Rewriting the Plastic Story

For a Sustainable Climate Future

- Anagha Krishnan and Girija K Bharat, Mu Gamma Consultants, Gurugram.

In this article, Anagha Krishnan and Girija K Bharat highlight the deep link between plastics and climate change, driven by their fossil-fuel origins and emission-intensive lifecycle.

Focusing on India, the article underscores how mismanaged plastic waste contributes to global pollution and GHG emissions. It also draws attention to toxic chemical additives and their environmental and health impacts. While alternatives like bioplastics offer limited relief, the authors stress the need for reduction, reuse, and circularity. Strong policies, including EPR, along with citizen participation and integrated waste management, are crucial to addressing this interconnected crisis.

Introduction: The Invisible Connection

Scenes of littered coastlines, crammed landfills, strangling marine life, trash-filled streets are still common sights in many places. Yet, beyond this visible plastic waste crisis lies the global climate hazard. Policy frameworks still largely treat plastic waste as a municipal solid waste problem. It is important to formally recognize that plastics are fossil-fuel-derived materials and mismanaged plastics generate greenhouse gases. Open burning contributes to black carbon emissions, and plastic leakage damages climate-resilient ecosystems.

A 2024 study published in the journal