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PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT

EFFECTIVE PLASTIC WASTE MANAGEMENT

Why in News?

Recently, the Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEFCC) launched the Awareness Mascot ‘Prakriti’& Green Initiatives for Effective Plastic Waste Management.

About

National Dashboard on Elimination of Single Use Plastic (SUP) and Plastic Waste Management by MoEFCC to bring all stakeholders including Central Ministries/ Departments, State/UT Governments at one place and track the progress made for elimination of SUP and effective management of plastic waste.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Portal by Central Pollution Control Board {CPCB} for Plastic Packaging, improving accountability, traceability, transparency and facilitating ease of reporting compliance to EPR Obligations by Producers, Importers and Brand-owners.

Mobile App for Single Use Plastics Grievance Redressal by CPCB to empower citizens to check sale/usage/manufacturing of SUP in their area and tackle the plastic menace.

Monitoring module for Single Use Plastics (SUPs) by CPCB for local bodies, State Pollution Control Boards (SPCBs) and CPCB, to inventorize details of SUP production/ sale & usage in commercial establishments at district level, and on-ground enforcement of ban on SUP.

Industrial production of Graphene from Waste Plastic by National Institute of Health and Environment & National Research Development Corporation to promote more industries to come forward to upcycle plastic waste.

Plastic Waste

Plastic pollution is caused by the accumulation of plastic waste in the environment. It can be categorised in primary plastics, such as cigarette butts and bottle caps, or secondary plastics, resulting from the degradation of the primary ones. Plastic has become one of the most pressing environmental issues that we are facing today. India is generating about 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and the per capita plastic waste generation has almost doubled over the last five years.

Challenges to Plastic Waste Management

• Mismanaged Plastic Waste
• Spurious Biodegradable Plastic
• Online or E-Commerce Companies
• Microplastics
• Marine Litter
• Terrestrial Plastic

Solutions for Plastic Waste Management

• Raising awareness amongst the public of the harm caused by plastic pollution through education and outreach programs to modify behaviour.
• Finding substitutes for use-and-throw plastic and ensuring alternative livelihoods for producers, waste pickers and other groups involved in the business will go a long way in solving the problem.
• The government should not only place fines for not adhering to the guidelines but incentivise producers to switch to more sustainable products. Along with proper monitoring, promoting responsible consumerism is very important.
• Identify and engage key stakeholder groups like retailers, consumers, industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society, environmental groups, and tourism in order to ensure broad buying.
• Citizens also have to bring behavioural change and contribute by not littering and helping in waste segregation and waste management.

 

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