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Can SDGs Tackle the Problem of Single-Use Plastic?
Debarun Purkayastha
SSIS Batch 2021-23
30 November 2022
According to reports, almost 10 million tons of plastic waste is dumped in the oceans yearly. The Plastic Ocean Organization reported that this amount of plastic waste is proportionate to more than a truck full of plastic waste every minute across the world. 50% of the total plastic used every year is in the form of 'single-use' plastic, which does not get recycled or reused, causing an increase in plastic waste worldwide. Studies have pointed out that less than 10% of the total plastic on the earth is recycled, despite widespread efforts from various organizations. Data shows that over a million marine animals are killed due to plastic in the ocean annually. A set of research was done by scientists that tested the presence of microplastics in marine life and found that 100% of the test subject had traces of microplastic in their metabolism.
The effect of plastic pollution is a constantly multiplying issue in today's world. These materials do not decompose and enter the bodies of the animals and marine life, creating health hazards for the already disturbed life on land. The importance of Waste Management in this context becomes very significant. Although the 17 Sustainable Development Goals set by the United Nations as a part of Agenda 2030 do not specifically consider waste management as a primary goal, it is integrated with the vision through some of the other overall goals for a Sustainable future of the earth.
SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure - The development of waste management infrastructure in India from the village to the metropolitan level is crucial to tackling the various constraints of plastic and non-plastic waste in the country. Currently, waste management primarily remains a role of the government and its institutions, which need reforms and progressive modifications. Thus, the development of innovation in the waste management industry needs to be transformed in a way that supports the people engaged in the occupation and creates space for more innovative Human Resource management for effective management.
SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production - The production and distribution of single-use plastic worldwide is one of the biggest hurdles in fighting plastic pollution in both land and water. The demand for single-use plastic in today's market has become immense, given its cheap price and availability added to its logistical feasibility. However, environmental damage is reaching record levels.
SDG 14 Life below Water - Scientists have warned human society about the influx of plastic waste, especially microplastic, in the ocean, which has polluted the habitat of millions of species of essential animals living in the oceans. Plastic has been found on almost all species of aquatic life that are a food source and stand necessary for coastal countries to feed their population. Plastic waste in the digestive system of these aquatic species has also shown possibilities of disturbing the food chain in the oceans, and several notable species of fish essential for the food web of the oceanic ecosystem are now vulnerable to a large extent.
Cooperative action is the foundation to tackle this global challenge. Increasing the capacity at which international organizations are operating to find more sustainable and cost-effective solutions will be a primary goal. The real question is how we can achieve more significant targets to create a substantial difference. Major Asian economies like India and China are among the largest contributors to plastic waste in the ocean, where rivers act as the vectors of plastic waste that feed into the ocean. The way forward in these regions can be increasing plastic filtration capacities in the rivers and reducing plastic entering the ocean. Banning single-use plastic is one method that has attracted the government's attention in recent years. However, the packaging industry needs innovative solutions to reduce plastic use, and finding affordable alternatives through R&D investment can be a start. Packaging perishable items will remain a key sector where plastic is widely used. Sustainable practices across the country, starting from creating awareness of plastic waste disposal to institutionalizing plastic waste management through public and private sector mobilization, will be critical to these developments. Several technological know-how has been developed in different parts of the world that have created innovative solutions to remove the overflow of plastic waste in the ocean.
States need to harbor these technologies and apply them according to their capacities, keeping in mind the state's total contribution to dumping waste in the ocean. Thereby meaning that the concept of shared but differentiated responsibility should apply to plastic waste management. Polluting states should be encouraged to reduce, reuse and recycle more than forcing them to remove plastic from their industries. As a component of environmental pollution, plastic waste issues must be brought to light in state expenditures, and private investment needs to be encouraged. Recycled plastic material can be brought to consumer attention, and companies that provide such products should be encouraged to operate in higher capacities.
References
IUCN. (2022, July 20). Issue Brief, Marine plastic pollution. IUCN. : https://www.iucn.org/resources/issues-brief/marine-plastic-pollution
Fava, M. F. (2022, June 9). Plastic pollution in the ocean: Data, facts, consequences. Ocean Literacy Portal. : https://oceanliteracy.unesco.org/plastic-pollution-ocean/
Environment, U. N. (2021, October 21). From pollution to solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution. UNEP. :https://www.unep.org/resources/pollution-solution-global-assessment-marine-litter-and-plastic-pollution
Visual feature: Beat plastic pollution. UNEP. (n.d.). https://www.unep.org/interactives/beat-plastic-pollution/
Mambra, S. (2022, August 17). How is plastic ruining the oceans in the worst way possible? Marine Insight. Retrieved February 10, 2023, from :https://www.marineinsight.com/environment/how-is-plastic-ruining-the-ocean/