• March 4, 2023

Menace of Plastic consumption

GS 3 Conservation Environmental Pollution & Degradation

In Context

• A new study warns that plastic consumption in G20 countries could double by 2050 if no new policies are implemented.

Plastic Consumption across Globe

• According to a report by the Back to Blue initiative, plastic consumption in G20 nations could nearly double by 2050 if new global policies to reduce its use are not implemented.
• In the coming decades, countries with the highest economic and population growth are likely to experience the greatest increase in plastic consumption.
• Plastic consumption is expected to nearly double by 2050, from 261 million tonnes in 2019 to 451 million tonnes in 2050, a growth rate of 110 percent.
• A ban on plastics with a single use is the most effective policy, but even with the ban, plastic consumption in G20 nations will be 1.48 times higher in 2050 than in 2019
• Extended producer responsibility schemes will have a negligible impact on the consumption of single-use plastic products, but they remain an essential component of the solution.
• The Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, prohibit the manufacture, import, stockpiling, distribution, sale, and use of carry bags and plastic sheets with a thickness of less than 50 microns in the country.

Issues / Challenges with Plastic

• Environmental: It is detrimental to the environment due to the fact that it is non-biodegradable and takes years to decompose.
• • Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fishes and turtles eat plastic waste and most die of starvation as their stomachs are filled with plastic debris.

• Food and health: Invisible plastic has been found in tap water, beer, and salt, as well as in all ocean samples collected throughout the world, including the Arctic.
• o The transfer of contaminants from marine organisms to humans via the consumption of seafood has been identified as a health risk.
• Each year, fish consume thousands of tonnes of plastic, which they then pass up the food chain to marine mammals.

• Climate change: Plastic, a product derived from petroleum, also contributes to global warming. When plastic waste is burned, carbon dioxide is released into the atmosphere, thereby increasing carbon emissions.
• Tourism: Plastic waste damages the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, leading to decreased tourism-related incomes and major economic costs related to the cleaning and maintenance of the sites.
• Financial costs of marine plastic pollution: According to conservative forecasts made in March 2020, the direct harm to the blue economy of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will be $2.1 billion per year.

Challenges in controlling plastic pollution:

• Weak enforcement of regulations: While India has enacted legislation to combat plastic pollution, enforcement remains weak due to limited resources and insufficient monitoring and reporting mechanisms.
• Lack of public awareness: There is a need for more widespread public education campaigns to promote plastic alternatives and proper waste disposal practices.
• Limited infrastructure: There are insufficient waste collection and separation systems, and many landfills are mismanaged and overflowing.
• Recycling challenges: While India has a vibrant informal recycling sector, there are challenges with the quality and safety of recycled plastics, as well as a lack of standardized recycling processes and technologies.
• Single-use plastic production: Straws, cutlery, and bags, which are difficult to recycle and frequently end up in landfills or waterways, are among the many single-use plastic items still manufactured in India.

Steps taken by India to control plastic pollution

• Ban on single-use plastics: In a number of its states, India has prohibited the production, use, and sale of single-use plastics such as bags, cups, plates, cutlery, and straws.
• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR): The Indian government has implemented EPR, making plastic manufacturers accountable for waste management and disposal.
• Plastic Waste Management Rules: In 2016, India enacted the Plastic Waste Management Rules, which provide a framework for managing plastic waste through a variety of measures, such as recycling and waste-to-energy initiatives.
• Swachh Bharat Abhiyan: The Indian government launched the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, a national cleanliness campaign, which includes the collection and disposal of plastic waste.
• Plastic Parks: India has set up Plastic Parks, which are specialized industrial zones for recycling and processing plastic waste.
• Beach clean-up drives: The Indian government and various non-governmental organizations have organized beach clean-up drives to collect and dispose of plastic waste from beaches.
• Awareness campaigns: India has launched awareness campaigns to educate people about the harmful effects of plastic pollution and encourage them to use sustainable alternatives.

Way ahead:

• The report on plastic pollution in G20 nations should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers, industries, and individuals to take concrete steps to reduce plastic consumption and pollution.
• Without significant policy changes, the plastic consumption of the G20 nations could double by 2050, resulting in severe environmental and health consequences.
• It is encouraging that some G20 nations are taking steps to reduce single-use plastics, but bolder and more ambitious policies are required to significantly reduce plastic pollution.
• All stakeholders, including petrochemical companies and consumers, must control the crisis by enacting radical and far-reaching reforms to alter the plastic consumption curve.