Representative image, AI generated. Source Freepik

India is strengthening both enforcement actions and recycling compliance frameworks to tackle the rising generation of plastic waste, according to Kirti Vardhan Singh, the Union Minister of State for Environment, Forests, and Climate Change.  
Responding to a query in the Lok Sabha, the minister outlined recent trends in plastic waste generation and highlighted policy steps aimed at reducing pollution and improving material recovery.
Government data compiled from State Pollution Control Boards and Pollution Control Committees indicate that plastic waste generation stood at about 4.13 million tonnes in 2022–23, compared with 3.90 million tonnes in 2021–22 and a similar level of 4.13 million tonnes in 2020–21.

Singh said a nationwide prohibition on select single-use plastic items — introduced from July 1, 2022 — continues to be enforced through coordinated action by states and Union Territories. Enforcement efforts have focused on curbing the manufacture, sale, and use of banned products as well as ensuring compliance with minimum thickness requirements for plastic carry bags.

Since the ban took effect, authorities have carried out more than 861,000 inspections, leading to the seizure of nearly 1,989 tonnes of prohibited single-use plastic items and the imposition of penalties amounting to around ₹19.83 crore, the minister noted.

Alongside enforcement, the government has operationalised Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines for plastic packaging under amendments to the Plastic Waste Management Rules. These provisions set out obligations for recycling, reuse of rigid packaging, and the gradual incorporation of recycled content.

According to Singh, the centralised online EPR portal has registered over 60,000 producers, importers, and brand owners, along with more than 3,000 plastic waste processors. Since the implementation of the guidelines, roughly 207 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging waste have reportedly been processed for recycling.

Regulators have also issued show-cause notices to entities that failed to meet EPR targets or did not submit mandatory compliance reports for recent financial years, he added.

The minister said the government is simultaneously promoting the adoption of environmentally preferable alternatives to single-use plastics and expanding public awareness initiatives. In the lead-up to World Environment Day 2025, about 69,000 outreach events involving nearly 2.1 million participants were organised nationwide. Authorities have also compiled a directory of close to 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers of eco-friendly alternatives to support market transition.

In addition, a national exhibition showcasing innovations in plastic waste management brought together around 150 startups, recyclers, and urban local bodies, while a broader plastic pollution reduction campaign conducted between June and October 2025 focused on cutting avoidable single-use plastics across both urban and rural settings, including in government offices.

Singh emphasised that the government’s approach combines regulatory enforcement, producer accountability, recycling mandates, and behavioural change initiatives to accelerate progress in reducing plastic pollution across India.