Table of Content :-

 What is Plastic Pollution ?

 History of Plastic
 Types of Plastics
 Chemicals in Plastics
 Extent of Plastic Waste
 Plastic Waste in India
 Impact of plastic Pollution
 Interference with food Chain
 Challenges caused by Plastic
 Solution Plastic Waste Management
 Government Interventions
 Global Steps to Control plastic pollution
What is Plastic Pollution ?
 Plastic pollution is defined as the harmful accumulation of
synthetic plastic products in the environment.
 It can be categorized in primary plastics, such as cigarette butts
and bottle caps, or secondary plastics, resulting from the
degradation of the primary ones.
 As plastic is non-biodegradable in nature hence it persists into the
environment, for hundreds (or even thousands) of years.
History Of Plastic
•The first man-made plastic was created by Alexander Parkes who
publicly demonstrated it at the 1862 Great International Exhibition in
London.
•The material called Parkesine was an organic material derived from
cellulose.
•Celluloid is derived from cellulose and alcoholized camphor.
•John Wesley Hyatt invented celluloid in 1868.
•He created celluloid in a strip format for movie film. By 1900, movie film
was an exploding market for celluloid.
Types Of Plastics
• Microplastics are small plastic pieces of less than five millimeters in size.
Microplastic includes microbeads (solid plastic particles of less than one
millimeter in their largest dimension) that are used in cosmetics and personal
care products, industrial scrubbers which are used for aggressive blast
cleaning, microfibers used in textiles and virgin resin pellets used in plastic
manufacturing processes .Apart from cosmetics and personal care products most
of the microplastics result from the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic that
were not recycled and break up due to exposure to the sun or physical wear.
• Single-use plastic is a disposable material that can be used only once before it
is either thrown away or recycled, like plastic bags, water bottles, soda
bottles, straws, plastic plates, cups, most food packaging and coffee
stirrers are sources of single use plastic.
Chemicals in Plastics
The vast majority of plastics are composed polymers of carbon and hydrogen alone or
with oxygen, nitrogen, chlorine or sulfur in the backbone. Common plastics type are:

•Polypropylene (PP) – Food containers, appliances, car fenders (bumpers).

•Polystyrene (PS) – Packaging foam, food containers, disposable cups, plates, cutlery,
CD boxes.

•High impact polystyrene (HIPS) – Fridge liners, food packaging, vending cups.

•Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) – Electronic equipment cases such as computer

parts, drainage pipe etc.

•Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) – Carbonated drinks bottles, jars, plastic film,

microwavable packaging.

•Polyester (PES) – Fibers, textiles.

Extent of Plastic Waste
• Plastic Waste as a Global Phenomenon:

• Over 8.3 billion tones of plastic has been produced since 1950, and
about 60% of that has ended up in landfills or in the natural
environment . Only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has
been recycled and about 12% has been incinerated, while the
remaining 79% has accumulated in landfills, dumps or the natural
environment.
 Plastic waste, whether in a river, an ocean, or on land can persist in
the environment for centuries, hence by 2050, the amount of
plastic in seas and oceans across the world will weigh more than the
fish.
Plastic Waste In India
• According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), India
generates close to 26,000 tones of plastic a day and over 10,000
tones a day of plastic waste remains uncollected.

• According to a Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and

Industry (FICCI) study the plastic processing industry is estimated
to grow to 22 million tones (MT) a year by 2020 from 13.4 MT in 2015
and nearly half of this is single-use plastic.

• India’s per capita plastic consumption of less than 11 kg, is nearly

a tenth of the United States of America (109 kg).
 Impacts of Plastic Pollution
• Economic Losses: Plastic waste along shoreline has a negative impact on
tourism revenue (creates an aesthetic issue).
For example, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, are under the plastic threat
and facing the aesthetic issue because of the
international dumping of plastic waste at the island.
• Implications for Animals: Plastic wastes have profoundly affected
animals in aquatic, marine, and terrestrial ecosystems.
• Plastic ingestion upsets or fills up the digestive systems of the animals
thus contributing to their death due to intestinal blockage or starvation.
• Marine animals can also be trapped in plastic waste where they are
exposed to predators or starve to death.
• The plastics may also contain toxic chemicals which can harm the
animal’s vital organs or biological functions
 Implications for Human
Health: The chemicals leached from
the plastics contain compounds, like
polybrominated diphenyl ether (anti-
androgen), bisphenol A (mimics the
natural female hormone estrogen)
and phthalates (also known as anti-
androgens), impact human health
leading to various hormonal and
genetic disorders.

