India Tops World In Plastic Pollution, Produces 20% Of Global Waste

India generates nearly 20 per cent of the world’s total plastic waste, a new study has revealed. Every year, the country generates about 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste, 90 per cent of which is municipal, said a recent University of Leeds report. To put this into perspective, the amount of waste produced in India could fill approximately 604 Taj Mahals.

The report, published in Nature, employed advanced AI models to track plastic waste across over 50,000 municipalities globally.

Here’s a look at the top 10 countries by macroplastic waste production:

India: 9.3 Mt

Nigeria: 3.5 Mt

Indonesia: 3.4 Mt

China: 2.8 Mt

Pakistan: 2.6 Mt

Bangladesh: 1.7 Mt

Russia: 1.7 Mt

Brazil: 1.4 Mt

Thailand: 1 Mt

Congo: 1 Mt

In 2020, approximately 52 million tonnes of plastic waste entered the environment. This volume, if laid end-to-end, would encircle the globe over 1,500 times. 

The study reveals that over two-thirds of the world’s plastic pollution stems from uncollected waste, with 1.2 billion people – 15 per cent of the global population – living without access to waste collection services. 

In low and middle-income countries, like India, a significant portion of plastic waste remains uncollected or is disposed of in dumpsites due to inadequate waste management systems. In contrast, high-income countries in the Global North have significant waste management systems, making littering the primary cause of microplastic pollution.

Around 30 million tonnes of plastic, or 57 per cent of the total pollution, was burned in uncontrolled conditions in 2020. This practice poses significant health risks, including neurodevelopmental and reproductive disorders. 

Dr Costas Velis, a leading researcher on the study, stated the urgent need to address open burning and uncollected waste. He argued that waste collection should be considered a fundamental necessity, like water and sanitation services. The study called for the development of a new, ambitious global ‘Plastics Treaty’ to address the sources of plastic pollution and mitigate its impact.

Dr Josh Cottom, the report’s first author, stressed that improving solid waste management could significantly reduce plastic pollution and improve the quality of life for billions. The researchers hope their findings will help policymakers in creating effective strategies to combat plastic pollution globally.