The Future Of Plastic Is In Our Hands

It feels good to recycle. When we sort soda bottles and plastic bags from the rest of our garbage, it seems like we’re helping the planet. We think that, more plastic we put in the blue bin, the more we’re keeping out of landfills but the reality is no matter how much plastic we try to recycle, most ends up in the trash heap.

Take flexible food packages. Those films contain several layers, each made of a different type of plastic. Because each type must be recycled separately, those films are not recyclable. Even some items made from only one kind of plastic are not recyclable. Yogurt cups, for instance, contain a plastic called polypropylene. When this gets recycled, it turns into a gross, dark, smelly material. So, most recycling plants don’t bother with it.

According to the reports for year 2017-18, Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has estimated that India generates approximately 9.4 Million tonnes per annum plastic waste, (which amounts to 26,000 tonnes of waste per day), and out of this approximately 5.6 Million tonnes per annum plastic waste is recycled (i.e., 15,600 tonnes of waste per day) and 3.8 Million tonnes per annum plastic waste is left uncollected or littered (9,400 tonnes of waste per day). Out of the 60% of recycled plastic:

? 70% is recycled at registered facilities

? 20% is recycled by Unorganized Sector

? 10% of the plastic is recycled at home

Only 9 percent of all the world’s plastic trash has ever been recycled. Twelve percent was burned. Seventy-nine percent has piled up on land or in waterways. Researchers reported those estimates in 2017 in Science Advances.

The negative impacts that plastic is having on the environment and human health is profoundly evident:

• Respiratory issues are increasing because of air pollution from burning plastic.
• Animal lifespans are shortened because of consuming plastic.
• Littered plastic is clogging drains and causing floods.
• And unmanaged plastic is contaminating our precious oceans and waterways

Given the broad range of possible actions to curb single-use plastics and their mixed impact, UN Environment has drawn up a 10-step roadmap for governments that are looking to adopt similar measures or improve on current ones. The steps are based on the experiences of 60 countries around the globe:

1. Target the most problematic single-use plastics by conducting a baseline assessment to identify the most problematic single-use plastics, as well as the current causes, extent and impacts of their mismanagement.

2. Consider the best actions to tackle the problem (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions), given the country’s socio-economic standing and considering their appropriateness in addressing the specific problems identified.

3. Assess the potential social, economic and environmental impacts (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed instruments/actions, by considering how will the poor be affected, or what impact will the preferred course of action have on different sectors and industries.

4. Identify and engage key stakeholder groups – retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, and tourism associations – to ensure broad buy-in. Evidence-based studies are also necessary to defeat opposition from the plastics industry.

5. Raise public awareness about the harm caused by single-used plastics, by clearly explaining the decision and any punitive measures that will follow.

6. Promote alternatives. Before the ban or levy comes into force, the availability of alternatives needs to be assessed, hence the government may:

? Ensure that the preconditions for their uptake in the market are in place.

? Provide economic incentives to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly and fit-for-purpose alternatives that do not cause more harm.

? Support can include tax rebates, research and development funds, technology incubation, public-private partnerships, and support to projects that recycle single-use items and turn waste into a resource that can be used again.

? Reduce or abolish taxes on the import of materials used to make alternatives.

7. Provide incentives to industry by introducing tax rebates or other conditions to support its transition. Governments will face resistance from the plastics industry, including importers and distributors of plastic packaging. Give them time to adapt.

8. Use revenues collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to maximize the public good, thereby supporting environmental projects or boosting local recycling with the funds and creating jobs in the plastic recycling sector with seed funding.

9. Enforce the measure chosen effectively, by making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and responsibilities.

10. Monitor and adjust the chosen measure if necessary and update the public on progress.

Adoption of ‘Circular Economy’

A circular economy aims to eliminate waste, not just from recycling processes, but throughout the lifecycles of products and packaging.

A circular economy aims to maximize value and eliminate waste by improving the design of materials, products and business models. A circular economy goes beyond recycling. The goal is not just to design for better end-of-life recovery, but to minimize the use of raw materials and energy through a restorative system. In a circular economy, the value of products and materials is maintained for as long as possible. Waste is minimized and resources are kept within the economy when a product has reached the end of its life, to be used again to create further value.

We need to treat unwanted plastic as a resource rather than worthless rubbish and find ways to extract more value from these materials. Tapping into that resource requires a concerted effort from researchers, plastics manufacturers, product designers and policymakers.