Concerns Raised on Plastic Waste Pollution | 22 Feb 2024

Source: TOI

Why in News?

Recently, A parliamentary panel raised concerns over the ineffective handling of plastic waste in the country, citing a report from the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG).

• The panel criticised the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for its lax approach to addressing the issue and urged the Ministry of Environment Forest and Climate Change to improve coordination and take concrete steps to combat plastic pollution.

What is the Finding of the PAC Report?

• Acknowledgment of Ministry's Efforts: The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) acknowledged the Ministry's efforts on plastic waste since May 2021 but stressed the need for more effective measures to protect people from plastic pollution hazards.
• Increasing Plastic Waste Generation: Plastic waste generation has increased substantially from 15.9 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA) in 2015-16 to 41.2 lakh TPA in 2020-21.
• Unutilized Plastic Waste and Environmental Impact: Data from 2019-20 shows that 50% of the total plastic waste in the country (34.7 lakh TPA) remained unutilised, leading it to pollute air, water and soil, and ultimately affecting human health.
• Data Gap and Inconsistencies: The PAC noted a big data gap, observing from CAG's 2022 audit findings that many State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) did not provide data on plastic waste generation for the period 2016-18 to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).
  • It also noted that data received from SPCBs was not validated by CPCB and in certain cases, there were inconsistencies in data shared by Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) with SPCBs.
• Importance of Finding Alternatives to Plastic: It observed that "finding a cost-effective and dependable alternative to plastic" was a prerequisite for its elimination.

What are the Measures Taken to Curb Plastic Pollution?

• Measures Taken at Global Level:
  • Resolution to End Plastic Pollution:
    • In 2022, 124 countries, parties to the United Nations Environment Assembly, including India, signed a resolution to draw up a legally binding agreement for an end to plastic pollution.
  • Closing the loop:
    • It is a project of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific to assist cities in developing more inventive policy solutions to tackle the problem.
  • The Global Tourism Plastics initiative:
    • It aims to reduce plastic pollution from the tourism sector through a set of actionable commitments by 2025.
  • European Union:
    • In July 2021, the Directive on Single-Use Plastics took effect in the European Union (EU).
• Measures taken by Indian Government:
  • Ban on Hard-to-Collect/Recycle Single-Use Plastics (SUP): The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had banned hard-to-collect/recycle, Single-Use Plastic (SUP) items.
    • The manufacturing, importation, sale, and usage of plastic carry bags thinner than 120 microns were prohibited.
  • The Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, introduce guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging.
    • These guidelines set mandatory targets for EPR, recycling of plastic packaging waste, reuse of rigid plastic packaging, and the use of recycled plastic content.
  • Local Body Responsibility: Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 state that every local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for segregation, collection, processing, and disposal of plastic waste.
  • Other Important Initiatives:
    • National Dashboard on Elimination of Single-Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management
    • India Plastics Pact
    • Project REPLAN
    • National Green Tribunal (NGT)

What are the Recommendations of the PAC Report?

• Importance of Reliable Data Assessment: Underlining gaps in data, the panel expressed the need to have a "reliable assessment" of the amount of plastic waste being generated and it should be the first step towards managing the problem efficiently.
• Mandatory Reporting on National Dashboard: It recommended "mandatory" reporting of data online on the national dashboard.
• Urgent and Effective Measures for Enforcement: Immediate and effective steps, in addition to EPR, including spreading awareness about eco-friendly alternatives and ill-effects of SUP, providing funds for R&D on finding alternatives, making implementing agencies accountable, promoting use of recycled plastic content and increasing recycling facilities may be taken to "efficiently enforce the ban on SUP on ground".
• Vigilance over Industrial Practices: There is a need to keep a close watch on industries to see whether they actually do require collection and recycling or instead make false claims.
• Embracing a Bottom-Up Approach: There is also a need to adopt a bottom-up approach where every block in the country should have at least one plastic waste recycling unit.
• Encouraging Industry Participation: Industries or private entities should be incentivised to set up such units at local levels and they should, in turn, work closely with waste pickers through effective remunerative measures.