Plastic less India

The Plastic Pollution Issues

Every piece of plastic that’s ever been created still exists in our world. Plastic pollution poses a significant threat to our environment. Single-use plastic is manufactured to last forever, yet is often used for only a few minutes, before being thrown away.

Single Use Plastics

The Problems

The Solutions

References

Single-use plastics

Plastic was originally designed in the early 1900s to replace natural materials such as ivory and tortoiseshell, but its production has escalated to extreme levels. The production of plastic has surpassed all other man-made materials except steel and cement, and it’s expected to increase by 40% over the next decade. 

Between 1950 and 2015, an estimated 7,800 million tonnes of plastics were manufactured, and half of this was produced in the last 13 years alone [1].

So where has all this plastic gone? 

·        79% has accumulated in landfill or in the natural environment [1]

·        12% has been incinerated [1]

·        9% has been recycled [1]

That’s right – billions of tonnes of the plastic we’ve produced still exists somewhere in the world. Plastic pollution is building up in our oceans, throughout our natural environment and even in the stomachs of our precious wildlife. While recycling efforts can make a difference, we can’t completely recycle our way out of the plastic issue.

The problems with plastic

The growing rate of plastic production raises problems in many areas of our society. It’s contributing to waste and pollution issues, it’s impacting our health, and it’s threatening our oceans and wildlife.

Waste and plastic pollution

·        We go through 10 billion plastic bags worldwide every week

·        Plastics don’t break down, they break up, becoming a permanent pollutant in our environment

 Health impacts

·        Microplastics have been reported in food for human consumption [1]. the average person could be eating up to 5 grams of plastic a week [2]

·        Microplastics may also be inhaled and have been found in human organs and revealed in the placentas of unborn babies [3]

·        Toxic chemicals such as phthalates and BPA are present in the plastic foods packaging

Threat to oceans and wildlife

·        8 million tonnes of plastic pollution enters our oceans each year[3]

·        It’s estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish [5]

·        More than 270 marine species are affected by marine debris [6] through ingestion, entanglement and chemical contamination [7]

·        In the next 30 years, 99% of seabirds will have ingested plastic [6]

·        Abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear (ALDFG) represents a major sea-based source of marine debris in the worlds oceans [8]*

Recycling plastic is not enough

·        Only 9% of our plastic has been recycled, and only 10% of that has been recycled more than once [4]

·        Recycled plastics are mostly downcycled, meaning that they’re recycled into products of lesser quality which are less likely to be further recycled

·        Recycling is important, but will never be the solution to our rapidly expanding plastic consumption

The plastic pollution solutions

When we hear plastic pollution facts, it can be easy to feel hopeless about our situation. But the Plastic Free Foundation has shown that small changes, by millions of people, all add up and can make a large impact. 

Plastic Free July is designed to help people refuse single-use plastic and improve plastic recycling practices. We can each make a world of difference by doing things such as using reusable cups, water bottles and plastic bags, and choosing to refuse plastic-wrapped items.

At a larger scale, we can also influence our communities to embrace long-lasting solutions and influence business and governments to take action.

Reuse and recycle

Explore reuse models such as ‘cup libraries’ and container refill and reuse schemes to reduce the need for single-use plastic. Give recycling a chance by following your local recycling guide and putting items in the right bin. Petition governments to require businesses to use recycled plastic in their products and packaging. 

Circulate 

Encourage businesses and organisations to move away from the concept of ‘take, make and throw away’ and towards a circular economy that promotes recycling and the reuse of materials. Push businesses to own the product management lifecycle and support ones that do through redesign and innovation. Container deposit schemes are a good example of this – they reduce littering by an average of 40% and increase recycling too [9]. 

 Eliminate 

Increase our single-use plastic bans to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging. Many countries have taken great leaps towards banning single-use plastic bags in recent years, but more can be done. By banning items such as lightweight plastic bags, foam packaging and balloon releases, consumers and businesses alike are forced to find alternatives to plastic.

You can make a genuine difference to the issue of plastic use by joining the Plastic Free July challenge today. 

*We acknowledge sustainable fisheries are critical to food security, economies, cultures and livelihoods around the world.

