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OIH
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5020
TO BE ANSWERED ON 23.03.2026
Generation of Plastic Waste
5020. SHRI MANSUKHBHAI DHANJIBHAI VASAVA:
Will the Minister of ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND CLIMATE CHANGE be pleased to
state:
(a) whether a large amount of plastic waste is being generated in the metropolitan cities of the
country, including Delhi despite the ban on plastic;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps taken by the Government to check the use of plastic along with the number of
companies and the individuals against which punitive action has been taken in this regard?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, FOREST AND
CLIMATE CHANGE
(SHRI KIRTI VARDHAN SINGH)
(a) & (b): Based upon the information provided by State Pollution Control Boards
(SPCBs) / Pollution Control Committees (PCCs) to CPCB, the quantity of plastic waste
generation is given below:
Financial Year Plastic waste Generation (TPA)
2020-21 41,26,808
2021-22 39,01,802
2022-23 41,36,188
As per Annual Report on Implementation of Plastic Waste Management Rules, for the year
2020-21 and 2021-22, the estimated plastic waste generation in Delhi is approximately
3,45,000 TPA and 3,77,596 TPA, respectively.
(c) The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has already prohibited
identified single use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential, with
effect from 1 July 2022. States and Union Territories have been asked to undertake regular
enforcement drives to implement ban on identified single use plastic items and on plastic carry
bags having thickness less than one hundred twenty microns covering fruit and vegetable
markets, wholesale markets, local markets, flower vendors, units manufacturing plastic carry
bags etc. Actions have been taken by concerned authorities on the deviations, which include
seizure of banned single use plastic items and levy of penalty. As per details provided bySPCB/PCC and details available at SUP compliance monitoring portal, a total of 8,61,908
inspections have been conducted and 1989 tonnes of banned single use plastic items have been
seized and a total of Rs. 19.83 crores of fine has been levied, since July, 2022.
Further, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has also notified the
Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging vide Plastic
Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, on 16th February, 2022. The Guidelines
stipulate mandatory targets on EPR, recycling of plastic packaging waste, reuse of rigid plastic
packaging and use of recycled plastic content. As per the Centralized Online Extended
Producer Responsibility Portal on Plastic Packaging, there are 60,128 of registered Producers,
Importers and Brand Owners and 3012 registered Plastic Waste Processors on the portal.
Around 207 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging waste have been recycled, after the EPR
Guidelines have come into force in 2022. In order to ensure compliance with EPR obligations,
Central Pollution Control Board has issued Show Cause Notices on 25.11.2024, 30.12.2024
and 11.03.2026 to registered Producers, Importers and Brand Owners under Section 5 of the
Environment (Protection) Act, 1986, for non-fulfilment of EPR targets and non-submission of
Annual Returns for FY 2022-23 and FY 2023-24.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, celebrated World Environment Day
2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on 5th June 2025, with the slogan ‘One Nation, One
Mission: End Plastic Pollution’. As part of one month long pre-campaign activities undertaken
before World Environment Day 2025, around 69,000 events were organized in which around
21 lakh people participated across the country. Based upon the information provided by State
Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees, the Ministry of Environment,
Forests and Climate Change and Central Pollution Control Board have prepared a
“Compendium of Manufacturers / Sellers of Eco-alternatives to Banned Single Use Plastic
Items”, which was launched on World Environment Day, 2025. The compendium provides
details of nearly 1000 units spread across the country. The Compendium is available on the
website of CPCB for wider dissemination and use. In keeping with the development of eco-
alternatives, Bureau of Indian Standard had earlier notified Indian Standard IS 18267 for Food
Serving Utensil Made from Agri By-Products.
Keeping in view the focus of the Government on addressing plastic pollution, a National Expo
on eco-alternatives to banned single-use plastic was also organized during WED 2025. The
expo saw a vibrant participation by 150 startups, recyclers, and local bodies from across India
showcasing innovative technologies and best practices on Eco-alternatives to single use plastics
and plastic waste management.
The National Plastic Pollution Reduction Campaign (NPPRC) was also launched for the period
5th June to 31st October 2025. The Campaign included activities to reduce plastic pollution in
urban and rural areas under Swachhta Hi Sewa programme. The activities also included focus
on reducing use of avoidable single use plastics in government offices especially during Special
Campaign 5.0. A Hackathon on eco-alternatives to single-use plastics was also organized by
Central Pollution Control Board, as part of NPPRC.
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