Mountains of plastic are choking the Himalayan States

Syllabus: GS-III, Subject: Ecology and Environment, Topic: Waste Management, Issue: Plastic waste management

Plastic Pollution:

• Plastic pollution has become an all-pervasive phenomenon.
• Concerns with plastic pollution-
  • Entering food web,
  • affecting biodiversity.
• Reasons–
  • Rapid and unplanned urbanization ,
  • changing production and consumption patterns,
  • High tourist footfalls,
  • Poor plastic waste management
• Legal mechanisms–
  • Solid Waste Management Rules 2016,
  • Plastic Waste Management Rules 2016
  • Extended Producer Responsibility 2022
  • Special law by Himalayan states empower local bodies for waste management.

Suggestions:

• Devolve power to local bodies, Public education campaigns.
• Ensure collaboration between local bodies and PIBOs ( producers, importers and brand owners)
• Include traditional institutions within the definition of local bodies
• Use Swachh Bharat Kosh Trust and corporate social responsibility fund
• Collaboration between schemes like AMRUT and Smart Cities.