Climate change and material use are closely linked. That’s why the circular economy is crucial to meet the Paris climate goals. How is India moving on this front?
The need for sustainable consumption and production was emphasized by India at COP21 at the time of adoption of the Paris Agreement in 2015. It has now become part of the preamble of the Agreement.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his address to the nation on Independence Day (last year) also emphasized on ‘Mission Circular Economy’. The Budget for 2022-23 provides a roadmap to achieve that circular economy. It recognizes that development and environmental conservation need to be aligned and not be treated as exclusive of each other.
India’s consumption pattern is not as extravagant and wasteful as that of the rich nations, but a lot of waste remains unprocessed, leading to environmental hazards and economic loss. How is the government tackling the problem?
To protect the environment, natural resources and human health, and to ensure sound management of solid waste streams, the Center has notified rules for the management of different kinds of waste, such as municipal solid, electronic, plastic, construction and demolition (C&D) , and bio-medical. The rules stress on waste segregation, material recovery, ‘extended producer responsibility’ (EPR), safe handling and end disposal. They are based on the principle of ‘reduce, reuse and recycle’.
Solid Waste Management Rules (WMR), 2016 bring the idea of recovery and reuse into policy. They are being implemented in all 4,041 towns and cities of India, with the urban local bodies (ULBs) made responsible for setting up material recovery facilities. Plastic WMR2016 aims to minimize plastic waste generation vis-vis encouraging recycling and reuse of plastic waste in road construction, energy and oil recovery, and includes the provision of EPR. Electronic WMR, 2016 channels the e-waste from generator to the authorized recycler for environmentally sound recycling and allocates e-waste recycling targets to all producers of electronic and electrical devices. C&D WMR, 2016 regulates the collection, transportation, storage and re-processing of C&D waste. Hazardous WMR2016 aims to ensure resource recovery and disposal of hazardous waste in an environmentally sound manner at captive treatment facilities installed by the individual waste generators or at ‘common hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facilities.
What more does the government have on the table?
Budget 2022-23 has announced support for implementation of action plans in 10 important sectors, including electronic waste, end-of-life vehicles, used oil waste, and toxic and hazardous industrial waste. At a time when India is moving towards becoming a manufacturing intensive economy, the announcement reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that the country’s economic growth is by way of a circular economy.
Circular economy (CE) action plans are being developed for 11 categories of waste by committees constituted by NITI Aayog. These waste categories include municipal waste, scrap metal, electronic waste, lithium-ion batteries, solar panels, gypsum, toxic and hazardous industrial waste, used oil waste, agriculture waste, tire and rubber recycling, and end-of-life vehicles. CE action plans for five waste categories – lithium-ion batteries, e-waste, toxic and hazardous
industrial waste, scrap metal (ferrous and non-ferrous), and tire and rubber recycling – have been finalized and are under implementation. Further, an overarching national policy for mainstreaming resource efficiency and circular economy across all sectors is in the works.
Single-use plastic will be banned in India from July 1. How will the ban be enforced? Do industries have alternatives in place?
In line with the clarion call given by Prime Minister Modi to phase out single-use plastic by 2022, keeping in view the adverse impacts of littered plastic on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, my ministry has notified the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, which prohibit identified single-use plastic items that have low utility and high littering potential by this year.
In the 4th United Nations Environment Assembly held in 2019, India had piloted a resolution on addressing single-use plastic products pollution, recognizing the urgent need for the global community to focus on this
very important issue. The adoption of this resolution at UNEA 4 was a significant step. To ensure availability of environment-friendly alternatives to plastics, the ministry had notified draft regulations on the EPR for plastic packaging under Plastics WMR, 2016 on October 6, 2021, for public consultation. It proposes to mandate reuse, minimum level of recycling of plastic packaging waste, use of recycled plastic material, and environmentally sound management of plastic waste. The draft regulation seeks to strengthen the circular economy of plastic packaging waste, promote development of new alternatives to plastics and sustainable plastic packaging.
How have the policies fared so far in dealing with the growing problem of waste?
Evidently, these policies have shown significant improvements in waste management practices. Waste collection and management through regularised methods has notably increased.
The waste management infrastructure in the states/UTs is being strengthened through the Swachh Bharat Mission. Solid waste management in the country is continuously progressing towards 100% sustainable waste management practices. Source segregation, segregated waste transportation and recovery of the reusable/recyclable material through material recovery facilities are the key strategies for waste management. As per the annual report of CPCB in 2019-20, the total plastic waste generation is 34. 7 lakh tonnes per annum (TPA), of which 15. 8 lakh TPA of plastic waste is recycled and 1. 67 lakh TPA is co- processed in cement kilns. As per the report, the total solid waste generated is 1.5 lakh tonnes per day (TPD), of which around 98% is collected and 50% of the collected waste is processed. The central government’s additional central assistance of 35% as viability gap funding is provided as per guidelines, to supplement the efforts of states/ULBs in managing municipal solid waste. Collection of e-waste has increased by over 220% to 2. 2 lakh tonnes in 2019-20 as compared with year 2017-18, with 22% of the e-waste being recycled vis-a-vis about 10% in 2017- 18.
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