Plastic Pollution

WHY IN NEWS?

• A report released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) last year estimated that emissions of plastic waste into the aquatic ecosystems may triple by 2040 if no meaningful action is taken.
• Thus, the UN Environment Assembly meeting in February-March 2022 may finalise a way forward for global cooperation in this regard.    

BACKGROUND:

• Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (ex: plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects humans, wildlife and their habitat.
• Plastics are inexpensive and durable making them very adaptable for different uses; as a result humans produce a lot of plastic
• However, the chemical structure of most plastics renders them resistant to many natural processes of degradation and as a result they are slow to degrade.
• Together, these two factors allow large volumes of plastic to enter the environment as mismanaged waste and for it to persist in the ecosystem.
• As of 2019, 368 million tonnes of plastic is produced each year; 51% in Asia, where China is the world's largest producer.

STATISTICS:

• Globally
  • From the 1950s up to 2018, an estimated 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced worldwide, of which an estimated 9% has been recycled and another 12% has been incinerated.
  • As of 2020, the global mass of produced plastic exceeds the biomass of all land and marine animals combined
  • It is estimated that there is a stock of 86 million tons of plastic marine debris in the worldwide ocean.
  • Some researchers suggest that by 2050 there could be more plastic than fish in the oceans by weight
• India:
  • According to FICCI, an Indian consumes 11 kg of plastic per year.
  • India’s contribution is around 3.1% of the global plastic waste generation.
  • According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), as much as 3.3 million metric tonnes of plastic waste was generated in India in 2018-19, of which only about 60% is recycled.
  • The total municipal solid waste generation is 55-65 million tonnes, of which plastic waste is approximately 5-6 percent.

CAUSES:

• Higher consumption
  • Rapid urbanization and population growth increase the demand of cheap plastics.
  • As plastic is less expensive, it is one of the most widely available and overused items in the world today.
  • Since it is an affordable and durable material, it is utilized in every other way possible, from packaging materials to plastic bottles and containers, straws to plastic carry bags.
• Slow rate of decomposition
  • Plastic takes 400 years and even more to decompose. The decomposition rate of plastic typically ranges from 500 to 600 years, depending on the type.
• Trade in plastic waste:
  • Countries importing the waste plastics often lack the capacity to process all the material.
• Pandemic
  • COVID-19 saw an increase in plastic finding its ways to the ocean, especially from medical waste and masks
• Improper waste management:
  • Disposal of plastic is often mismanaged; it ends up in landfills.
  • Of the total plastic produced in the world >> only 9% has been recycled
  • Burning plastic is incredibly toxic and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illnesses.

EFFECTS OF PLASTIC POLLUTION

• Persistence in environment:
  • Synthetic plastics are largely non-biodegradable and tend to persist in natural environments.
  • They eventually fill the land and water, affecting the fertility and quality of the ecosystem.
• Negative effects on human health:
  • Microplastics entering the human body via direct exposures through ingestion or inhalation can lead to an array of health impacts, including inflammation, genotoxicity, oxidative stress, apoptosis, and necrosis, which are linked to an array of negative health outcomes including cancer, cardiovascular diseases.
• Marine pollution:
  • Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste escapes into the oceans from coastal nations.
  • This floating plastic waste has accumulated in five subtropical gyres that cover 40 percent of the world’s oceans.
  • The most noted among these is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch—a 600-sq km floating island of plastic waste in the North Pacific Ocean.
  • 
  • Impact on marine life:
    • The most visible and disturbing impacts of marine plastics are the ingestion, suffocation and entanglement of hundreds of marine species.
    • Marine wildlife such as seabirds, whales, fishes and turtles, mistake plastic waste for prey, and most die of starvation as their stomachs are filled with plastic debris.
  • Plastic-contaminated seafood:
    • Scientists have found micro plastics in 114 marine species, and around one-third of these end up on our plates.
  • Upsets the marine food Chain:
    • Because it comes in sizes large and small, polluting plastics even affect the world’s tiniest organisms, such as plankton.
• Water pollution
  • Groundwater pollution:
    • Most of the litter and pollution affecting the world’s oceans and groundwater comes from plastics.
  • Tap water:
    • A 2017 study found that 83% of tap water samples taken around the world contained plastic pollutants.
• Land pollution:
  • When plastic is dumped in landfills, it interacts with water and forms hazardous chemicals.
  • When these chemicals seep underground, they degrade the water quality
  • The wind carries and deposits plastic from one place to another, increasing the land litter.
• Air pollution:
  • Burning of plastics leads to environmental pollution due to the release of poisonous chemicals. The polluted air, when inhaled, affects the health and can cause respiratory problems.
• Economic impacts:
  • Plastic pollution costs USD 13 billion in economic damage to marine ecosystems per year.
  • This includes losses to the fishing industry and tourism, as well as the cost to clean up beaches.
  • Economic costs include those linked to clean-up operations, litter removal, the repair and replacement of damaged vessels and gear, reduced fishing catches, and a decline in coastal tourism and impact on related industries.
• Invasive Species:
  • Plastic waste can also be a mode of transport for species, potentially increasing the range of certain marine organisms or introducing species into an environment where they were previously absent.
• Floods:
  • Plastic waste can clog storm drains, and such clogging can increase flood damage, particularly in urban areas.
  • For example: in Bangkok flood risk increases substantially because of plastic waste clogging the already overburdened sewer system

