Plastic Pollution

Context: 

Recently, Earth Observed its first Plastic Overshoot Day on 28 July, 2023.

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• According to Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action (EA), on July 28, 2023, the Earth saw its first Plastic Overshoot Day.
• Plastic Overshoot Day marks the point when the amount of plastic waste generated exceeds the world’s capacity to manage it, resulting in environmental pollution. 
  • Each country has its own Plastic Overshoot Day, which is determined by the amount of plastic waste generated and the country’s capacity to manage it
• Plastic Pollution Crisis: The imbalance between the volumes of plastic that are produced and used, as well as the world’s ability to manage those volumes when they become waste, is the root cause of plastic pollution.
  • The global average consumption of plastic per person per year is 20.9 kg.
  • In the first 208 days of 2023, plastic waste is well-managed, meaning it is collected and then either recycled, incinerated or deposited in a sanitary landfill.
  • Short-life plastics, encompassing plastic packaging and single-use plastics, accounts for approximately 37% of the total plastic commercialized annually. 
  • By 2040 plastic production is set to double, with plastic pollution is expected to triple.
  • 175 countries account for 41% of the total mismanaged waste, or 64,63 days, while 12 countries are responsible for 52% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste, or 145 days of overshoot for 2023.
  • 12 Countries:  India, China, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, Mexico, the United States, Saudia Arabia, Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran and Kazakhstan.
• Mismanaged Waste Index (MWI):  The gap in waste management capacity and plastic consumption is called MWI.
  • India ranks fourth in the MWI, with 98.55 per cent of generated waste being mismanaged and fares poorly in the management of plastics waste.
  • Expected mismanaged waste in India in 2023 will be 7,300,752 tonnes of plastic. 
  • India will also be responsible for releasing an average of 3,30,764 tonnes of microplastics into waterways.

Global Plastic Pollution Crisis

• Plastic Pollution: According to the UN Environment Programme (UNEP), approximately 7 billion of the 9.2 billion tonnes of plastic manufactured between 1950 and 2017 ended up as waste, either in landfills or dumped. 
  • If this is to continue unchecked, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. 
  • Marine Plastic Pollution: More than 14 million metric tonnes of plastic enters and damages aquatic ecosystems annually.
  • Climate Change: Greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastics are expected to account for 15 per cent of the total emissions allowable by 2050 if humanity is to limit global warming to 1.5°C.
• Plastic Recycling: According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), only 15% of global plastic waste is collected for the purpose of recycling. 
  • Out of this, close to half is disposed off as residues, which results in only 9% of plastic waste getting recycled. 
  • Another 19% gets incinerated, 50% ends up in landfill and 22% evades waste management systems. 

Menace of Plastic Pollution in India

• India is the second-largest consumer of plastic globally, with packaging materials contributing significantly to the plastic waste generated. 
• According to Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India generates over 9.46 million metric tons of plastic waste annually, out of which only 60% is recycled. 
  • Plastic waste often ends up in landfills, rivers, and oceans, causing irreversible damage to the environment and marine life. 
• Some of the challenges imposed by plastic pollution are:
  • Threat To Ecosystem: It threatens the biodiversity and health of marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Plastic can harm or kill wildlife, damage habitats, and disrupt food webs.
  • Threat to Humans: It poses risks to human health and well-being. Plastic can contaminate the food chain and expose humans to harmful chemicals, reduce the quality and enjoyment of natural environments, and increase the spread of diseases.
  • Threat to Climate: It contributes to the climate crisis and resource depletion. Plastic emits greenhouse gases during its production, transportation, and degradation, and consumes large amounts of energy, water, and land.
  • Creates social and economic costs and inequalities: Plastic can affect the livelihoods and incomes of people who depend on natural resources, such as fishers or farmers. 
  • Climate Injustice: Plastic can create environmental injustice and discrimination, as some communities or countries bear a disproportionate burden of plastic waste generation or disposal.
• Flawed Waste Management System in India: Municipal authorities are responsible for the collection and transportation of waste, while the waste’s final disposal is usually left to informal waste pickers or landfill sites. 
  • Waste management is primarily focused on the collection and transportation of waste, while its disposal remains largely neglected. 
  • This has resulted in the pollution of water bodies and the emission of harmful gases like methane, which is a potent greenhouse gas.

Steps Taken to Reduce Menace of Plastic Pollution in India 

• Single Use Plastic Ban: On July 1, 2022, a ban was imposed on the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of identified single-use plastic items, which have low utility and high littering potential
• State Government Initiatives: In Delhi, stores of eco-alternatives – Vikalp Stores – have been set up in markets; 
  • Tamil Nadu launched a massive campaign on using cloth bags with vending machines set up under the Meendum Manjappai campaign; 
  • Uttar Pradesh is implementing the refillable model to promote reuse of packaging material.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): EPR is a framework that holds producers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products, including their disposal.
• EPR is implemented in India through various policies and regulations, such as the Plastic Waste Management Rules (2016), and through collaborations between the government, NGOs, and other stakeholders.
• India Plastic Pact: Launched by World-Wide Fund for Nature-India (WWF India) and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), to develop a platform to promote a circular system for plastics. 
  • Circular economy: It is a resource efficient economy where waste and pollution are eliminated, products and materials are kept in use at their highest value for the longest time possible, and natural systems are regenerated.

Way Forward

• Global plastic production must be capped and reduced to prevent plastic pollution from tripling by 2040. 
• Adopt a circular economy approach for tackling the problem of plastic pollution.
  • Circular economy solutions can reduce pollution by 80% by 2040. 
• Financial mechanisms and capacity-building are essential for participation and national legislation implementation.
• Ensure Accountability: Governments and businesses must be held accountable through mandatory disclosure and reporting.
  • Global North countries that export their waste to Global South countries must be held accountable for supporting infrastructure development in importing countries by at least the volume they export annually.
• Strengthen Waste Management Infrastructure: Financial support is required to invest in robust waste collection and recycling infrastructure across cities and towns.
  • Implement effective segregation systems, establish recycling centers, and promote the adoption of advanced technologies for plastic waste processing.
  • This can involve collaboration between the government, private sector, and civil society to develop innovative solutions.
• Investing in waste-to-energy plants using advanced technologies can reduce fossil fuel dependence and generate electricity while effectively managing plastic waste. 
  • India has the capacity to process 14.2 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, accounting for 71% of primary plastic production.

News Source: Down to Earth