Chintan (Environmental Research and Action Group)’s Post

Plastics did not garner significant attention until mounting evidence emerged regarding its detrimental effects on human health. We continued to believe that plastic is a litter problem that is readily manageable through a combination of technology and effective governance. Based on my personal observations in Paris, Nairobi, and Ottawa, the INC process has significantly evolved from waste to the full lifecycle of plastic. Multilateral geopolitics between the nations producing oil, gas, and petrochemicals and others sparked a contest on the negotiation platform, resulting in compromised ambitions already. CSE recognised the urgency of establishing a platform for a dialogue among all relevant stakeholders in India that is consistent with the advancements achieved so far in the global plastic treaty. A national workshop involving various stakeholders, including Indian industries, especially FMCG giants, the scientific community, academia, civil society, recyclers, local governments and others, will be convened at the Anil Agarwal Environment Training Institute from June 5-6, 2024. The event is expected to see the presence of the members of Indian delegation to INC, especially from MoEFCC and MoCF (Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals). The aim is to ascertain avenues of mutual interest and mechanisms to pursue them. If you have missed our country position infographic report ahead of INC4 where we plotted the nations on the world map, here is the link - https://lnkd.in/git9PTRD We will publish a similar report after compiling the progress made in Ottawa INC-4 Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh MOU SENGUPTA Kaifee Jawed Dr. Tribhuwan Singh Bisht Kuldeep Choudhary Minakshi Solanki Shrotik Bose Aniket Chandra Centre for Science and Environment, New Delhi Confederation of Indian Industry FICCI Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change, Government of India Ministry Of Chemicals & Fertilizers

Single use plastics (SUPs) are beneficial in many ways BUT are difficult to manage at the end of life. Most SUPs are dumped into the environment and are not recycled. Research shows that less than 10% of the nine billion tons of plastics the world has ever produced has been recycled. In the business as usual scenario, it is projected that there will be 12 billion tons of plastic litter lying in landfills, dumps and the environment by 2050. By then the plastic industry will account for about 20% of the world’s total oil consumption. Measures to regulate the production and use of disposable plastics are necessary to curb any further rise in the accumulation of these items in the environment thus reducing and eliminating the environmental degradation associated with them. We are taking the lead to eradicate SUPs in seedlings production to protect the environment and accelerate sustainability, Earthtree Kenya Green Planet Initiative 2050™ 🌳 #gpi2050 #sustainability

Very interesting piece in The Third Pole from Satyarupa Shekhar exploring the environmental and socioeconomic case for India to support an ambitious #PlasticsTreaty, but providing the context for why to date that ambition has not been reflected in the Indian position. ❗ "The prevailing narrative, in which plastics, such as sachets, are often touted as both pro-poor and pro-climate due to their affordability and purported environmental benefits, perpetuates a dangerous misconception. This narrative ignores the underlying reality: the true cost of plastics, both in terms of environmental degradation and socioeconomic inequality. Behind the facade of affordability lies a web of subsidies and incentives that artificially prop up the plastic industry. The heavily subsidised production of petrochemicals contribute to the illusion of cheap plastics." 📰 This is well worth a read.

India generates 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste annually Thus, the 2024 Earth Day theme 'Planet vs. Plastics', is extremely relevant to India. It addresses the impacts of plastic pollution on our planet's health and biodiversity. In turn, aiming to inspire individuals and organizations to take significant steps toward a cleaner, more sustainable future. On this day, let’s overview India’s legal laws to beat plastic pollution. This includes: ➡️ Plastic waste management rules, 2016 ➡️ Plastic waste management (amendment) rules, 2024 ➡️ Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) ➡️ Landmark court rulings on plastic pollution ➡️ Swachh survekshan and Swachh Bharat mission Check out all the details in this article ⬇️ https://lnkd.in/gfaa7tvq Article written by Nancy Sharma. She is a legal researcher and writer. She is also the Founder of Law Gist, an online portal explaining legal news. #worldearthday #plasticpollution #planetvsplastic

#ResourceAlert: India has been weakening the Global Plastics Treaty. Here’s how. 1️⃣ India pushed for a Voluntary Treaty over a Mandatory one. That means the country doesn’t need to legally oblige to the treaty’s provisions. Critics argue that this has made the treaty less effective in reducing plastic pollution. 2️⃣ India has opposed calls for a ban on single-use plastics Single-use plastics are a major reason for plastic pollution. Thus, many countries have taken steps to ban them. However, India's opposition to the ban has weakened the treaty’s potential. 3️⃣ Treaty’s Impact on Indian Economy In India, the treaty could lead to increased costs for business. This will in turn harm the Indian economy. Therefore, India has argued the treaty must also take into account the needs of developing countries like itself. Despite these criticisms, India has also taken several major steps in addressing plastic pollution. This includes: ➡ Ban of production and use of certain types of single-use plastics ➡ Launch of campaigns to promote waste reduction and recycling However, many believe these steps are not enough. Want to know more about this issue? Read here: https://lnkd.in/dWrfNurW. ________________________________________________________________ New Here? Hey! We are Team Analysis. Our goal is the address and share issues related to health, gender, environment and public policy. We aim to be a credible public policy platform in these domains. Come join us in this initiative. Click the link to join our community and stay updated: https://lnkd.in/dWmR-Zz5

#PlasticCrisis #India Well, not India alone. Reading ‘The prevailing narrative, in which plastics, such as sachets, are often touted as both pro-poor and pro-climate due to their affordability and purported environmental benefits, perpetuates a dangerous misconception.’ 🙌 Sachets: same goes for indonesia. No recyclability properties and it’s brand-owners’ responsibility to come up with other options. Pro-poor? Well, it’s habit as well, decades of routine in shopping pattern, normalization. We piloted refilling in East Indonesia to reduce sachets use. Women were happy to try once they were informed about the harm of inhaling toxic fumes during their open plastic burning - one of their daily household chores. The problem: lack of commitment by brand-owners to provide their brands in bulk packaging for refilling. What a burden it must be for the responsible CEOs. How can they sleep with the knowledge how their neglect and decicions harm the planet?

