By – Shivam Parashar
“The Earth is my Mother, and I am her Child”, This line from Atharva Veda summarises the essence of the Indian way of life. Our forefathers from the Vedic ages were scientific enough to know about a sustainable way of living. But somewhere in the ages of time, we completely forgot our roots. As a result, a recently published article by researchers from the University of Leeds in the reputed journal “Nature” declared India the top plastic polluter, surpassing China. Not something for us to be proud of.
Plastic pollution is a global issue that needs to be tackled immediately. It has a worsening impact on the ecosystem, economy, infrastructure and society. The “Plastic Treaty” is a draft proposal led by the UN for reducing plastic waste. This treaty is currently under negotiation and it would be legally binding to the member nations if passed.
As per the report declaring India as a top plastic polluter, India generates a staggering 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, accounting for approximately 20% of global plastic emissions. In contrast to China, which has a much bigger economy and almost a similar population, it produces 2.8 million tonnes annually and is ranked 4th in the report. India’s annual plastic consumption is 20 million tons, translating to 14 kg of plastic consumed per capita annually. While India’s per capita consumption is lower than that of nations like the USA or UK, its population size results in an overwhelming total volume of plastic waste. The sudden jump in these numbers could be attributed to the ever-increasing middle-class population with a higher propensity for consumption. This phenomena also drives the rapid growth of urbanization, adding more fuel to the fire. The consumer-driven lifestyle in cities with higher economic development has significantly contributed to higher plastic consumption in the last decade. Despite the government’s efforts, a large portion of plastic waste ends up in landfills, dumped illegally or burned, causing further damage. According to a few reports, only 12% of plastic waste is recycled.
One of the major polluters is the packaging industry, which uses single-use plastics most often. Companies like Amazon and other online delivery companies use excessive plastic to deliver their products. The newer online food delivery trend is also significantly adding to plastic waste by using single-use items like carry bags, straws, cutlery and bottles.
The growing consumerism, creating excess plastic, creates an unbearable burden on the municipal waste management infrastructure, which fails to keep up with the influx of increasing waste. Compared to other developed or developing countries, India’s waste management infrastructure is not at par. The old infrastructure and lack of recycling capabilities add up to plastic pollution. To resolve this issue, we need to invest in proper waste management and introduce modern technology to replace the existing infrastructure. Due to this failing waste management infrastructure, our major cities like Delhi and Mumbai have become pollution hotspots. With their higher population density and higher middle class fuelling higher consumption, this should not come as a surprise. The plastic waste being dumped in river systems ends up in the ocean, which is responsible for the plastic pollution challenges in small coastal regions.
Though the problem is apparent, the solution will require much effort. Even though strong regulations are in place and a ban on single-use plastic since 2021, failure to implement these existing policies is costing India dearly. Regulating the information sector, which plays a significant role in plastic waste handling, remains a complex challenge. The other major factor behind this failure is a non-centralized approach to implementing regulations. The state-level variations of the policies and implementation are leading to inconsistent efforts and loopholes in the enforcement of policies.
Marine pollution, land degradation, health hazards, and economic costs are only a few of its negative impacts. The list goes on and on. The world estimates plastic waste costs India approximately 5000 Crores annually in clean-up efforts alone. The loss of tourism is another domain that is harming us significantly. The degradation of the number and types of fish in rivers can be traced back directly to plastic pollution. Once a very prominent attraction in the Ganga, the dolphins are now rare. Another form of plastic pollution is microplastic, which is very dangerous to our health. As per Orb Media, 83% of India’s tap water is contaminated with microplastics. This microplastic, contaminated in our food and water supply, if ingested, could lead to gastrointestinal issues, respiratory problems and even an increased risk of cancer.
In light of these threats from plastic pollution, the government have taken several steps, introducing the “Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016)” aimed at regulating plastic production and mandating proper waste segregation and recycling. The ban on single-use plastic and introducing “Swachh Bharat Abhiyan” are other prominent government initiatives. While the initiatives have been somewhat successful in reducing the use of plastic and managing plastic waste, challenges remain in enforcement and providing affordable alternatives.
The control over plastic pollution won’t be possible by only using government initiatives; everyone, including industries, NGOs, community groups, innovators, new age start-ups and individuals, have to come together and tackle this challenge as a team. Innovative ideas like biodegradable plastics, plastic alternatives using agricultural wastes, natural fibres and effective recycling technologies are the only way forward. Consumer education programmes should be organized more often to educate the masses about the harmful effects of plastic waste and the correct ways to manage their plastic waste. These programmes will lead to a change in consumer behaviour and will promote responsible disposal habits. These deep-rooted practices require long-term efforts to remove from the masses.
But all is not lost yet, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, “आपदा मेअवसर,” which means ‘Opportunity in Disaster’ should become our guiding principle. and India should bounce back as a global leader in plastic pollution management. This goal can be achieved by making new investments in clean technologies, supporting sustainability start-ups, and implementing initiatives more strictly.
Furthermore, India can introduce a novel idea for a sustainability scoring framework for industries and individuals. It will help to pinpoint the main polluters and incentivize those who follow more sustainable alternatives. This “Green Score” will help the government pinpoint the main polluters responsible for this, giving us a better chance to stop the unsustainable practices where they originate. By tackling plastic pollution head-on, India could set an example to other developing nations, proving that economic growth and sustainability can go hand in hand.
Refrence:
1. Geyer, R., Jambeck, J. R., & Law, K. L. (2017). “Production, use, and fate of all plastics ever made.” Science Advances, 3(7), e1700782.
2. Lebreton, L. C., & Andrady, A. (2019). “Future scenarios of global plastic waste generation and disposal.” Nature Communications, 10(1), 107.
3. Jambeck, J. R., et al. (2015). “Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean.” Science, 347(6223), 768- 771.
4. UN Environment Programme (UNEP) (2021). “From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution.”
5. Nanda, S., & Berruti, F. (2021). “Municipal solid waste management and landfilling in India: An environmental perspective.” Environmental Chemistry Letters, 19(2), 1337-1358.
6. Pawar, P. R., et al. (2021). “Microplastics contamination in the environment: A serious threat to environmental health.” Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 221, 112432.
7. Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Government of India (2016). “Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016.”