July 20 – GS3/Environment and Ecology: 2026 | UPSC Daily Answer Writing Practice PDF Download

Q: "Banning single-use plastics is not enough to solve the plastic pollution crisis." Discuss this statement with alternative strategies for sustainable plastic management in India.  (250 words)

Introduction

India faces a significant challenge with plastic waste, generating around 4 million tonnes each year. Unfortunately, only 25% of this waste is recycled or treated. Single-use plastics (SUPs), while problematic, represent only a small part of the total plastic waste.
Despite the ban on SUPs implemented through the Plastic Waste Management Rules in 2021, fundamental issues in plastic production, recycling, and disposal continue to exist. Addressing the plastic pollution crisis requires a comprehensive and multifaceted approach.

Why Banning Single-Use Plastics Alone is Insufficient

• Limited Impact on Overall Plastic Waste: Single-use plastics make up only a small fraction of India’s total plastic waste.
• Larger Contributors Ignored: More significant sources of plastic waste, such as multi-layered plastics (MLP) and e-commerce packaging, are not being adequately addressed.
• Ineffective Enforcement: The ban on SUPs is not consistently enforced across different states in India, highlighting regulatory and monitoring deficiencies.
• Recycling Challenges: India faces substantial challenges in recycling, with only 60% of collected plastic waste being recycled due to technological and infrastructural limitations. Moreover, much of this recycling is done inefficiently in the informal sector.
• Malpractices in the EPR System: Fraudulent practices within the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system weaken its effectiveness, as evidenced by the generation of 3.7 million tonnes of certificates in 2022-23, with around 600,000 being fraudulent.

Alternative Strategies for Sustainable Plastic Management

1. Circular Economy Approach:

• Promote Design for Recyclability: Encourage producers to create products that are easier to recycle, facilitating a more sustainable waste management process.
• Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs): Establish centralized hubs for waste segregation and processing in urban areas, as many municipalities currently lack such facilities.
• Incentivize Recycled Plastics: Offer tax benefits to manufacturers who use recycled content, helping to close the consumption loop and promote recycling.

2. Technological Innovations:

• Advanced Recycling Technologies: Invest in large-scale pyrolysis and gasification plants to manage multi-layered plastics and non-recyclable materials, as India currently lacks these technologies.
• IoT and AI Solutions: Implement IoT-enabled smart bins to improve waste collection efficiency and utilize AI for automated waste sorting, enhancing recycling efforts.

3. Strengthening Policy and Enforcement:

• Graded EPR Fees: Introduce higher fees for harder-to-recycle plastics to discourage their use and promote more sustainable alternatives.
• Mandatory Plastic Footprint Audits: Require companies to report their annual plastic usage and recycling rates, addressing the potential material value loss of USD 133 billion by 2030, as highlighted by FICCI.

4. Promoting Sustainable Alternatives:

• Biodegradable Plastics: Develop compostable plastics that are suitable for Indian environmental conditions, as current standards for biodegradable plastics are unclear.
• Eco-Friendly Materials: Scale up the production of eco-friendly materials such as bagasse-based and algae-based plastics, like algae-blended EVA, which also addresses carbon and water pollution issues.

5. Public Awareness and Capacity Building:

• Educational Campaigns: Incorporate waste management education into school curricula to raise awareness about plastic waste and recycling from a young age.
• Community Workshops: Organize workshops to train communities in effective waste segregation and recycling practices, addressing challenges such as mosquito breeding due to stagnant waste.
• Support Startups: Provide funding and support for innovative waste management startups, such as Thiagarajar College of Engineering’s patented technology for converting plastic waste into construction materials.

Conclusion

While banning single-use plastics is a crucial step, India requires a comprehensive strategy that includes circular economy principles, advanced waste management technologies, and public awareness initiatives. This multifaceted approach aligns with various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), such as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 14 (Life Below Water), SDG 15 (Life on Land), and SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), fostering sustainability and a cleaner environment for the future.