India is grappling with a growing plastic waste crisis, generating 41.36 lakh tonnes annually, according to a statement in Parliament on Monday, December 9. Tamil Nadu holds the dubious distinction of being the largest plastic polluter, contributing 7.82 lakh tonnes of plastic waste per year. Following closely behind is Telangana, generating 5.28 lakh tonnes. Delhi, despite being a smaller state, ranks as the third-largest generator with 4.03 lakh tonnes annually, surpassing larger states like Maharashtra and Karnataka.
These figures were revealed by Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Kirti Vardhan Singh, in response to a question raised in Lok Sabha. The data, sourced from the Ministry, outlines a concerning upward trend in plastic waste generation: 33.6 lakh TPA (tonne per annum) in 2018-19, 34.69 lakh TPA in 2019-20, 41.26 lakh TPA in 2020-21, 39.01 lakh TPA in 2021-22, and finally reaching 41.36 lakh TPA in 2022-23.
There are 978 Plastic Waste Management Units (PWMUs) operating in the country. Tamil Nadu leads with the highest number of PWMUs at 326, followed by Andhra Pradesh (139), Bihar (102), and Uttar Pradesh (68). The Swachh Bharat Mission (Grameen) Phase II guidelines offer up to Rs 16 lakh per Block for building a unit. Additionally, PWMUs can be set up in cluster mode for multiple blocks within the overall funding limits.
The Ministry emphasized the role of local bodies and gram panchayats in collecting and transporting plastic waste, as mandated by the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Furthermore, the guidelines issued under the Swachh Bharat Mission promote door-to-door collection of solid waste, including plastic waste, in both urban and rural areas.
The government also expressed hope that the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Plastic Packaging, notified in February 2022, will bolster plastic waste management infrastructure, particularly in the collection of plastic packaging waste.