Plastic Waste in the Himalayan Region:
- 84% of Plastic Waste from Single-Use Packaging: A significant portion (84.2%) of plastic waste in the Himalayan region is from single-use food and beverage packaging.
- Non-Recyclable Plastics: 71% of the plastic waste collected was non-recyclable, primarily multilayered plastics and Tetrapak, which are difficult to process and are not collected by waste pickers or scrap dealers.
Relevance : GS 3(Environment and Ecology)
Environmental Impact:
- Choking of Waterways and Landfills: Non-recyclable plastics, especially multilayered ones, contribute to environmental harm by clogging waterways and filling landfills, affecting the delicate ecosystems of the region.
- Mountains and Tourist Spots Littered: Popular tourist destinations, villages, schools, and protected areas across the Himalayan states have seen significant plastic waste, especially in water bodies and rivers.
Waste Collection Efforts:
- The Zero Waste Himalaya Alliance and The Himalayan Cleanup (THC) have been organizing large-scale cleanup campaigns since 2018 to tackle the plastic waste crisis across the region.
- In 2024, over 15,000 volunteers from 350 organizations collected plastic waste from 450 sites across the Himalayan states.
Production and Systems Issue:
- Root Cause Identified: The waste crisis in the Himalayan region is primarily a production and systems issue, not merely a post-consumer waste management problem. The focus needs to be on addressing the production of non-recyclable plastics, rather than only improving waste management systems.
Distribution of Plastic Waste:
- Sikkim generated the most plastic waste (44% of total waste) followed by Darjeeling and Ladakh.
- The regions most affected by plastic pollution include tourist hotspots and river areas, which see significant accumulation of waste, especially during peak tourist seasons.
Calls for Solutions Beyond Recycling:
- Recycling Limitations: Due to the predominance of non-recyclable materials, relying solely on recycling is insufficient to solve the issue. The alliance advocates for solutions that address the root causes, such as reducing the production of single-use plastics and encouraging sustainable packaging alternatives.