Plastic is sustainable and long-lasting. Because plastic is a very durable, long-lasting material, it is often used in homes, bridges, as infrastructure in buildings, and more. Plastic is lightweight yet strong, is resistant to rot and corrosion, and has strong weatherability due to its ability to achieve tight seals.

What are the effects of banning plastic?

Plastic bag bans reduce trash and litter, and therefore reduce the negative impacts caused by trash and litter. Plastic bag bans save municipalities money by way of less trash to pick up. Bans can also save retailers time and money since they no longer need to provide plastic bags.

Ban on plastic bags can help in reducing the manufacturing of it and encourage recycling and reuse hence reducing the amount of litter.To reserve the animal and bird species, and to protect our ecosystem banning of plastics bags can be helpful.

Plastic bags use fossil fuels, a nonrenewable resource, and are permanent, entering the waste stream forever. They may cause more pollution on land and in waterways, but have less effect on climate change and land use than other types of bags.

The Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021, also prohibits manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale and use of plastic carry bags with thickness of less than 75 microns with effect from September 30, 2021, and with lower thickness than 120 microns with effect from December 31, 2022.

Objectives:

The objective is to identify items of everyday utility that are used once and thrown and added to litter. This is why the list of banned items includes earbuds, cutlery, straws and carry bags (of thickness less than 120 micron, by December 2022)

Plastic bags have become a threat to the life of animals living on earth as well as in water. Chemicals released by waste plastic bags enter the soil and make it infertile. Plastic bags are having a negative impact on human health. Plastic bags lead to the drainage problem.

Plastic bags have become a threat to the life of animals living on earth as well as in water. Chemicals released by waste plastic bags enter the soil and make it infertile. Plastic bags are having a negative impact on human health. Plastic bags lead to the drainage problem.

Implement Steps:

The Ngo will prepare ( stitch ) 10000 cloth bags which size 1*1.6 feet by 1000 rural women in Nov. 22 month. The women will be provided clothes and stitching wages Rs 5 per bag by the Ngo. The 1000 women will be awakened to avoid plastic bags too with their stitching bags.

    The Ngo will held 5 plasticless India  awakening work shops at Govt schools i.e. DantaRamgarh  Manda, Danta, Mai, Kiro ki dhani, Chandeli ka bas. All the students with their parents, villagers, village serpanch, resource persons and other VIP will be attended the work shop.  The resource persons serpanch and VIP will tell  the harms of plastic bags . All participants will be awakened for cloth bags instead plastic bags by many ways. They will be sworn neither use plastic bags by and himself and nor others. The participant will be provided break fast and dinner by the Ngo. The VIP will be adorned by momentous and certificates.

·      Plastic bags bans enhance the economy: Bans on plastic bags cause an uptick in business for reusable bag manufacturers and lead to increased employment opportunities.

·      Eliminating plastic bags reduces cost of goods: Stores have to factor in the cost of disposable bags into their prices. By eliminating plastic bags, stores can lower prices, helping shoppers save $18 to $30 annually.

·      Plastic bags are not biodegradable: When plastics bags become litter, they pollute oceans, rivers, farmlands, cities, and neighborhoods. Bans eliminate bags, which equals less litter and less pollution.

·      Picking up litter costs tax money: Banning plastic bags will reduce litter and allow for tax money to be redirected to more important areas.

·      Marine life will improve: Marine animals often mistake plastic bags as jellyfish or plankton, leading them to consume the litter and become ill or die.

·      Drainage infrastructures run more efficiently: Plastic litter often clogs drainage systems, causing unnecessary flooding.

·      Plastic bag bans reduce the need to petroleum: Banning plastic bags will minimize the dependency on the limited non-renewable resource.

·      Decrease the mosquito population: Discarded plastic bags collect rainwater and creates a breeding ground for mosquitos, some of which could carry the West Nile Virus or Triple E Virus.

·      Ban on plastics can surely help in saving our non-renewable resources which if once lost might not be retrieved later. The two major harmful effects of plastic usage are the carbon dioxide produced by it adding to the greenhouse effect and the other being the increasing collection of waste in the landfills and oceans

·      15000 rural including students and  men will awaken to avoid plastic bags.

·      Dantaramgarh teshsil will be known Give.Do’s social services.