In News:

The Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals is implementing the Scheme for Setting up of Plastic Parks under the umbrella scheme of New Scheme of Petrochemicals, to support setting up need-based Plastic Parks, with requisite state-of-the-art infrastructure, enabling common facilities through cluster development approach, to consolidate the capacities of the domestic downstream plastic processing industry.

What is a Plastic Park?

• A Plastic Park is a dedicated industrial zone for plastic-related industries.
• Aims to synergize capacities of the plastic processing sector and promote investment, production, export, and employment.
• Encourages sustainable development through waste management and recycling.

Plastic Parks Scheme

• Implemented by the Department of Chemicals and Petro-Chemicals under the New Scheme of Petrochemicals.
• Financial Support: 50% of project cost, up to ?40 crore per park.
• Focus: Common infrastructure, cluster development, employment generation, and environmental sustainability.

Plastic Parks Approved (as of April 2025):

Location                     State                Year Approved          Grant Sanctioned (? crore)            Amount Released (? crore)

Tamot                     Madhya Pradesh     2013                            40.00                                                        36.00

Jagatsinghpur     Odisha                        2013                            40.00                                                        36.00

Tinsukia                 Assam                         2014                           40.00                                                         35.73

Bilaua                     Madhya Pradesh      2018                          34.36                                                          30.92

Deoghar               Jharkhand                   2018                          33.67                                                          30.30

Tiruvallur              Tamil Nadu                  2019                          40.00                                                          22.00

Sitarganj              Uttarakhand                2020                         33.93                                                          30.51

Raipur                   Chhattisgarh               2021                          21.04                                                           11.57

Ganjimutt             Karnataka                   2022                         31.38                                                            6.28

Gorakhpur           Uttar Pradesh              2022                        34.79                                                            19.13

Objectives

• Boost competitiveness, polymer absorption, and value addition.
• Support R&D-led growth and enhance exports.
• Promote eco-friendly practices like plastic recycling, effluent treatment, and hazardous waste management.
• Encourage cluster-based industrial growth.

Process of Setting up

• States submit proposals → In-principle approval by Scheme Steering Committee → Submission of DPR → Final approval.
• Implementation via Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) formed by states.

Other Government Measures

13 Centres of Excellence (CoEs) established at premier institutions (IITs, CSIR labs, CIPET) for:

• Sustainable polymers
• Bio-engineered polymer systems
• Advanced polymeric materials
• Wastewater management in petrochemical industries

Skill Development:

• CIPET offers short- and long-term training in plastic processing technology.

Sustainability Measures

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) mandates recycling targets, use of recycled content.
• Hazardous Waste Management Rules enforce safe disposal practices.
• Ban on certain single-use plastics.
• Promotion of circular economy and biodegradable alternatives.
• Active engagement with WTO, UNEP, ISO for global compliance.

India in Global Plastic Trade

• 12th largest plastic exporter globally (World Bank, 2022).
• Exports increased from USD 8.2 million (2014) to USD 27 million (2022).

Prelims Facts to Remember

• Scheme launched under Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals.
• Max central grant per park = ?40 crore.
• Plastic Park = cluster-based industrial zone for plastic processing industries.
• Gorakhpur (UP) &Ganjimutt (Karnataka) approved in 2022.
• India is actively integrating sustainability and innovation in the plastic sector.