Major Offenders in Plastic Pollution
As per the Minderoo Foundation (published by The Minderoo Foundation, WA (Western Australia) report of the Plastic Waste Makers Index, the 20 global companies are responsible for producing more than half the planet's single-use plastic waste. It analyzed about 1,000 factories and found that petrochemical firms are the worst offenders. ExxonMobil is the biggest single-use plastic waste contributor with 5.9 million tonnes generated in 2019, followed by Dow and Sinopec with over five million tonnes each.
According to this report, the single-use plastic waste generated by select countries per person (in Kgs) in 2019, Australia tops the list with 59 ranks followed by the united states (53), South Korea (44), UK (44), Japan (37), France (36), Spain (34), Germany (22), China (18) and India (4).The big companies are producing a huge amount of plastic leading to plastic pollution across the world. The world’s worst offenders for plastic pollution annually in metric tonnes of plastic packaging produced as of 2020, reported by Changing Markets Foundation, London, UK. The Coca-Cola tops the list with 2,900,000, followed by Pepsico (2,300,000), Nestle (1,700,000), Danone (820,000), P&G (714,000), Unilever (700,000), Colgate Palmolive (287,000) and Mars (184,000) (Source: Changing Markets Foundation, 2021).
For the last 50 years, plastic has reached mass production and also turned into an addiction for consumers the world over.
Challenges in Indian Context
The Times of India reported that India generates on an average 25,940 tonnes of plastic waste everyday and 9.46 million tonnes per year, of which about 40% remains uncollected causing choking of drainage and river systems, littering of the marine ecosystem. Further, it causes water and soil pollution, ingestion by stray animals, and open-air burning leading to adverse impacts on human health and the environment. These facts are stated in the Indian government’s latest missive to states and Uts on phasing out single-use plastic which is neither biodegradable nor recyclable. It is noted that nearly one-sixth of the total plastic waste is generated by 60 majorcities, of which Delhi, Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Bengaluru together generate more than 50% of the total plastic waste from thesecities. The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) surveyed the 60 main cities of India and stated that cities generate 4,059 tonnes of plastic waste per day.
Children’s Role in Curbing Plastic Pollution
Plastic pollution affects badly all human beings, animals, and the environment as well. Apart from all the efforts made by the governments, global and national service organizations, the students should take part actively in the global plastic control mission. The change should start from the young students and their parents by avoiding the use of plastic and inculcating the habit of putting the waste in the waste bins outside. For this, students should be getting educated, aware, full understanding about this menace and its impact on future generations. They start bringing awareness among their friends, family, people in their colony, and society nearby. It will go a long way to change the mindset of the people, understanding the need for environmental protection for the wellbeing of the people.
As they are the future generations of the country, their commitment, their practice to combat plastic pollution would yield fruitful results certainly. It’s the dire need and responsibility of the students to shape their environment, where they live. The students should avoid using single-useplastic for carrying food, eating plates, cups, carrying books, and the like. Every student should educate their friends, family, neighbors, and society as well. In this endeavor, the teachers should educate their students and make them practice avoiding the use of plastic and inculcating the habit of putting the waste only in the dust bins, and maintaining a hygienic environment. They are the change agents to change the face of the world provided they have the commitment, dedication, social responsibility, and build a pollution-free world. Let the children join together in the global mission of building a pollution-free environment.
The Measures Needed
While scientists are pursuing other innovative solutions to lower plastic pollution, the best way to end it completely is to cut off our usage. There are alternatives for plastic packagings, such as Bagasse, which is a by-product of sugarcane. It is eco-friendly and can easily be folded, which is suitable for delivery as well. The young students as the future generation of the world and as the stakeholders of the consequences must understand that if action is not taken, the world as we know it will surely cease to exist. They must come together and educate future generations about the harmful impact of plastic pollution and the devastating repercussions that it will bring. They have the ultimate power to change the world, and to save it, only if we use that power. United, anything is possible, whether It be good or bad. They can start by helping in small ways, like throwing waste in the dustbin, not littering, recycling materials, educating their parents, neighbors, friends, and society as well about the consequences of plastic pollution. Even the smallest changes can cause a huge impact in today’s society. People should not live not for us alone, but for the whole of humanity, the living beings, and the environment as a whole.
Towards this end, a systematic action plan is inevitable globally by way of banning plastic carry bags, their usage; banning the plastic products which cannot be recycled, the incentive for the business of recycling, adopting new technology for converting plastic waste into energy, and so on. It is the dire need of the day to resolve the crises of plastic pollution to diffuse the climate change and loss of biodiversity the world over. We must perceive this and help out in anyway possible. Making a Plastic pollution-free world is the only way to have sustainable world development.
Laasya Padmaraju is a school student at Samashti International School, Kollur, Hyderabad
Brief Profile : Laasya Padmaraju started her schooling at St. John's school, Southampton, UK. That's the place where she was initially introduced. Laasya is the chief editor of Sach and Soch, the monthly school magazine of Samashti. Her latest write-up got selected for publication in the anthology “A Head Full of Dreams” which was launched on Amazon in October 2021.
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