TYPES OF PLASTIC WASTE

• Micro-plastics
  • They are small plastic pieces of less than five millimeters in size.
  • Micro-plastic includes microbeads (solid plastic particles of less than one millimeter in their largest dimension) that are used in cosmetics and personal care products, industrial scrubbers which are used for aggressive blast cleaning, microfibers used in textiles and virgin resin pellets used in plastic manufacturing processes.
  • Apart from cosmetics and personal care products most of the microplastics result from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic that were not recycled and break up due to exposure to the sun or physical wear.
• Single-use plastic
  • It is a disposable material that can be used only once before it is either thrown away or recycled, like plastic bags, water bottles, soda bottles, straws, plastic plates, cups, most food packaging and coffee stirrers are sources of single use plastic.

PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA:

• Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011:
  • India’s first attempt at tackling the menace of plastic waste came in 2011 when the government notified the Plastic Waste (Management and Handling) Rules, 2011.
  • It sought to dis-incentivise the use of poly bags by setting up a pricing mechanism for them and also to established rules for recycling by local authorities.
• Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016:
  • It replaced the 2011 Rules. It gave emphasis on a complete ban on plastics below 50 microns, phasing out use of multi-layered packaging and introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
  • Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR):
    • The rules aimed at reducing uncollected plastic waste generated daily by targeting manufacturers and industries by using a new principle called the Extended Producers’ Responsibility (EPR) Act.
    • To bring in the responsibilities of producers and generators, both in plastic waste management system and to introduce collect back system of plastic waste by the producers/brand owners, as per Extended Producers Responsibility.
  • Increase minimum thickness of plastic carry bags:
    • Increase minimum thickness of plastic carry bags from 40 to 50 microns and stipulate minimum thickness of 50 micron for plastic sheets also to facilitate collection and recycle of plastic waste.
  • Expand the jurisdiction to rural areas too:
    • Expand the jurisdiction of applicability from the municipal area to rural areas, because plastic has reached rural areas also.
  • Pre-registration of the producers, importers and vendors of plastic carry bags:
    • To introduce collection of plastic waste management fee through pre-registration of the producers, importers of plastic carry bags/multilayered packaging and vendors selling the same for establishing the waste management system.
  • Promote use of plastic waste for road construction
    • To promote use of plastic waste for road construction as per Indian Road Congress guidelines or energy recovery, or waste to oil etc. for gainful utilization of waste and also addresses the waste disposal issue.
  • Responsibility on waste generators
    • To entrust more responsibility on waste generators, namely payment of user charge as prescribed by local authority, collection and handing over of waste by the institutional generator, event organizers.
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules, 2021:
  • The 2021 Rules amend the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016. Key amendments include:
  • Ban on plastic items:
    • The 2021 Rules impose a ban on the manufacture, sale and use of certain single-use plastic items across the country from July 1, 2022.
    • Single use plastic items are those which are used only once before being recycled or disposed.
    • These items include: (i) plastic cutlery (such as spoons), (ii) ear buds with plastic sticks, (iii) plastic sticks for balloons, (iv) plastic flags, (v) candy sticks, and (vi) plastic banners with thickness less than 100 microns.
  • Thickness of carry bags:
    • As per the 2016 Rules, the thickness of plastic carry bags (except those made up of compostable plastic) at least 50 microns.
    • The 2021 Rules increase the minimum thickness of such bags to 75 microns with effect from September 30, 2021.
    • This will further increase to 120 microns from December 31, 2022.
    • Further, the 2021 Rules add that the thickness of non-woven plastic carry bags must be at least 60 grams per square meter (GSM).
    • Non-woven plastic bags are those made by pressing plastic threads together by machine, which form a weave like texture.
• India Plastics Pact:
  • It is a collaborative initiative that aims to bring together businesses, governments and NGOs across the whole value chain to set time-bound commitments to reduce plastics from their value chains.
• Swachh Bharat Mission.
  • Waste management infrastructure in the States/UTs is being strengthened through the Swachh Bharat Mission.
• India Plastic Challenge – Hackathon 2021:
  • The hackathon was organized for students of higher educational institutions and startups.
  • It aims to encourage innovation in development of alternatives to identified single use plastic items and digital solutions to plastic waste management.
• Awareness campaigns
  • For ex: Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change launched two-month long awareness campaign in 2021 for awareness generation towards elimination of single use plastics.

