Plastics: the challenges and moving towards a circular solution

The benefits of plastic resins are well-known, but their persistence in ecosystems and urban areas the world over, leads to significant problems in terms of managing waste.

Globally the production of plastics has increased by over 23 times in the last 50 years.¹ Annually 350 million metric tons are produced today and low recycling rates have led to a build-up of plastic waste in the environment, some of which will persist for hundreds of years. It is estimated that only 21% (9% recycled and 12% incinerated) of the plastics ever produced have been managed.² Polyester fibres are typically not included in the discussion, thus excluding an important source of waste.³

In India, the total consumption of polymers has grown at 8% per annum from 2001-02 and was estimated to be 14 million tonnes in 2017-18. It is estimated that over one-third of the consumption is met by imports.⁴ Recycling rates are about 60% for all plastics (originating from industry and urban waste), and reported to be 90% for PET. However, recycling is not systematized, infrastructure not available at the scale needed, segregation not practiced, and most of the recycling, is downcycling.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, the consumption of plastics has increased significantly due to the use of disposable PPE kits, masks and other medical apparatus. The unique properties of plastics, especially their impermeability, make it essential for these applications. However, with growing volumes of mostly, single-use medical plastic waste, the need to reduce and better manage other applications of plastics, particularly single-use and packaging, is greater than ever. India cannot afford to focus only on end-of-life management to tackle waste, but must begin to work on changes to the system, upstream of the disposal.

In an attempt to provide a holistic, science-based basis for reducing plastic use and managing its waste, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has been developing Knowledge Products over the last two years. Two reports, the Un-plastic Strategy and, a Circular Plastics Economy Strategy for India, were released in 2019 and 2020, respectively. In the latter publication, the strategy hinges upon

·  A comprehensive policy for circularity of plastics, framed to holistically address the entire value chain.

·  Availability of sound, viable and scalable technologies for the Indian context which form the backbone for management both downstream and upstream of the consumer.

·  Consistent, focused messaging to the consumer, whose role in a circular economy for plastics is important at several points where choice can be exercised, is needed.

·  Strict enforcement of law with penalties/incentives for consumers, and authorities made accountable.

A collaborative effort which includes all different stakeholders (business, government, non-profits, solution providers, community, etc.) on the same platform is required to solve the large-scale challenges associated with plastics. To drive this discourse forward in a scientifically-sound and collaborative manner, CII along with United Nations Environment Programme and World Wide Fund for Nature-India have co-founded the Un-plastic Collective (UPC). UPC is a multi-stakeholder platform for solution-providers to meet those seeking a solution, in an effort to minimize the externalities of plastics.

[1] UNEP (2018). Mapping of Global Plastics Value Chain and Plastics Losses to the Environment (with a particular focus on marine environment). Available at http://wedocs.unep.org/bitstream/handle/20.500.11822/26745/mapping_plastics.pdf 

[2] Geyer R., Jambeck J.R. and Law K.L. (2017). Production, Use, and Fate of all Plastics ever Made, Science Advances, July 19, 2017.

[3] National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2020). Closing the Loop on the Plastics Dilemma: Proceedings of a Workshop–in Brief. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. Available at https://doi.org/10.17226/25647 

[4]CII analysis based on Ministry of Commerce data. Available at https://commerce-app.gov.in/meidb/