TAG: GS 3: ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT
THE CONTEXT: A recent report by the Swiss non-profit EA Earth Action has highlighted the alarming projections regarding plastic waste generation worldwide.
EXPLANATION:
- With an anticipated 220 million tonnes of plastic waste set to be generated in 2024, the urgency to address this issue has become more pronounced than ever before.
Key Findings:
- Rapid Rise in Plastic Waste:
- Since 2021, there has been a steady increase of nearly 10% (7.11%) in plastic waste generation globally.
- Top Contributors:
- Just 12 countries are responsible for 60% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste, with China, USA, India, Brazil, and Mexico leading the list.
- Global Average per Person:
- The global average plastic waste per person is expected to rise to 28 kilograms in 2024.
- Plastic Overshoot Day:
- Last year marked the first-ever Global Plastic Overshoot Day, signifying the point where the amount of plastic waste generated globally exceeded the world’s capacity to manage it.
- This year, Global Plastic Overshoot Day is projected to land on September 5, 2024.
- The report includes plastic waste from the textile industry and household waste in addition to plastic packaging waste, broadening the scope of analysis.
- Population Impacted:
- Nearly 50% of the world’s population has been living in areas where plastic waste generated has already surpassed the capacity to manage it since April 2024.
- This figure is expected to rise to 66% by September 5, 2024.
Implications and Pressures:
- Impact on Developing Countries:
- Developing countries are particularly affected by the plastic pollution crisis, facing increasing pressures as plastic waste generation outpaces waste management capacity.
- National Plastic Overshoot Days:
- Each country now has its own Plastic Overshoot Day, determined by the amount of plastic waste generated and the country’s capacity to manage it. This highlights the need for tailored approaches to address the issue at a national level.
- Call for Action:
- Sarah Perreard, Co-CEO at EA Earth Action & Plastic Footprint Network, emphasizes the urgent need for science-driven, robust global policy to tackle the plastics crisis.
- Merely relying on recycling and waste management capacity is insufficient to address the magnitude of the problem.
Examples of plastic pollution in Himalayan region:
- A recent report by the Social Development for Communities (SDC) Foundation Dehradun highlights the towns in Uttarakhand are drowning in plastic waste.
- In Assam, at the Ramsar site of Deepor Beel, Greater adjutant storks have been feasting on the plastic waste in the landfill instead of fish from the wetland.
- In Manipur, growing pollution in rivers, that include the Nambul, has been widely reported.
- The Himalayan Clean up (2018-21) that was conducted by the Integrated Mountain Initiative with Zero Waste Himalayas) show increasing plastic waste, especially non-recyclables, in the Indian Himalayan Region.
- The Himalayan Clean up (2022) waste audit results showed that 92.7% of trash was plastic, with 72% of waste being non-recyclable plastic.
Steps taken:
- Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2022: It prohibits the manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of several single-use plastic items as of July 1, 2022. It has also mandated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) that incorporates circularity by making manufacturers of products responsible for collecting and processing their products upon the end of the products’ lifetime.
- Project REPLAN: Project REPLAN which stands for REducing PLastic in Nature has been launched by Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC) aims to reduce consumption of plastic bags by providing a more sustainable alternative.
- Ban on single-use plastics: India has banned the production, use, and sale of single-use plastics such as bags, cups, plates, cutlery, and straws in many states.
- National Dashboard on Elimination of Single Use Plastic and Plastic Waste Management: India launched a nationwide awareness campaign on Single Use Plastics on World Environment Day in June 2022. A mobile app for Single Use Plastics Grievance Redressal was also launched to empower citizens to check sale/usage/manufacturing of SUP in their area and tackle the plastic menace.
State’s initiatives:
- States across the Indian Himalayan Region have also been taking various initiatives including enacting laws to curb this menace.
- Himachal Pradesh has a buy back policy for non-recyclable and single-use plastic waste since 2019, but there is still widespread littering of plastic waste.
- Sikkim banned packaged mineral water use from January 2022 and has a fairly robust regulatory system, but in the absence of proper infrastructure to handle plastic waste, the State is still grappling with the issue.
- Mizoram has been proactive on the regulatory front the Aizawl Municipal Corporation made by-laws under the PWM in 2019.
- Tripura has made policy changes, enacted municipal by-laws and has a State-level task force to eliminate Single Use Plastic though the results are not visible.