Driving forward the reduction of marine litter in the Indian Ocean

Context

India ranks among the largest producers of plastic waste globally. During the years 2019 and 2020, the country generated over 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste. In 2019, India initiated the national framework on plastic waste management, focusing on implementing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for plastic packaging. EPR is a policy approach where producers are given a significant responsibility for the treatment or disposal of post-consumer waste.

Subsequently, in 2022, the government published official EPR guidelines under the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022. Furthermore, on 01 July 2022, the Government of India announced a ban on single-use plastics (SUPs). These are items that intended to be used only once before they are thrown away or recycled, such as plastic straws and plastic bags, which have low utility and high littering potential.

Objective

Circular economy approaches have successfully prevented marine litter in selected riverine and marine ecosystems through partnerships with public and private actors.

Approach

The project addresses marine litter and plastic leakage through innovative solutions and effective regulations, focusing on the following three areas:

• Enhancing compliance: The project supports the Indian Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), and State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) in complying with the EPR framework as well as the SUP ban. Further, it promotes eco-friendly consumption and reduces plastic packaging through reduce-reuse-refill (3Rs) models, in line with India’s Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE) movement.
• Digital tracking: The project develops national portals for tracking, monitoring, and reporting leakages of marine litter, such as the Centralised EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging and the National Dashboard on the Elimination of SUP and Effective Implementation of PWM Rules.
• Technological solutions: The project collaborates with urban local bodies, waste management agencies, producers, and recyclers to demonstrate solutions for reducing, reusing, and recycling plastics in the Indian states of Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala.

Last update: July 2024