About Single-Use Plastics
Single-use plastic was invented in the Mid of the 19th Century, and till 1970, its got skyrocketed. Traditionally paper or glass staples were replaced by more durable and affordable plastics. Only five countries produce over half of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste and those are China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Sri Lanka. A report published in the year 2021 by an Australian philanthropic organization said 98% of single-use plastic is manufactured by fossil fuels. It also talked about plastic discarding, about 130 million tons of plastics are put in landfills or discarded directly in the environment.
This report found that of the highest top three waste generation countries namely, Singapore, Australia, and Oman, India ranks 94th place. India is producing 11.8 million metric tons annually and importing 2.9 million metric tons, single-use plastic waste generation in India is 5.6 MMT, and per capita, generation is 4 Kg. By 2050 single-use plastic could account for 5-10% of greenhouse gas emissions.
Single Use Plastics – Concerns and Solutions
Single Use Plastics: Single-use plastics are meant to be disposed of right after use often, in mere minutes. These are the items that are used only once or briefly before being thrown away. The effects of discarding these plastics can be significant worldwide, affecting the environment and our health in a major way. Commonly it is used for packaging and service ware like bottles, straws, wrappers, and bags. Ministry for Environment, Forest, and Climate Change announced the ban in the year 2021 and issued a list of banned items. The ban has been officially enforced on the use of single-use plastic from July 1, 2022.
In this article, we will read about the ban and concern about single-use plastics, the reasons, and global initiatives regarding it.
Table of Content
- About Single-Use Plastics
- Concerns Regarding the Single Use Plastics
- Single Use Plastics Ban
- How are Other Countries and India dealing with Single-Use Plastics?
- Global initiatives and Policies addressing Single-Use plastics