India has emerged as the world’s largest plastic polluter, surpassing China, according to a University of Leeds study. Producing 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually—around 20% of global emissions—the scale of India's waste is equal to filling 604 Taj Mahals. Uncontrolled burning and lack of proper waste management infrastructure contribute to this issue, with 57% of plastic waste being open-burned and 43% left unburned. Urgent action is needed to address this growing crisis, which poses severe risks to both the environment and public health. MyGov India UNEP-WCMC Plastic Free #India #PlasticPollution #PlasticCrisis #Environmental #RiverPollution #WasteManagement #GlobalWarming

A recent report by Swiss non-profit EA Earth Action has drawn attention to India's significant role in the global plastic waste crisis. Despite having one of the lowest per capita plastic waste productions in the world, India is identified as one of the twelve countries responsible for 60 percent of the planet's mismanaged plastic waste. The Plastic Overshoot Day report reveals alarming statistics regarding global plastic waste generation, showing a 7.11 percent increase since 2021. This year, an estimated 220 million tons of plastic waste were generated globally, with a staggering 70 million tons expected to pollute the environment. Although India is categorized as a "low-waste-producing" nation, the report projects that the country will contribute 7.4 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste in 2024, a figure that demands urgent attention. Despite this, India's mismanaged plastic waste is still significantly lower than that of China and the United States. Additionally, the report highlights India's contribution to microplastic pollution, estimating an average release of 3,91,879 tons into the environment and 31,483 tons of chemical additives into waterways. As world leaders prepare for the fourth meeting of the United Nations' Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in Ottawa, Canada, the urgency to address plastic pollution is emphasized. The report serves as a timely reminder of the need for concerted global efforts to tackle this pressing environmental issue. With Plastic Overshoot Day for India set for April 23, there is a clear call for action. Sarah Perreard, Co-CEO at EA Earth Action & Plastic Footprint Network, stresses the importance of aggressive reduction efforts at the source alongside improvements in waste management. #plastic #waste #india #environment #pollution #microplastic #inc #global #world #international #challenge #polluted #stresses #reports #action #intergovermental #producing #nation #thecordbharat

Thank you so much for the opportunity Research Recycling. Grateful to have connected with Anushk Gupta.During the convo, I learnt that plastic is a go-to material for lab products due to its cost-effectiveness, durability, and versatility. However, labs generate immense plastic waste, with over 60% ending up in landfills or incinerated. Research Recycling seeks to bridge this gap by facilitating dialogue and collaboration among industry leaders to reduce plastic waste in labs, while driving best practices and innovative solutions. Looking forward to more fruitful conversations.   It is a pleasure to connect with such like minded people who work for betterment of the world at large. Always up for connecting and sharing ideas—whether it's about sustainability or anything else that sparks a good convo. Let's keep it fun, easy, and resourceful. Hit me up anytime! #Sustainability #EPR #ExtendedProducerResponsibility #Recycling #WasteManagement #EnvironmentalAdvocacy #India #CircularEconomy #ResearchRecycling #PlasticWaste #Ewaste #SustainabilityEducation

Syed Ayub Qutub, executive director of Pakistan Institute for Environment-Development Action Research (Piedar), has been working on environmental conservation and sustainable development for over 25 years. He says that compared to international standards — with per capita waste generation at about 0.8 kilos —Pakistanis do not produce a tremendous amount of waste. In comparison, the global average is 1.42 Kg per person. However, Qutub notes, "municipal authorities in Pakistan only manage to collect half of this waste." Even when municipal waste is properly collected and disposed of by concerned authorities, it usually ends up in landfill sites which are environmentally hazardous, contaminating land and water and releasing harmful greenhouse gasses. And as land becomes more expensive, there are also economic costs for dedicating large areas of land, merely for dumping the garbage. Scavengers collect almost all the metal and glass, 95 per cent of paper and about 60 per cent of plastic waste. They are providing an environmental benefit which is largely undocumented and unrecognised," says Qutub. 4 ways Pakistan is tackling plastic waste and pollution 1. Start simple: Plastic bag ban 2. Be creative: New solutions and approaches Pakistan is committed to identifying and prioritizing innovative, systemic solutions that tackle plastic leakage across the entire value chain and that support the development of a fair and inclusive society. 3. Invest in livelihoods: Green stimulus 4. Scale action: Evidence-based roadmaps and collaboration {plastic, pollution, Pakistan, is Pakistan becoming plastic stain? , Syed Ayub Qutub , gid enterprises,GID} #gidenterprises #plastic #syedayubqutub #municipalauthorities #pakistan #recycleplastic #environment #plasticstain