Responsible Reaction to Plastic Menace

India is now the largest producer of plastic waste, posing a serious threat to the environment and public health. How can we responsibly address this issue? While the ability to process waste defines the problem’s scope, individual responsibility is also crucial.

Two weeks ago, a paper published in the famous scientific journal Nature, which explained the enormity of the plastic waste menace, was quoted in this column. The paper pointed out that almost one fifth of the world’s plastic waste is produced in India. However, when labelling India as the largest producer of plastic waste, one also needs to factor in the fact that India houses around one-sixth of the total global population. The same paper also states that China was the biggest producer of plastic waste a few years ago, but by making investments in developing effective waste management systems, they have managed to tackle the issue successfully. The paper also suggests that developing countries should follow the example set by developed countries and invest more in waste management systems that would tackle the plastic menace.

However, the paper highlights that while inadequate waste management systems are the main issue in developing countries, the problem continues in developed nations even with robust systems in place. The paper attributes the growing plastic menace in these nations to irresponsible behaviour among the population. Is it not a more serious problem if people are irresponsibly throwing plastic anywhere in nature despite having some of the largest systems to tackle the issue in place? Shouldn’t we also demand that developed nations, which have established waste management systems, take action against the plastic menace in their own countries rather than focussing solely on developing nations where people’s behaviour regarding plastic seems to be more responsible?

The system of plastic waste management involves stages such as collecting, segregating, and sending recyclable materials back to the industry, with the final step being the incineration of non-recyclable items. One needs both the technology and trained human resources to develop a system to tackle the plastic menace. The paper published in Nature pinpoints India’s problem as its inability to collect plastic waste.

However, while thinking of sustainable development, one also needs to take into account the efficacy of the system developed for tackling the plastic menace. That would involve factors like availability, capacity, and the condition of the incinerators. Plastic waste going into nature due to the non-availability of incinerators and the air pollution that would be caused by improper operations or improper condition of incinerators would both finally add to the pollution, though one of those would be visible and the other would not be visible.

This demands a more evolved approach while looking at the plastic menace. Just counting the total plastic waste produced by a country does not completely reflect the problem. To be able to assess the issue of plastic menace completely, one will need to study the various types of plastic products being used in a particular country, their supply chains, as well as the whole lifecycle of such products till they go to landfills as waste. Such a study may show that some of the plastic products have actually proved to be eco-friendly.

Over the past few decades, plastic has replaced metal in several automobile components, bringing down the weight and boosting the fuel efficiency of the vehicles, which in turn has led to decreased emissions of greenhouse gases. One must also factor in the energy efficiency of the waste plastic management system, which involves the consumption of large amounts of energy. Additionally, correctly identifying the real problem areas is necessary. Some of our policies make the use of wrappers mandatory, and plastic wrappers amount to more plastic waste than plastic carry bags, which have been banned. A relook at and rationalisation of such policies too would help undo the plastic menace.