Plastic: A Stubborn Problem That Is Lacking Solutions

Time of India

a day ago

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Pune: In 2018, the Maharashtra govt imposed a ban on single-use plastics to clamp down on widespread presence of this highly environment damaging material.
Seven years down the line, despite multiple attempts to renew enforcement of this directive, rampant use of non-biodegradable plastic flourishes in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad.
Both civic bodies have conducted drives over the years to reinforce the ban, but vendors and shoppers are still seen today in every other corner of the city, lugging around goods in thin polythene bags. Data reveals that at least a third of total waste generated in Pune is plastic — the most abundant dry waste across all income groups.
Plastic remains a major concern not just for the city or India, but across the globe. So much so that for World Environment Day on June 5, the United Nations has chosen the theme of 'End Plastic Pollution' to drive home the urgency of the cause.
UN data reveals that humans were expected to consume over 500 million tonnes of plastics in 2024 alone, of which 400 million tonnes then became plastic waste. If this continues, global plastic waste could triple by 2060, reaching around 1.2 billion tonnes.
Every single piece of plastic we use ends up in landfills, oceans and other water bodies for years on end, killing living beings or choking up infrastructure like pipelines, which then leads to flooding and other calamities.
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Today, experts are calling for immediate interventions and action to curb this problem —before it is too late.
Why is the plastic ban ineffective?
When the ban on single-use plastic was rolled out in 2018, the initial months saw stringent action. Over time, however, enforcement dwindled — and the bags returned.
More recently, in April 2024, Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) turned its focus onto manufacturers of single-use plastic.
Teams were formed to check and fine offenders.
This was preceded by a notification from the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board (MPCB) in March last year, ordering heightened vigil around production and use of single-use plastic.
On the ground, however, the effects of these bans are more or less insignificant.
"Once a ban is enforced, there is strict vigilance, but it does not last," explained Anil Gokarn, founder of ProEarth, a city-based company that offers services towards zero-waste living.
"Bans are only effective when alternatives are provided. The way we function today, plastic is imbibed in our lives every step of the way. Getting rid of it is not easy and simply telling citizens to stop using it does not work. While on one hand, the crackdown on such manufacturing units must be increased, authorities must also look at providing effective alternatives as production facilities employ hundreds of people," Gokarn told TOI.
"Regulators must not only provide alternatives but must also incentivize shifting to them if the goal of a plastic-free city is to be accomplished. Local and state authorities must also be strict about bans and not let them just be tick marks on a checklist," he added.
Changing mindsets is the first step
When alternative products are not easily accessible, ensuring that bans stick can be a tricky affair. A local vegetable seller in Aundh told TOI, "We stop giving plastic bags when authorities enforce a ban, but our customers continue to demand them.
If we can't provide them, we lose business, as not everyone comes with a cloth bag. Often, even those who come with cloth bags demand plastic ones to help them segregate vegetables.
It pinches our pocket, especially when officers crack down on us. What is the solution?" he said.
Experts highlighted that this reflects a gap in the knowledge system. In the absence of clear awareness of the harmful effects of plastic, its use will continue unabated.
Dr Ashish Polkade, who runs Besteco Solutions and Technologies in the city, said, "The severity of consequences of using plastic is lost on people. They cannot be fully blamed as there isn't enough awareness-building. Everyone knows plastic is harmful, but how or to what degree is not commonly known. A great way to tackle this is to make it a part of school syllabuses, wherein children are taught from a young age why using plastic is bad.
They should also be encouraged to take this discussion home to their families."
"It is not just for our future generations, but also our own future that plastic use must be reduced. In addition, a multi-pronged approach is important to resolve the issue. Education, enforcement, availability of substitutes and constant messaging are key. A change in mindset is the first necessary step," he added.
According to Polkade, authorities and citizens who understand the problem at hand must look at creating a 'guilt-culture' instead of 'shame-culture'.
Shame can be hidden but guilt is more internal and forces one to change their ways, he said, adding, "Citizens who understand should actively try and educate their social circles to change their ways."
Why is plastic so harmful?
Studies by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) highlight that 'plastic pollution doesn't exist in a vacuum. UNEP says the environmental, social, economic and health risks of using various plastics must be assessed alongside other environmental stressors, like climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource use.
From production to decomposition, plastic is harmful every step of the way. Since plastic is produced using fossil fuels, it emits vast amounts of greenhouse gases that trap heat and contribute significantly to global warming. When disposed of incorrectly, plastic chokes drains and enters rivers and streams, affecting marine life. Even repeatedly reused and recycled plastic ultimately ends up in the ocean.
Since it is non-biodegradable, plastic breaks into tiny fragments called micro plastics and enters the food chain through marine life, finally reaching humans.
What we put into the environment comes back to us.
