India is now world's leading plastic polluter, study reveals

As India's urban sprawl expands, so does its waste problem. Open rubbish mountains are becoming an all-too-common sight, particularly in the national capital, where three major dump sites continue to swell with uncollected rubbish.

The overwhelming majority of this waste is plastic, notorious for its stubborn persistence in the environment due to its non-biodegradable nature.

A recent study published in 'Nature' has spotlighted India as a major contributor to the global plastic pollution crisis.

According to the study, India now leads the world in plastic emissions, contributing nearly 20% of the global total.

The research highlights the scale of the crisis, showing that uncollected waste and open burning are the primary culprits behind India's staggering figures.

The study estimates that India emits around 9.3 million tonnes of plastic pollution annually, a significant portion of the world's total plastic emissions.

This places India ahead of Nigeria and Indonesia, which emit 3.5 and 3.4 million tonnes per year, respectively. China once considered the worst offender, now ranks fourth with 2.8 million tonnes.

The impact of this pollution is devastating. Over two-thirds of global plastic pollution arises from uncollected waste, affecting approximately 1.2 billion people without proper waste collection services.

The uncontrolled burning of plastic further aggravates the situation. In 2020 alone, 30 million tonnes of plastic, 57% of all pollution, was burned in such environments, releasing harmful toxins and worsening the environmental crisis.

The growing reliance on plastic from candy wrappers to car packaging is becoming a major challenge, with plastic now enveloping nearly every product and significantly adding to pollution.

The findings of this study serve as a stark reminder of the pressing need for improved waste management systems and effective policies to tackle the growing tide of plastic pollution.

The scale of India’s plastic pollution problem, particularly its impact on landfills and water bodies, is immense. Major rivers like the Ganga and Yamuna are severely affected by rising plastic pollution, which is also challenging the survival of marine life.

As the world grapples with this challenge, India's role as a major contributor to plastic emissions underscores the necessity for a concerted effort to address the issue.

A DIVIDE IN NORTH-SOUTH

The study shows that approximately 69%, or 35.7 million tonnes, of global plastic pollution originates from just 20 countries, none of which are classified as high-income nations by the World Bank.

Although high-income countries in the Global North generate more plastic waste, they do not appear among the top 90 polluters due to their comprehensive waste collection and controlled disposal systems.

In contrast, open burning of plastic waste is prevalent in the Global South, with Sub-Saharan Africa facing additional challenges due to uncontrolled debris. This discrepancy highlights inadequate waste management systems and insufficient public infrastructure in these regions.

Researcher Costas Velis emphasised the importance of not placing blame on the Global South or overly praising the Global North. “The capacity to manage waste is largely determined by the effectiveness of government services,” Velis told The Associated Press.

This perspective underscores the need for improved waste management globally and a balanced approach to addressing the plastic pollution crisis.

From enhancing waste collection infrastructure to reducing plastic production and consumption, the path forward must involve both systemic changes and individual responsibility.

The scale of India’s plastic pollution problem demands immediate and comprehensive action, not just for the benefit of its people, but for the health of the planet as a whole.