Prof Mithilesh Kumar Sinha
Department of Economics, Nagaland University, Lumami
World Environment Day was started in the year 1972. Since then we have been celebrating World Environment Day. Despite that the environment has been becoming more and more contaminated. If we do not wake up now, the days will not be far, when we have to buy breath. The theme of World Environment Day 2025 is "dealing with plastic pollution but every aspect of our life has become dependent on plastic. From children's toys to water bottle and dining plate, kitchen, bathrooms, electric appliances, car, aeroplane, crockery, furniture, container, bottles, curtains, doors, doors, doors, medicines and bottles It has increased a lot. Despite being harmful for both body and environment, we are using plastic.
Global Perspective of Plastic Waste Production: In 1950, only two million tonnes of plastic were produced worldwide. Now more than 450 million tonnes of plastic is produced worldwide. According to a study, 5.2 million metric tonnes of plastic waste was generated globally in the year 2020. If this waste is kept in a straight line, then the entire earth can be covered 1500 times. Statistics suggest that in 2021, every person in the European Union (EU) produced a average of 36 kg plastic packaging waste. According to the recently released by the Economic Cooperation and Development Organization (OECD), plastic waste produced every year by 2060 will increase almost three times from now. If we look at the 2019 data, around 35.3 million tonnes of plastic waste was produced globally every year, which will increase to more than 101.4 million tonnes in the next 38 years.
Indian Perspective of Plastic Waste Production: India is a world guru in plastic pollution. India is the most uncontrolled plastic waste -generating country in the context of countries, where about 20 percent of the world's total waste i.e. 93 lakh metric tons of waste is produced. In January 2019, the Center banned single -use plastic, yet 41.36 lakh tonnes of plastic waste is being produced annually in the country. Plastic waste production is continuously increasing. It was 33.6 lakh tonnes in the year 2018-19, which was 34.69 lakh tonnes in 2019-20, 41.26 lakh tonnes in 2020-21, 39.01 lakh tonnes in 2021-22 and 41.36 lakh tonnes in 2022-23. The per capita plastic consumption in India has increased to about 11 kg per year, and this number is expected to increase further with increasing industrialization and consumerism.
Impacts of Plastic Waste
Plastic particles go to a human body every week up to 5 grams. Plastic waste turns into microplastic, which can be harmful to human health. Plastic waste turns into micro plastic, which can be harmful to human health. Chemicals found in plastic, such as bisphenol A (BPA), are endocrine disruptive, which can affect hormones and cause reproductive problems. Plastic waste can also contribute to the spread of infectious diseases. Plastic waste contaminates soil and water, which reduces soil fertility and contaminates water sources. Plastic waste can hurt wildlife, implicate them, or bring them into contact with toxic chemicals. Plastic waste damages sea animals, causing them to die or they can become ill. Plastic pollution can spoil the balance of ecosystems, causing negative effects on plants and animals. Plastic production and disposal emit greenhouse gases, which contributes to climate change.
Ways out to Reduce the Risk of Plastic Use
4R to reduce the risk of plastic: R (reuse): we should not throw anything as useless. We think of using it again. R (Reduce): We should close the use of single use plastic slowly. We need use jute or cloth bag, paper envelopes etc. instead. R (Recycle): We should gather things that can be recycled and sell them to the junk. These things include iron, aluminum, plastic, glass etc. R (Refuse): We should avoid using plastic that cannot be recycle. Also, we do not say such a recycling plastic which is not much needed.
Other ways to reduce risk: We should avoid buying plastic bottle water. If we go to buy the same from home, then take a shopping bag. We need avoid using straws to drink drinks. We should not buy food and drink items with plastic cans. With this we can avoid poisonous chemical. We should try to keep our food in tiffin-box or glass container etc.