Synthetic polymer and strong chemical bonds make plastic difficult to decompose. Microorganisms don't recognise the chemical bonds and are unable to break them down, unlike natural materials.
UNEP data suggests that every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's oceans, rivers, and lakes.
What happens to all that collected plastic?
For eco-conscious people, there are multiple resources to dispose of plastic responsibly.
Mangesh Khirsagar, deputy director of NGO Janwani, explains that every individual plays a crucial role in this.
"It all starts at home. Soiled plastic is difficult to recycle, but if citizens can take the small effort to wash, dry, and store it properly before handing it over during collection drives, plastic can not only be stored for longer time at home but can also be recycled more easily and reused multiple times before ending up as waste," he explained.
Plastic below 50 microns (lightweight and thin) is the most difficult to break down and recycle. These non-compostable bags take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Thinner bags sometimes break off into small pieces and enter the environment, harming marine life. Bags of over 120 microns can be broken down and recycled into different products, ensuring that they are used multiple times before they ultimately reach the environment.
Kshirsagar and his team at Janwani have not only been collecting plastic bags to recycle but also holding awareness sessions in schools and societies to educate citizens.
Donate your plastics!
- Rudra Environmental Solutions: Collects all types of plastics and converts them into useable fuel
- reCharkha: Converts single-use plastic bags and wrappers into handcrafted products like bags, table runners, cushion covers etc
- Poornam EcoVision Foundation: Collects plastic waste and sends it to verified recycling units that strictly adhere to eco-norms
- EcoKaari: Collects plastic from consumers and takes it to artisans, who create handwoven products, benefiting the environment and providing employment simultaneously
- Janwani: An MCCIA initiative to collect waste from homes as aggregators to ensure proper disposal; also conducts awareness sessions to encourage recycling and reduce waste generation
OFFICIAL SPEAK
We have established a squad to tackle hawkers and vendors in all wards for usage of single-use plastic. We regularly take action as well, but it depends on how many people we can catch. We are focusing on clearing single-use plastic entirely from the city. There are not too many such establishments that use it, but there are a few illegal ones. We have informed our staff members to take immediate and strict action against such people
— Sandip Kadam | head, PMC solid waste department
The PCMC environment and health departments are taking joint action this year, including squads, against single-use plastic. Since May 20, we have also launched awareness drives and campaigns to ensure understanding among our residents. The manufacturers have been shut down by MPCB, whereas we don't see too many hawkers and vendors using plastic in our region. Despite this, any violators will be caught and punished severely
— Sachin Pawar | deputy commissioner, PCMC
There are no illegal single-use plastic manufacturing plants in Pune or Pimpri Chinchwad limits as there is a complete ban in Maharashtra. However, most of the plastic used by traders here is transported from bordering states. To intercept this, we work with local civic bodies and other departments, too. Within cities we also direct civic bodies to take action against violators. Our plan, going forward, is to shut down any single-use manufacturers we find operating illegally
— Manchak Jadhav | sub-regional officer (Pimpri Chinchwad), MPCB
PLASTIC STATS
Around the world
- The Plastic Overshoot Day report by Swiss non-profit EA Earth Action also said global plastic waste generation has risen by 7.11% since 2021
- The world is estimated to have generated 220 million tonnes of plastic waste this year, 70 million tonne of which will end up polluting the environment
- The report also claimed India is estimated to release an average of 3.9 lakh tonne of microplastics into the environment and 31,483 tonne of chemical additives into waterways
- According to The Pew Charitable Trusts' 2020 report 'Breaking the Plastic Wave', everyone from producers to consumers could
reduce the amount of plastic entering the ocean by 80% by 2040 using existing solutions
- Waste pickers are responsible for approximately 60% of plastic recycling globally
In India
- The country accounts for 20% or 1/5th of total global plastic waste
- 9.3 million tonne of plastic waste generated annually
- 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste are mismanaged and leak into the environment each year
- India, through its Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, joined Global Plastic Action Partnership (GPAP) in May 2022
- According to the Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM) launched in 2014, every urban local body is required to adopt 100% source segregation of waste and have access to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) for sorting dry waste, including plastic waste, for recycling and/or processing into value-added products, thereby reducing to a minimum, the amount of plastic and dry waste ending up in dumpsites or waterbodies
In Maharashtra
- Maharashtra's percentage of plastics found in beach debris is significantly higher (81%) than the national average of 14%
In Pune
- According to the city's Environment Status Report, the average amount of solid waste generated in the city is about 2,000 tonne per day
- The proportion of plastic waste 30-32% of the total waste generated is the most abundant type of dry waste across all income groups
Key factors contributing to the plastic crisis:
1) Inefficient waste management infrastructure: 77% of waste generated is dumped into open landfills and only 60% is recycled
2) Open burning and landfilling: 5.8 million tonne of plastic is burned across India each year
3) Single-Use plastics: 43% of India's total plastic waste still consists of single-use plastics
4) Informal waste sector: Without formal recognition or support, much of the waste handled by this sector remains unaccounted for, and informal recycling practices can exacerbate pollution rather than mitigate it