India Produces 41.36 Lakh Tonnes of Plastic Waste Annually, Tamil Nadu Leads in Pollution
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New Delhi, Dec 9 (NationPress) The nation generates 41.36 lakh tonnes of plastic waste annually, with Tamil Nadu identified as the largest contributor at 7.82 lakh tonnes, according to information provided to Parliament on Monday.
The Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, disclosed in a written response to the Lok Sabha that the generation of plastic waste in the country has been on a consistent rise, with figures showing 33.6 lakh tonnes in 2018-19, 34.69 lakh tonnes in 2019-20, 41.26 lakh tonnes in 2020-21, 39.01 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, and 41.36 lakh tonnes in 2022-23.
Telangana follows with 5.28 lakh tonnes of plastic waste generation, making it the second-highest contributor, as noted by the Minister in response to a query from Amar Singh.
Despite ongoing challenges with air and water pollution, Delhi ranks as the third-largest generator of plastic waste, producing 4.03 lakh tonnes, surpassing larger states such as Maharashtra (3.95 lakh tonnes) and Karnataka (3.6 lakh tonnes).
Although data for Uttar Pradesh in 2022-23 was not available, the Minister mentioned that the state produced 3.75 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in 2021-2022.
Regarding the operation of plastic waste management units (PWMUs), the Minister stated that there are currently 978 units active across the country. Tamil Nadu boasts the highest number at 326, followed by Andhra Pradesh with 139, Bihar with 102, Uttar Pradesh with 68, and both West Bengal and Uttarakhand with 51 each. Kerala has 48, J&K has 43, and both Telangana and Himachal Pradesh have 29 units each.
The Minister added, "Concerning the establishment of PWMUs, the guidelines for the Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II offer financial support of up to Rs 16 lakh per block for constructing a unit. Additionally, PWMUs can be set up in cluster mode across multiple blocks within the overall funding limits available for those blocks, depending on the requirements."
In response to inquiries about the government's initiatives to improve door-to-door plastic waste collection, the Minister noted that the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 require local bodies and gram panchayats to oversee the collection and transportation of plastic waste.
"Guidelines have been issued under the Swachh Bharat Mission for door-to-door collection of solid waste, including plastic waste, in both urban and rural areas across the nation," the Minister stated.
The implementation of a market-based Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging, which was notified on February 16, 2022, by the Ministry, will also enhance the infrastructure for plastic waste management in the country, including the collection of plastic packaging waste, according to the Minister.
