India emerges as the largest plastic polluter globally

India is the top contributor of plastic waste and lack of solid waste management is the problem.

A new study by the University of Leeds, published in Nature Journal, revealed India as the biggest contributor to plastic pollution. Annually a staggering amount of 57 million tons of plastic pollution are generated which infilter every space of the planet- from the deepest trenches, and mountaintops to the human brain.

Waste collection is a major problem in India. (Manvender Vashist/PTI Photo)

The researchers drew an analogy to explain the enormous scale of plastic waste production. The annual, global plastic waste is enough to fill New York City’s Central Park and pile up as high as 157 Empire State Building. Almost two-thirds of this pollution originates from the uncollected and ill-disposed waste. This is because almost 15% of the world lacks access to proper waste collection services. This prompts a haphazard disposal of the waste that continues to build up.

India- the biggest polluter

India topped the list, producing 9.3 million tons of plastic waste, double that of populous countries like China, Nigeria, and Indonesia. Previously, China generated higher levels of plastic waste but improved, producing 2.8 million tonnes of waste, a substantial improvement from its earlier records. Their relentless improvements in collecting and processing waste made them dip in the list of plastic contributors, now ranking in 4th place.

Health concerns

Almost 57% of the pollution is burnt, deeming incineration a convenient way to address plastic pollution. They are burnt in streets, dumpsites, and homes, without any regard for the environmental and health repercussions. Uncontrolled burning of plastic poses fatal threats to humans, like neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and birth issues. The world’s poor communities are most vulnerable to these threats. Without adept solid waste management, people are left without any choice but to ‘self-manage’ plastic waste by burning or littering water bodies. Waste collection is imperative for sanitation, and essential for basic living. By improving policies related to waste collection, billions of lives can be improved.