New Delhi

Studies indicate that riverine discharge and abandoned, lost or discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) are the major sources of microplastic pollution along the Indian coast, Union Minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday.

In a written reply to the Lok Sabha, the minister also stated that the National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) monitors microplastics, mesoplastics, macroplastics, and marine litter at selected locations along the Indian coast.

"NCCR has developed a Clean Coast Index (CCI) based on the abundance of microplastics and macroplastics data available in the coastal environment," said Singh.

He highlighted that the environment ministry had implemented several policy measures to reduce plastic pollution, including the prohibition of identified single-use plastic (SUP) items, with low utility and high littering potential, with effect from July 1, 2022.

The ministry had also notified the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2022, introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Guidelines for plastic packaging.

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"These guidelines prescribe mandatory targets for collection, recycling, reuse of rigid plastic packaging and use of recycled plastic content, thereby promoting sustainable plastic waste management and reducing the plastic footprint," said Singh.

He informed that since 2022, about 232 lakh tonnes of plastic packaging waste had been processed under the EPR framework.