PLASTIC WASTE: A CHALLENGE WITH MULTIPLE OPPORTUNITIES

In India, with a vast geographic spread and large diversity in cultures, traditions, and socio-economic factors, driving behavioural change is challenging

- CHANDRAJIT BANERJEE Director General, Confederation of Indian Industry

WORLD Environment Day this year focuses on global solutions to beat plastic pollution and transition to a circular plastics economy. Plastics are unique materials, and their use in various critical applications is essential. However, managing plastic waste has become a massive challenge due to its wide-ranging uses and low awareness of management options. OECD data suggests that only around 9% of plastic is recycled globally, and almost half is landfilled. This presents a huge opportunity to work on better systems for collecting and managing plastic waste.

Plastics were much in focus in 2022. Heads of State, Ministers of Environment and other representatives from UN Member States endorsed a historic resolution at the UN Environment Assembly (UNEA-5) in Nairobi to End Plastic Pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addressed the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal. Since 2022, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee has met twice, in Uruguay and, most recently, Paris. It is heartening to note that India has participated actively in these sessions.

In India, the action on plastic waste started with the government banning single-use plastics in 2019 and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change naming the 18 plastic articles included.