Waste audit flags plastic pollution as major threat in Dimapur

Also read: Plastic waste, diapers among biggest pollutants at Himalayan cleanup drive in Dimapur

• The State Stadium's audit, conducted across nine zones, revealed a similar dominance of plastic waste. Despite Nagaland being a dry state, a significant number of alcohol containers were discovered, raising concerns about potential injuries from broken glass, as evidenced by an incident involving a volunteer during the cleanup.
• 
  
• The audit revealed a staggering 4,151 black plastic bags, followed by 2,847 clear plastic bags, and 2,415 disposable plastic cups. Within the alcohol category, 29 brands were identified, with Budweiser (beer) being the most frequently found.
• 
  
• A total of 363 alcohol containers (bottles and cans) were collected, weighing 101.80 kg. Adding to the concern, eight soiled diapers (nappies) weighing 4.71 kg were found in an area within the State Stadium used as an open dumpsite by local residents.
• 
  
• A find the organisers described as unexpected at the State Stadium was the presence of used condoms.
• 
  
• “The cleanup and waste audit confirmed what we all know—plastic waste is the main polluter. Single-Use Plastic and Multi-Layered Plastics are the major contributors. If we do not change our mindset and adopt sustainable practices, we are gearing ourselves for a ‘waste pandemic’ that will have an irremediable effect on both our environment and health,” it warned.