 These chemicals can interfere with

the functioning of the endocrine
system and thyroid hormones and
can be very destructive to women of
reproductive age and young children.
• Implications for Animals: Plastic
wastes have profoundly affected
animals in aquatic, marine, and
terrestrial ecosystems.
• Plastic ingestion upsets or fills up
the digestive systems of the animals
thus contributing to their death due
to intestinal blockage or starvation.
• Marine animals can also be trapped
in plastic waste where they are
exposed to predators or starve to
death .The plastics may also
contain toxic chemicals which can
harm the animal’s vital organs or
biological functions.
Types of Pollution Caused by Plastic
• Land Pollution: Plastics leach hazardous chemicals on land, resulting in the
destruction and decline in quality of the earth’s land surfaces in term of use,
landscape and ability to support life forms.

• Air Pollution: Plastic burning releases poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere
impacting general well-being and causing respiratory disorders in living beings.

• Groundwater Pollution: Whenever plastics are dumped in landfills, the hazardous

chemicals present in them seep underground when it rains. The leaching
chemicals and toxic elements infiltrate into the aquifers and water table, indirectly
affecting groundwater quality.

• Water Pollution: Many lakes and oceans have reported alarming cases of plastic
debris floating on water surfaces, affecting a great number of aquatic creatures. It
leads to dreadful consequences to marine creatures that swallow the toxic chemicals.
In 2014, United Nation report estimated the annual impact of plastic pollution on
oceans at US$ 13 billion.
PLASTIC POLLUTION BEACHES & OCEANS
•Garbage has been discarded into the oceans for as long as humans have
sailed the seven seas or lived on seashores or near waterways flowing into
the sea. Since the 1940s, plastic use has increased dramatically, resulting
in a huge quantity of nearly indestructible, lightweight material floating in
the oceans and eventually deposited on beaches worldwide.
PLASTIC WHEN BURN IN AIR
•When plastic burned in air it releases a host of poisonous chemicals
into the air, including dioxin, the most toxic substance known to
science.
1.Dioxins are found throughout the world in the environment and
they accumulate in the food chain, mainly in the fatty tissue of
animals.
2.Dioxins are highly toxic and can cause reproductive and
developmental problems, damage the immune system, interfere
with hormones and also cause cancer.
 Plastic poison – Styrofoam:
•Styrofoam is one of the most environmental toxins found in plastic.
•Polystyrene is manufactured using benzene, from coal styrene, from
petroleum; and ethylene, a "blowing agent" used in the process since
the crackdown on CFCs.
•Extracting these raw materials generates air and water pollution; it can
lead to lung cancer and neurological problems in factory workers.
•Like all plastics, polystyrene is non-biodegradable. Even after a take-
out container has dissolved 500 years from now, its chemical
components will still clog the ecosystem.
•Research on whether polystyrene chemicals “migrate” from container
to food is hotly debated, but it's a fact that styrene has been present in
our fatty tissue and breast milk for the past 30 years.
PLASTIC CARRY BAG: A MAJOR SOURCE OF
POLLUTION
•Plastic has replaced the traditional material (paper/cloth etc.) as packing and
carry bags because of its low cost of production, lightweight, strength, easy
manufacturing process, and availability.
•There are numerous hazards of plastic carry bags. The land gets littered by
plastic bag garbage presenting an ugly and unhygienic scene.
•The "Throw away" culture results in these bags finding their way into the city
drainage system. The resulting blockage creates an unhygienic environment
resulting in health hazards and the spread of water-borne diseases.
•This littering also reduces the rate of rainwater percolating, resulting in lowering
of already low water levels in our cities.
•The soil fertility deteriorates as the plastic bags form part of manure and remain
in the soil for years.
Interference with Food Chain
 Studies determine that the chemicals affect the biological and
reproduction process resulting in reduced numbers of offspring thus
disrupting the food chain.
It adversely affects the food chain.

