Plastic Pollution and Environmental Injustice

THE World Environment Day observed on 5th June every year all over the world critically reflects upon the escalating environmental disruptions that are reshaping our planet earth and impacting all forms of life.

- IPSITA DASH

This year's global theme "End plastic pollution" resonates deeply within India. India's flagship initiative "Mission Life (Lifestyle for Environment)" has spearheaded the crucial nationwide campaign "One Nation, One Mission: End plastic pollution". This campaign brings together all stakeholders to undertake comprehensive efforts to address this crucial phenomenon.

Let's objectively understand how plastic pollution causes environmental injustice. In his publication "Pollution is Colonialism" Max Liboirn argues that colonialism is not a thing of the past, but continues into the present in the material form of pollution. Plastic waste pollution is occurring inside and around us, but its impacts are felt differently across class, race, geography and context. It is not simply an environmental damage, instead a systemic act of violence towards our land and its people since centuries. Plastic pollution is not a waste management problem. It is linked to fossil fuel production. The largest plastic pollution frequently comes from richer countries, as the major global producers of plastic. Forms of environmental injustice occurring from plastic pollution exist from its manufacturing to the fallout waste. This is because plastic is a byproduct of extractive oil and gas industries.