Page 2 - Plastic Pollution

New plastic management rules will impact FMCG companies: Analysts

India is the third-largest plastic producer globally. While these new norms will put India ahead in the global league, they will also impact packaging costs for consumer companies

Nestle, Britannia, ITC: Winners, losers from plastic waste management norms

In the KIE consumer staples universe, Dabur reported the highest packaging cost at 12.5 per cent of its standalone revenues in FY23

Plastic pollution: What do countries, firms want in global treaty talks?

Meanwhile, the 60-nation "High-Ambition Coalition", which includes EU countries, island nations, Japan and the UAE, wants to end plastic pollution by 2040

Polymers in microplastics may pose risk to Indo-Gangetic plain: Study

Polymers in microplastics may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain, a study on rivers Ganga and Yamuna by the Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography has concluded. The study titled A comprehensive assessment of macro and microplastics from Rivers Ganga and Yamuna: Unveiling the seasonal, spatial and risk factors', has been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials'. The researchers behind the study have said that their findings could serve as a starting point for the action plan required by municipal corporations to tackle plastic pollution and target the possible sources. As per the study, conducted by a team led by Dr Mahua Saha, Principal Scientist, CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography (CSIR-NIO), microplastics were detected in Ganga from Haridwar to Patna, with the concentration of the pollutant being higher during the wet (rainy) season than the dry season. The high-hazard polymers in microplastics may pose a risk to the Indo-Gangetic plain, it ...

Poly crisis: World needs system of public support to end plastic addiction

A report this month alleged that oil and chemicals companies "perpetuated a decades-long campaign of fraud and deception about the recyclability of plastics

Plastic pollution from cigarettes likely costs $26 bn per year: Study

The costs of environmental pollution caused by plastics in cigarette butts and packaging amount to an estimated USD 26 billion every year, according to a study. The analysis, published in the journal Tobacco Control, found the costs to be USD 186 billion every 10 yearsadjusted for inflationin waste management and marine ecosystem damage worldwide. These costs may seem small compared with the overall economic and human toll of tobacco, but they are cumulative and preventable, the researchers said. Although great strides have been made in developing policies to curb or ban single use plastics around the globe, tobacco's plastic has been overlooked, they said. The team noted that this is despite the fact that cigarette filtersthe main component of cigarette buttsare the most common item of rubbish collected on the planet. And they are made of single use plastic. The researchers drew on currently available public data sources for cigarette sales, clean-up costs, and plastic waste on l

Negotiations for treaty to end plastic pollution marred in disagreements

The latest round of negotiations to craft a treaty to end global plastic pollution closed late on Sunday after strained talks in Nairobi, Kenya, where delegates failed to reach a consensus on how to advance a draft of the treaty after a week of negotiations. Environmental advocates criticised the outcome of the weeklong United Nations-led meeting on plastic pollution, saying oil-producing countries successfully employed stalling tactics designed to weaken the treaty. Delegates were expected to discuss a draft published in September that represented the views from the first two meetings. The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee for Plastics is mandated with creating the first international, legally binding treaty on plastic pollution in five rounds of negotiations. Member states decided to move forward with a revision of the draft, which has become longer during this third round of negotiations and will be even more difficult to advance, participants said. States also failed to ..

New York sues PepsiCo for plastic pollution, alleging water contamination

New York Attorney General Letitia James announced a lawsuit against PepsiCo Inc. on Wednesday, accusing the soda-and-snack food giant of polluting the environment and endangering public health after its single-use plastics were found along the Buffalo River. The lawsuit filed in state Supreme Court aims to require PepsiCo and its subsidiaries, Frito-Lay Inc. and Frito-Lay North America Inc., to clean up its mess, where its single-use plastic packaging including food wrappers and plastic bottles have found a way to the shores of the Buffalo River and watershed, contaminating drinking water supply for the city of Buffalo. No company is too big to ensure that their products do not damage our environment and public health. All New Yorkers have a basic right to clean water, yet PepsiCo's irresponsible packaging and marketing endanger Buffalo's water supply, environment, and public health, James said in a statement. PepsiCo is the single largest identifiable contributor to the plastic was

In UN talks for plastic treaty, delegates to face off over production limit

"We are at a pivotal moment in this process," said Andres Del Castillo, a senior attorney of the Center for International Environmental Law who is an observer to the negotiations

Goa assembly amends Act to curb littering of single use or reusable plastic

The Goa assembly on Wednesday amended a legislation to enable manufacturers of single use or reusable plastic to levy deposit on sale of items that come in plastic packaging, and facilitate refund of the amount by vendors once a buyer returns the packaging. The assembly, which is having its monsoon session, passed the amendment to the Goa Non-Biodegradable Garbage (Control) Act, 1996, which was tabled by state Environment Minister Nilesh Cabral. The minister said the amendment will enable manufacturers of single use or reusable plastic to levy deposit on sale of items. The deposit can be refunded to the buyer once he returns the packaging of the item to the vendor. Cabral after the amendment, a lot of counters will be set up in Goa where people can return the plastic packaging and get back money. If someone buys a PET bottle of Rs 10, he will be charged Rs 10 extra. This way we intend to curb plastic menace under the non-biodegradable Act, he said. The minister said the amendment