 When the smaller animals (planktons, mollusks, worms, fishes, insects, and
amphibians) are intoxicated by ingesting plastic, they are passed on to the
larger animals disrupting the interrelated connections within the food chain.
• Food packaging plastics migrate into food, exposing consumers to
contaminants.
 Microplastics trigger inflammation, oxidative stress, and cause organ
damage.
• Microplastics penetrate biological barriers and disrupt stem cell function.
• Poor Drainage: Drainage system clogged with plastic bags,
films, and other plastic items, causes flooding.
• Impact on Habitats: Seafloor plastic waste sheets could act
like a blanket, inhibiting gas exchange and leading to anoxia
or hypoxia (low oxygen levels) in the aquatic system, which in
turn can adversely affect the marine life.
• Invasive Species: Plastic waste can also be a mode of
transport for species, potentially increasing the range of certain
marine organisms or introducing species into an environment
where they were previously absent. This, in turn, can cause
subsequent changes in the ecosystem of the region.
Challenges caused by Plastic
 Mismanaged Plastic Waste (plastic dumped openly): In
the form of microplastics/microbeads when plastic enters the
environment via inland waterways, wastewater outflows, and
transport by wind or tides cannot all be filtered out once it
enters the ocean.
 As plastics travel with ocean currents, an island of trash called
the Great Pacific Garbage Patch has been created.
 Click icon to add picture
E-Commerce
Companies
Apart from the plastic
we consume through
traditional retail, the
popularity of online
retail and food delivery
apps, though restricted
to big cities, is
contributing to the rise
in plastic waste.
• Microplastics: After entering into the aquatic
environment, microplastics can travel vast distances
floating in seawater, or sediment to the seabed. A
recent study has revealed that microplastics in the
atmosphere are trapped by the clouds and the falling
snow.
• Microplastic particles are commonly white or opaque in
color, which are commonly mistaken by
many surface-feeding fishes as food (plankton)
and can even move up the food chain to human
consumers (from eating contaminated
fish/seafood/shellfish).
Marine Litter: Plastic
pollution in freshwater and
marine environments have
been identified as a global
problem and it is estimated
that plastic pollution accounts
for 60-80% of marine plastic
waste.
Terrestrial
Plastic: 80% of plastic
pollution originates
from land-based
sources with the
remainder from ocean-
based sources (fishing
nets, fishing ropes).
Improper Implementation
and Monitoring: In spite of
the notification of the Plastic
Waste Management
(PWM) Rules, 2016 and
amendments made in 2018,
local bodies (even the biggest
municipal corporations) have
failed to implement and monitor
segregation of waste.
Solution-Plastic Waste
Management
 Reduce: First step in reducing plastic waste is to minimize
single use plastics by supporting a tax on plastic bags, restraint
on manufacturing of plastics, and using alternatives of plastic or
biodegradable plastic.
 For example :-Project REPLAN (stands for Reducing Plastic in
Nature) launched by Khadi and Village Industries
Commission (KVIC) aims to reduce consumption of plastic
bags by providing a more sustainable alternative.
• Reuse: Reusing plastics can reduce the demand for new
plastics hence it can act as the natural restrain on plastic
manufacturing.
• Recycle: Plastic recycling is the process of recovering waste or
scrap plastic and reprocessing it into useful products. It offers
several benefits like:
Plastic Recycling
Plastic recycling is a crucial process that involves several steps to
convert waste plastic into reusable materials. The main steps include:
1.Collection: Gathering waste plastic products from various sources.
2.Sorting: Separating plastics into different categories based on their
type.
3.Washing: Cleaning the plastics to remove impurities.
4.Shredding: Breaking down the plastics into smaller pieces.
5.Compounding: Melting and reforming the plastic into new products.
Recycling plastic helps reduce the need for fossil fuels, saves energy,
and minimizes landfill waste, contributing to environmental protection
•The biggest problem with plastic recycling is that it is difficult to automate
the sorting of plastic waste, and so it is labor intensive.
•Typically, workers plastic looking at the resin identification code, though
common containers like soda bottles can be sorted from memory.
•Only 3.5 percent of all plastics are recycled in any way. It is estimated that
between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each
year.
•Less than 1 percent of these are recycled as it costs more to recycle a bag
than to produce a new one.
Common Recycled Plastics
 polyethylene terephthalate (PET/PETE)
 High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
 Polyvinyl Chloride
 Low Density Polyethylene
Recovery: It is the
process of converting non-
recyclable plastics into a
range of useful forms of
energy and chemicals for
industry. Since plastics
contain mainly carbon and
hydrogen, with similar
energy content to
conventional fuels such as
diesel, they can be used as
a potential source of fuel.
PLASTIC ROAD
 Plastic road mainly use plastic carry-bags, disposable
cups and plastic bottles that are melted to form an oily
coat over the aggregate and the mixture is laid on the
road surface like a normal tar road.
 The materials used in plastic roads mainly include
waste plastic products, which are melted and mixed
with aggregate to form a road surface.
Plastic Waste Materials Used:
1.Plastic carry bags
2.Disposable cups
3.Plastic bottles
4.Plastic packaging films
5.Styrofoam products (occasionally)
6.Other household plastic waste (e.g., wrappers,
containers)
🔹 Other Construction Materials Used:
7.Coarse Aggregates – crushed stone or gravel
8.Fine Aggregates – sand or dust
9.Bitumen (tar) – binds the aggregate and plastic mix
10.Plastic waste (shredded) – coated on aggregates
🔹 Dry Process (Most commonly used)
✅ Process:
1.Waste plastics are cleaned, dried, and shredded into
small pieces (2–4 mm).
2.Aggregates are heated to about 170°C.
3.The shredded plastic is added to the hot
aggregates, where it melts and coats the surface of
the stones.
4.Bitumen is then added to this plastic-coated
aggregate and mixed thoroughly.
5.The mixture is laid on the road as usual.
🔹 Wet Process
✅ Process:
1.Shredded plastic waste is melted and directly blended
into hot bitumen at around 160–170°C.
2.This plastic-modified bitumen is then mixed with hot
aggregates.
3.The mix is laid and compacted to form the road surface.
✅ Advantages:
•Provides better bonding between
bitumen and aggregates
•Enhances binding strength and
performance of the pavement
•More suitable for high-traffic roads
 Disadvantages of Plastic Roads
•Environmental Concerns
Burning plastic during road construction can release toxic fumes harmful to health and
environment.
If not properly managed, plastic waste may still pollute surroundings.
•Durability Issues in Extreme Conditions
Plastic roads may soften or deform in very high temperatures .They can become brittle and
crack in extremely cold climates.
•Cost of Technology and Equipment
Initial setup for plastic road technology requires special machinery and expertise, increasing
costs.Not all regions have easy access to these technologies.
•Limited Long-Term Data
Since plastic roads are relatively new, long-term performance and degradation patterns are not
fully studied. Maintenance needs over decades are uncertain.
•Recycling Challenges
Roads containing mixed plastics can be difficult to recycle at the end of their life.
Potential microplastic release due to wear and tear on the road surface.
Development of Plastic Roads
•India generates over 3.3 million tons of plastic waste annually, much of
which is non-biodegradable.
•To tackle plastic pollution and improve road quality, India pioneered the
concept of using plastic waste in road construction.
•The first plastic roads were developed in 2002 by the Central Road Research
Institute (CRRI), Delhi.
Plastic Road Projects
•Bengaluru (Karnataka): First city to construct plastic roads in the
early 2000s, resulting in reduced potholes and improved road life.
•Nagpur (Maharashtra): Used plastic roads in municipal projects to
improve urban infrastructure.
•Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Implemented plastic road technology to
tackle municipal plastic waste.
•National Highways: Several stretches on highways have been
constructed or resurfaced using plastic waste.
Government and Global Interventions
• On World Environment Day, 2018 the world leaders vowed
to “Beat Plastic Pollution” & eliminate its use completely.
• The Group of 20 (G20) environment ministers, agreed to
adopt a new implementation framework for actions to tackle
the issue of marine plastic waste on a global scale.
• Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016 state that every
local body has to be responsible for setting up infrastructure for
segregation, collection, processing, and disposal of
plastic waste.
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules
2018 introduced the concept of Extended Producer
Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)

