Kota Sriraj
The issue of plastic waste, wreaking havoc on the delicate environment, is a widespread global problem that is yet to be countered by a conclusive solution. The rampant use of plastic in the packing industry has also led to animals and birds ingesting harmful plastic, leading to many unfortunate casualties.
Seabirds, in particular, are excellent indicators of marine ecosystem health. Various seabird species across the world have become symbolic of the destruction unleashed by plastic pollution. According to a study published by the Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences, nearly 60 per cent of all seabird species have already ingested plastic.
Over the past half century, the quantum of plastic content in animals and birds has been increasing. In 1960, plastic was found in the stomachs of less than five per cent of seabirds, but by 2010, this had risen to 80 per cent; it is projected that by 2050, as much as 99 per cent of the world’s seabird species will be eating plastic. If the consumption goes on at the current rate and unless appropriate action is initiated, the weight of plastic clogging the world’s oceans will exceed the weight of all fish by 2050.
There is an urgent need to adopt stringent measures that would not only restrict plastic use, but also tighten and improve plastic waste management. This in turn will undoubtedly benefit wildlife. Reduction of packaging, banning single-use plastic items or charging an extra fee to use them, and introducing deposits for recyclable items like drink containers can immensely help achieve desirable results. The European industrial community has already achieved improved management of plastic leading to a clear reduction in the number of plastic items found in seabirds in the North Sea. This is encouraging, as it suggests not only that the solutions are effective, but also that they work in a relatively short time.
On the home front, India’s efforts to grapple with plastic pollution have taken the shape of the ban on the use of plastic bags. However, public response to the ban and the enforcement of the same, by the authorities, has been feeble. Taking cognisance of the adverse effects of plastic on health and the environment the Himachal Pradesh High Court, in a recent ruling, has ordered a State-wide ban on the sale of junk food in non-biodegradable packets.
The ban, effective from April 1, can help build a healthy pace in taking meaningful initiatives for a plastic-free environment.
A successful anti-plastic campaign can be effective only if the regulatory mechanism is robust and encompasses the entire gamut of plastic pollution sphere. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change recently announced the much-awaited Plastic Waste Management Rules. The rules will be implemented across the country in the next six months.
However, the new rules seem to be lacking the passion and the intensity needed to tackle the rising menace of plastic pollution. For instance, the new rules do not offer clarity about the fine amount to be imposed on plastic manufacturers or how the monitoring system will be carried out to pin-point the violators.
In addition, the rules also lack uniformity in regulating plastic use. For instance, though the focus on plastic carry bags has resulted in increasing the minimum thickness from 40 microns to 50 microns, but there is no similar specification on other forms of plastics such as the PET mineral water bottles.
The reassuring aspect of the new rules is that they aim to reduce 6,000 tonnes of uncollected plastic waste generated daily, by targeting manufacturers and industries through the use of a new principle, called the Extended Producers’ Responsibility.
Under this law, industries that use plastic will have to bear the onus and pay towards the collection of plastics through the distribution system that they use for retailing their products. Those who fail to abide by the norms will lose the certification necessary to carry on with the operation.
Furthermore, producers and importers, who will introduce plastics in the market in the form of carry bags, multi-layered plastic sachets or for packaging purpose, need to establish a system for collecting back the waste generated as a result of their products.
The Environment Ministry could have done well to include the informal sector of waste collection. In Delhi alone there are 150,000 informal waste collectors who handle nearly 1,088 tonnes of recyclable waste everyday.