India, France to discuss plastic pollution issue with other nations

India and France on Friday said they will constructively engage other like-minded countries to strengthen the negotiations for an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. After talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron here, the two countries made a joint commitment to eliminate single-use plastic products pollution, including a ban on single-use plastic products which have low utility and high littering potential. Noting that plastic product pollution due to littered and mismanaged plastic waste is a global environmental issue that must be urgently addressed, India and France said it has adverse impacts on ecosystems in general and marine ecosystems in particular. Single-use plastic products are defined by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) as "an umbrella term for different types of products that are typically used once before being thrown away or recycled", which include food packaging, bottles, straws, containers,

Germany cuts plastic waste exports by 51% in a decade due to restrictions

The volume of German plastic waste exports decreased by 9 per cent between 2021 and 2022

Himachal to frame policy to find alternatives to plastic: CM Sukhu

Additionally, he emphasized the importance of utilizing plastic waste in road building and suggested incorporating culture and environment-focused subjects into the educational curriculum

Menstrual cups reduce plastic waste generation by 99%: Soumya Swaminathan

According to a recent report, one woman generates around 14.1 kg of non-biodegradable waste in a lifetime if she uses commercially manufactured disposable sanitary pads

Kerala govt observes World Environment Day, organises Haritha Sabhas

The Kerala government on Monday observed World Environment Day by holding Haritha Sabhas (green assemblies) and launching a campaign against plastic use across the state, among other initiatives. Kicking off the state-level Haritha Sabha, Local Self Government Department minister M B Rajesh said law enforcement needs to be strengthened to make the state garbage-free. Launching the 'Beat Plastic Pollution' campaign, a collaboration of tourism sector stakeholders and local community on World Environment Day, Tourism minister P A Mohammed Riyas said all people are duty-bound to keep the tourism centres in the state clean. Rajesh said awareness campaigns alone would not yield the desired results for the 'State with No Waste' programme. "Even as consistent campaigns and projects focus on waste disposal, total cooperation and support by the public is needed to achieve the target of making Kerala completely garbage-free by March 2024... Also, the rules and legal measures need to be enforc

Plastic pollution a global environmental crisis, says NGT Chairperson

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Justice A K Goel, the chairperson of the National Green Tribunal, said plastic pollution has become a global environmental crisis that threatens our planet. He said reliance on single-use plastic has resulted in immense harm to our oceans, land, and health, and to address this challenge collective efforts and individual responsibility are crucial. "We must raise awareness, reduce consumption of single-use plastic, promote recycling and responsible waste management, support innovation for sustainable alternatives, and implement strong policies and regulations," Justice Goel said. He said the NGT has played a significant role in enforcing plastic waste management rules, raising awareness, and emphasising extended producer responsibility. "However, more work is needed, and as individuals and communities, we must lead by example to create a positive change in society and protect our environment for future generations," he said. A tree plantati

'Solution to plastic pollution' on UN's agenda as planet chokes on plastic

On this World Environment Day (June 5), the UN focuses on solving the plastic pollution crisis as India plans to tackle plastic pollution as a key component of its global mass movement, Mission LiFE

Small plastic water bottles are adding to plastic problem: Nithin Kamath

Zerodha founder highlighted the issue of increased use of small plastic bottles at hotels and airports which is aggravating the problem of plastic waste in the country

UN talks on plastic pollution end; next zero draft of legally binding pact

"I am encouraged by progress at INC-2 and the mandate to prepare a zero draft of the international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution," said Inger Andersen, Executive Director, UNEP

Progress in reducing plastic pollution painfully slow: Scientists

The progress in reducing plastic pollution across the globe has been painfully slow and the consequent damage to the natural environment and to human health is likely to increase further, according to a network of scientists researching on the subject. In a research paper published in the scientific journal Nature Communications', scientists from many countries, including India, have said that the views and ways of working of four distinct stakeholder communities scientists, industry, society at large and those making policy and legislation are not sufficiently well integrated. The paper has been jointly published by Richard S Lampitt, Stephen Fletcher, Matthew Cole, Alice Kloker, Stefan Krause, Fran O'Hara, Peter Ryde, Mahua Saha, Anastasia Voronkova and Adrian Whyle from the UK, France and India. Mahua Saha, a scientist from Goa-based CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography, is the only Asian scientist who is representing the region in this group. The researchers claim that abo