candy sticks, ice-cream sticks, polystyrene
[Thermocol] for decoration;
b.
plates, cups, glasses, cutlery such as forks, spoons, knives, straw, trays,
wrapping or packing films around sweet boxes, invitation cards, and cigarette packets,
plastic or PVC banners less than 100 micron, stirrers.
In order to stop littering due to light weight
plastic carry bags, with effect from 30th September, 2021, the thickness of plastic
carry bags has been increased from fifty microns to seventy five microns and to
one hundred and twenty microns with effect from the 31st December, 2022. This will
also allow reuse of plastic carry due to increase in thickness.
The plastic packaging waste, which is not covered
under the phase out of identified single use plastic items, shall be collected and
managed in an environmentally sustainable way through the Extended Producer Responsibility
of the Producer, importer and Brand owner (PIBO), as per Plastic Waste Management
Rules, 2016. For effective implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility the
Guidelines for Extended Producer Responsibility being brought out have been given
legal force through Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
The waste management infrastructure in the States/UTs
is being strengthened through the Swachh Bharat Mission.
The following steps have also been taken to strengthen implementation of Plastic
Waste Management Rules, 2016 and also to reduce the use of identified single use
plastic items:(i) the States/UTs
have been requested to constitute a Special Task Force for elimination of single
use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
A National Level Taskforce has also been constituted by the Ministry for taking
coordinated efforts to eliminate identified single use plastic items and effective
implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.
The State /UT Governments and concerned Central
Ministries/Departments have also been requested to develop a comprehensive action
plan for elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation of Plastic
Waste Management Rules, 2016, and its implementation in a time bound manner. Directions
under Section 5 of Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, have been issued to all States/Union
Territories inter alia for setting up for institutional mechanism for strengthening
enforcement of Plastic Waste Management (PWM) Rules, 2016.
The Government has also been taking measures for
awareness generation towards elimination of single use plastics and effective implementation
of Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. A two month long Awareness Campaign of
Single Use Plastic 2021 has been organized. The Ministry has also organized pan
India essay writing competition on the theme for spreading awareness amongst school
students in the country.
To encourage innovation in development of alternatives
to identified single use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management,
the India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021, has been organized for students of
Higher Educational Institutions and startups recognized under Startup India Initiative.