Mission to End Plastic Pollution and Challenges
The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched a nationwide campaign titled "One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution."
- In the run-up to World Environment Day on June 5, the Union
Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has launched a nationwide
campaign titled "One Nation, One Mission: End Plastic Pollution." The
aim of this campaign is to combat plastic pollution by encouraging people to
adopt more eco-friendly lifestyles through community education and awareness.
Several activities, including outreach programmes, workshops, and cleanliness
drives, are in the pipeline as part of this initiative. This is an encouraging
move in light of the serious environmental and ecological challenges posed by
the rampant use of plastic items, and it deserves community support. While any
effort to reduce plastic waste should be welcomed, strong political will is
necessary for genuine progress. For example, the government of Nagaland has
been attempting to make the state plastic-free since 2019, issuing notices
about the plastic ban and penalties for offenders from time to time. However,
little has changed on the ground, with banned items, including plastic bottles
that hold less than one liter, reappearing in the market. The district
administration, district task forces, and local bodies have been tasked with
enforcing the ban in their respective jurisdictions. The Government of India
has also initiated measures to address this issue, including banning 19
single-use plastic (SUP) items in 2021, which came into effect a year later.
However, the results remain uncertain, as enforcement continues to be a
challenge.
- The fact is that India is one of the leading contributors to
global plastic waste, generating approximately 9.46 million tons annually, a
significant portion of which goes uncollected and ends up in the environment,
rivers, and water bodies, according to a report by the United Nations
Environment Programme (UNEP). This situation highlights the lack of facilities
to effectively manage waste in the country and the need to resolve this crisis.
Enforcement agencies must ensure the closure of units producing banned SUP
items and penalise offenders, including retailers and vendors. In addition to
stronger policies and implementation, both central and state governments should
work to develop a market for plastic alternatives by providing subsidies, as
the lack of affordable alternatives is a key reason people continue to use
plastic items despite the ban. Making biodegradable and reusable packaging
easily available will naturally reduce the reliance on plastic. The path
forward lies in sustainable waste management, which encompasses reducing waste
generation and environmental impact through responsible disposal and recycling.
Active community involvement and awareness are essential for driving positive
change.
