New EPR Rules Drive India’s Plastic Crackdown, Over 207 Lakh Tonnes Recycled Since 2022
New Delhi/Shimla/Dehradun:
Tightening the screws on plastic polluters, the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has pushed forward its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) regime, making producers, importers and brand owners directly accountable for plastic waste — a move that is now beginning to show measurable impact.
But most of Himalayan states including Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, UTs of Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir Northeast are still napping not booking offenders under the rules.
You see plastic everywhere on the roadsides and khads and rivers and streams in pilgrimage centres tourists towns and spots in Himachal, Uttarakhand and Ladakh as well. The state Pollution Control boards bothered least to impose penalties on the defaulting firms.
Replying in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State Kirti Vardhan Singh revealed that since the rollout of the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, a staggering 207 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging waste has been recycled under the EPR framework.
The data underscores both the scale of the crisis and the government’s attempt to rein it in. India generated over 41.36 lakh tonnes of plastic waste in 2022-23, up from 39.01 lakh tonnes in 2021-22, indicating that while recycling efforts are rising, plastic consumption remains stubbornly high.
States Put on Enforcement Frontline
The Centre has clearly shifted the on-ground burden to states and Union Territories, directing them to carry out regular enforcement drives against banned single-use plastics.
This includes strict checks in fruit and vegetable mandis, wholesale hubs, local markets and among street vendors, as well as action against units manufacturing plastic carry bags below the mandated 120-micron thickness.
States have been asked to ensure seizures of banned items, impose penalties on violators, and sustain continuous monitoring rather than one-off crackdowns — effectively making local administrations the backbone of the anti-plastic campaign.
Under the EPR regime, companies are now mandated to meet specific recycling targets, reuse rigid plastic, and incorporate recycled content in packaging.
To enforce compliance, the Central Pollution Control Board has issued multiple show-cause notices to defaulting firms for failing to meet targets and submit annual returns.
The enforcement drive has also intensified on the ground. Since the nationwide ban on identified single-use plastic items came into effect on July 1, 2022, authorities have conducted over 8.61 lakh inspections, seized 1,989 tonnes of banned plastic, and imposed penalties worth ₹19.83 crore.
Officials say the crackdown extends from wholesale markets to local vendors, targeting thin plastic carry bags below 120 microns and other high-litter items.
Backing enforcement with outreach, the government has simultaneously promoted eco-alternatives.
During World Environment Day 2025, a nationwide campaign under the slogan “One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution” mobilized 21 lakh people across 69,000 events.
A compendium listing nearly 1,000 manufacturers of eco-friendly alternatives has also been released, alongside standards by the Bureau of Indian Standards for products made from agri by-products.
Further, a National Plastic Pollution Reduction Campaign ran from June to October 2025, pushing plastic-free practices in both urban and rural areas under the Swachhta framework.
Even as the numbers show progress in recycling and enforcement, the rising volume of plastic waste generation highlights a deeper challenge — India is still producing plastic faster than it can eliminate it.
The success of EPR, experts say, will ultimately depend on how strictly compliance is enforced and how quickly consumers shift to sustainable alternatives.
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