CHALLENGES IN PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT:

• Volume of waste generated:
  • With rapid urbanisation, rising population and increasing dependence on plastics, the amount of waste generated far exceeds the management capabilities.
  • This leads to accumulation of plastics, which are eventually burned.
• Absence of segregation:
  • Due to the absence of waste segregation at source into biodegradable and non-biodegradable, considerable amount of plastic waste is not recycled, leading to it being incinerated or dumped in landfills.
• Fewer alternatives:
  • Ban on plastics have had limited success due to absence of alternatives.
  • Ex: Bioplastic production in India is just 1% out of 300 million tonnes of conventional plastics produced annually.
• Informal waste management sector:
  • Waste collection and processing in India is carried out largely by the informal sector.
  • This makes it difficult to implement the waste management rules, ensure scientific disposal of wastes and address the welfare of workers.
• Lack of awareness:
  • People lack proper awareness regarding the threats posed by plastics or the need of better waste disposal for their health and wellbeing.
• Weak enforcement:
  • 22 States have, in the past, announced a ban on single-use plastic.
  • But this has had little impact on the crisis because governments were half-hearted in their approach, fearing that a ban would be too disruptive for industry and the economy.
• Unempowered local government bodies:
  • Due to lack of funds and technical expertise, local governments rely on burning plastic wastes or on municipal contracts, where companies are paid for haulage of mixed waste.
  • This leads to rise in pollution, dumping and loss of potential revenue from wastes.
• Absence of community participation:
  • Due to lack of incentivisation and awareness, participation from non-profits or community is limited.
  • Also, most of the rules encourage centralized treatment such as waste to energy, which is still under-developed in the country.
• Unbalanced spending:
  • Three-fourth of solid waste management budget is allotted to collection and transportation, which leaves very little for processing or resource recovery and disposal.
• Online or E-Commerce Companies:
  • Apart from the plastic we consume through traditional retail, the popularity of online retail and food delivery apps, though restricted to big cities, is contributing to the rise in plastic waste.

WAY FORWARD

• Decentralise waste management:
  • Civic bodies have to redraw long term vision in solid waste management and rework their strategies as per changing lifestyles.
  • They should reinvent garbage management in cities so as to process waste and not landfill it.
• Segregation at source:
  • The key to efficient waste management is to ensure proper segregation of waste at source and to ensure that the waste goes through different streams of recycling and resource recovery.
• Promote alternatives to plastics:
  • Alternatives such as biodegradable plastics, geotextiles and waste-to-energy plants are crucial for solid waste management.
• Formalise the sector:
  • Waste collection and processing should be developed into a formal, technology-reliant sector.
  • Start-ups and PPP models need to be encouraged in the sector.
• Incentivise the business:
  • Government should provide viability gap funding for waste processing infrastructure projects to make in financially viable.
  • It may also look into incentivising people for proper waste segregation and using recycled products.
• Promote awareness:
  • Managing plastic waste requires effective knowledge, not only among those who produce the plastic, but also among those who handle it.
• International cooperation:
  • The international view is changing and support for a ‘Plastic Treaty’ is growing.
  • India should take the lead role and push for an international agreement on regulating plastic and plastic wastes.
• Government supported R and D:
  • Government must provide subsidy for research and development activity for substitute development, appropriate disposal mechanisms and waste management and use of waste for constructive usage like roads.
• Taxing plastic use:
  • Government should reform existing taxes and subsidies that have a negative environmental impact, taking into account the different types or grades of plastics, and restructuring existing taxes in an environmentally friendly manner.
• The 3R’s +E Strategy:
  • Reduce: To efficiently reduce plastic pollution, there is an evident need of reducing our usage of plastic.
  • Reuse: Many plastic items can be reused or used for different purposes. Before throwing plastic items, it is important to consider how they can be reused.
  • Recycle: Plastic recycling consists of collecting plastic waste and reprocessing it into new products, to reduce the amount of plastic in the waste stream.
  • Educate: Another crucial solution is education in order to increase awareness and behavioural change.

BEST PRACTICE

• Rwanda’s ban on plastics:
  • Since 2008, the African country banned the import, manufacture and distribution of plastic, with a few exceptions.
  • Backed by strong political will by the government, Municipalities are responsible for enforcement of the ban.
  • On the last Saturday of every month, from 8 to 11 am, people across the country gather to clean their neighbourhoods.
  • Every school in Rwanda has an “environment club”, where trained teachers inculcate messages of cleanliness to students and through them to their parents.
  • Violation of the ban or non-participation in community work can invite jail time or a fine.
  • The ban has helped the country’s economy, as Rwanda has seen an increase in tourism due to its cleanliness.

PRACTICE QUESTION:

Q. Discuss the threats posed by plastic pollution. What measures have the government taken to address it