India Becomes World’s Top Plastic Polluter, Study Finds

September 6, 2024

India has become the largest plastic polluter in the world, producing 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. This amount makes up about 20% of the total global plastic emissions, showing how serious the problem is for both India and the world.

Study Findings

A recent study published in Nature suggests that India’s official data on plastic waste is likely too low. The current estimate of 0.12 kilograms of plastic waste per person per day doesn’t fully capture the real situation. This is because the data does not account for plastic waste in rural areas or the informal recycling sector. Also, the amount of waste collected is probably overestimated, making it harder to understand the true scale of the problem.

Global Plastic Polluters

India tops the list of global plastic polluters, followed by Nigeria and Indonesia, which emit 3.5 million tonnes and 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste, respectively. China, which was once the leading plastic polluter, has improved its waste management systems and is now ranked fourth.

What is Plastic Emissions?

Plastic emissions refer to plastic waste that escapes from managed systems (like waste collection and recycling) and ends up in the environment (like in rivers, oceans, or land). This study looks at uncollected waste and littering, giving a clearer picture of how much plastic pollution is happening.

Sources of Plastic Waste

The study identified five main sources of plastic waste emissions:

Uncollected waste – Plastic waste that never gets picked up.
Littering – People throwing plastic on the streets or in nature.
Collection systems – Sometimes, the systems that collect waste aren’t efficient.
Uncontrolled disposal – Waste that is dumped in open areas without being managed properly.
Rejects from sorting and reprocessing – Plastic that can’t be recycled and is thrown away.

In wealthier countries, littering is a bigger problem, but in developing countries like India, the main issue is uncollected waste.

Implications for Future Action

These findings are important for the Global Plastics Treaty, a worldwide agreement that is expected to be finalized by 2024. This treaty aims to reduce plastic pollution and the greenhouse gases that come from it. The study provides a starting point for countries to create action plans to manage and reduce plastic waste.

India’s position as the world’s top plastic polluter highlights the need for immediate action. The country must focus on gathering better data, especially from rural areas, and improving waste collection to effectively address this environmental crisis.

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