8-9-2024 (NEW DELHI) A groundbreaking global study has unveiled India as the world’s leading contributor to plastic pollution, responsible for nearly one-fifth of global plastic emissions. The research, published in the prestigious scientific journal Nature, highlights the escalating environmental crisis facing the world’s most populous nation.
The comprehensive analysis, conducted by researchers from the University of Leeds, found that India accounts for approximately 9.3 million tonnes of the 50.2 million metric tonnes of plastic emitted into the environment annually. This figure surpasses previous estimates and positions India at the forefront of the global plastic pollution crisis.
Ed Cook, one of the study’s lead researchers, told This Week in Asia, “The numbers represent a significant portion of the material generated in India. The amount of municipal solid waste burned in India is equivalent to that of the next four biggest waste-burning nations – Indonesia, Nigeria, China and Russia.”
The study’s findings mark a significant shift in the global plastic pollution landscape. While previous research had identified China as the world’s leading plastic polluter, concerted efforts by Beijing have substantially reduced the country’s emissions in recent years. China now accounts for 2.8 million tonnes of plastic waste emissions, according to the study.
Cook noted the disparity in resources between the two nations, stating, “China has invested heavily in municipal solid waste collection and treatment in the last 15 years, which has had a large effect on plastic pollution mitigation. However, it is worth remembering that, in terms of wealth, China is very close to becoming a high-income country, whereas India is still in the lower-income bracket.”
Experts attribute India’s plastic crisis primarily to the country’s lack of infrastructure for proper waste collection and management. Despite attempts at regulation, policies remain fragmented and challenging to enforce. The implementation of pollution-related schemes is hindered by the need for large-scale coordination across multiple levels of government – federal, state, and local.
For instance, while the Indian government banned 19 categories of single-use plastics in 2022, enforcement has been inconsistent and largely ineffective. Penalties for using banned single-use plastics range from 200 Indian rupees (US$2.40) for local street vendors to 10,000 rupees for large shopkeepers, but are rarely imposed.
Swathi Seshadri, director of research at the New Delhi-based non-profit Centre for Financial Accountability, emphasised the severity of the situation: “The plastic pollution in India is extremely serious. Single-use plastics are the most avoidable and worst form of plastics. The most serious offenders are the Fast Moving Consumer Goods segment.”
Seshadri also highlighted the role of plastic waste in exacerbating recent severe flooding events across the country. “Small and big plastic single-use, throw-away sachets clog water bodies, rivers and natural water pathways, causing severe waterlogging and eventually the floods we see,” she explained.
The crisis is evident in both urban and rural areas, with recent industry reports suggesting that only a small fraction of plastic waste is recycled. Rajesh, a vegetable vendor in Bangalore, exemplified the economic challenges faced by small businesses in adopting eco-friendly alternatives: “I know plastic bags are bad but I have no other option. This is the cheapest packing option available for me.”
Independent analysts point to the massive expansion of oil refineries and petrochemical plants as the primary source of India’s plastic pollution crisis. Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment, stated, “The plastic pollution problem in India is as bad as it can get since India is home to the world’s largest petrochemical plant.”
Singh called for targeted policy initiatives, including the removal of subsidies for plastic manufacturers, baseline health surveys near new petrochemical plants, and epidemiological studies of populations living around heavily polluting plants.
