Union Environment Minister Launches Awareness Mascot ‘Prakriti’ & Green Initiatives for Effective Plastic Waste Management

What is the News?

Union Environment Minister has launched Awareness Mascot ‘Prakriti’& other Green Initiatives for Effective Plastic Waste Management.

What is Prakriti?

Prakriti is a mascot to spread greater awareness among the masses about the small changes that can be sustainably adopted in our lifestyle for a better environment.

The mascot will also inform people about various green initiatives taken by the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and the Central Pollution Control Board(CPCB) to ensure effective plastic waste management(PWM) in the country.

Plastic Waste Generation in India

India generates about 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and the per capita plastic waste generation has almost doubled over the last five years.Plastic pollution adversely affects our ecosystems and is also linked to air pollution.

Steps announced to tackle Plastic Waste

Prime Minister had announced India’s pledge to phase out single use plastics by 2022.

The Plastic Waste Management Rules,2016 were amended, paving the way for the ban on the import of plastic waste, ban on use of single use plastic from July 1, and increasing the minimum thickness of carrying bags from existing 75 microns to 120 microns by December 2022.

What are the other Green Initiatives launched for effective plastic waste management?

National Dashboard on Elimination of Single-Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management: It aims to bring all stakeholders including Central Ministries/ Departments, State/UT Governments in one place and track the progress made for the elimination of single-use plastic (SUP) and effective management of plastic waste.

Extended Producer Responsibility(EPR) Portal for Plastic Packaging: It aims to improve accountability, traceability, transparency and facilitate ease of reporting compliance to EPR Obligations by Producers, Importers and Brand-owners.

Mobile App for Single Use Plastics Grievance Redressal: It aims to empower citizens to check sale/usage/manufacturing of SUP in their area and tackle the plastic menace.

Monitoring Module for Single-Use Plastic(SUP) for local bodies, SPCBs/PCCs and CPCB

Industrial Production of Graphene from Waste Plastic

Source: This post is based on the article “Union Environment Minister Launches Awareness Mascot ‘Prakriti’& Green Initiatives for Effective Plastic Waste Management” published in PIB on 5th April 2022.