• EPR is a policy approach under which producers are given a

significant financial and physical responsibility (with respect to
segregation and collection of waste at the source) for the
treatment or disposal of post-consumer products.
• Assigning such responsibility could in principle provide
incentives to prevent wastes at the source, promote product
design for the environment and support the achievement of
public recycling and materials management goals.
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2018:
• Phasing out of multi-layered plastic (MLP) (material used or to be
used for packaging and having at least one layer of plastic) is now
applicable to MLP which are "non-recyclable, or non-energy
recoverable, or with no alternate use."
• Prescribed a central registration system for the registration of the
producer/importer/brand owner of plastics.
• The centralised registration system will be evolved by the Central
Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the registration of the
producer/importer/brand owner.
• The rules aim to streamline the registration process for producers,
importers, and brand owners, while also providing a mechanism for
phasing out non-recyclable multi-layered plastics.
• Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules, 2021:
• Prohibits identified single-use plastic items that have low utility and
high littering potential by 2022.
• Prohibition of manufacture, import, stocking, distribution, sale, and use of
certain single-use plastic items including polystyrene and expanded
polystyrene from 1st July 2022.
• Plastic packaging waste not covered by the phase-out of single-use plastic
items will be collected and managed in an environmentally sustainable way
through Extended Producer Responsibility.
• This responsibility is legally enforced through the Plastic Waste
Management Amendment Rules, 2021.
• Increase in the thickness of plastic carry bags from 50 microns to 75 microns
with effect from 30th September 2021, and to 120 microns with effect from
31st December 2022.
• Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules,
2022:Introduced guidelines on EPR for plastic packaging. These
guidelines set mandatory targets for EPR, recycling of plastic
packaging waste, reuse of rigid plastic packaging, and the use of
recycled plastic content.
• Environmental compensation will be imposed on those who
fail to meet EPR targets, based on the polluter pays principle.

• This is to protect and improve the environment, and

prevent, control, and reduce pollution.
• The principle holds polluters responsible for compensating
for the damage caused to the environment, regardless of
their intent.
Global Steps To Control Plastic Pollution

• World Environment Day (WED) : It focuses on solutions to plastic

pollution problem under the campaign #Beat Plastic Pollution.
• The United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030
• It is a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around
the world, for the benefit of people and nature.
• It is led by the United Nations Environment programme (UNEP) and the
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
• Global Plastic Treaty
• 175 nations agree to develop a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by
2024, prompting a major step towards reducing greenhouse gas
emissions from plastic production, use and disposal.
• Basel Convention, 1989
• It calls for minimizing the generation of waste and for its environmentally
sound management.
• It is the only legally binding global instrument that aims to protect human
health and the environment by controlling the transboundary movements of
hazardous wastes and other wastes.
London Convention, 1972
• Also known as Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping of Wastes and Other Matter.
• Objective: To promote the effective control of all sources of marine pollution and
to take all practicable steps to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of
wastes and other matter.
Way Forward:
• Raising awareness amongst the public of the harm caused by plastic pollution
through education and outreach programs to modify behavior.
• A movement against plastic waste would have to prioritise the reduction of single-use
plastic such as multi-layer packaging, bread bags, food wrap, and protective packaging.
• Promote Alternatives, before the ban or levy comes into force, the availability of
alternatives need to be assessed, hence the government may:
• Provide economic incentives to encourage the uptake of eco-friendly and fit-for-
purpose alternatives that do not cause more harm.
• Support can include tax rebates, research and development funds, technology
incubation, public-private partnerships and support to projects that recycle single-
use items and turn waste into a resource that can be used again.
• Reduce or abolish taxes on the import of materials used to make alternatives.
• Provide incentives to the alternative industry by introducing tax rebates or
other conditions to support its transition from plastic industry.
• Expanding the use of biodegradable plastics or even edible plastics made
from various materials such as bagasse (the residue after extracting juice from
sugarcane), corn starch, and grain flour.
• Use of microbeads in personal care products and cosmetics must be
prohibited.
• The Swachh Bharat Mission should emerge as a platform for plastic waste
management.
• Target the most problematic single-use plastics by conducting a baseline
assessment to identify the most problematic single-use plastics, as well as the
current causes, extent and impacts of their mismanagement.
• Consider the best actions to tackle the problem of plastic waste
management (e.g. through regulatory, economic, awareness, voluntary actions)
given the country’s socio-economic standing.
• Assess the potential social, economic and environmental
impacts (positive and negative) of the preferred short-listed plastic waste
management measures/actions, by considering how will the poor be
affected, or what impact will the preferred course of action have on different
sectors and industries.
• Identify and engage key stakeholder groups like retailers, consumers,
industry representatives, local government, manufacturers, civil society,
environmental groups, and tourism associations in order to ensure broad
buy-in.
• Explaining the decision and any punitive measures that will follow, as
a result of non compliance of plastic management rule.
• Use revenues collected from taxes or levies on single-use plastics to
maximize the public good, thereby supporting environmental projects or
boosting local recycling with the funds and creating jobs in the plastic
recycling sector with seed funding.
• Enforce the plastic waste management measure effectively, by
making sure that there is clear allocation of roles and
responsibilities.
• Monitor and adjust the plastic waste management measure if
necessary and update the public on progress.
What is the 2025 World Environment Day theme?
 The theme chosen for this World Environmental Day is
ending plastic pollution.
 Join the conversation on social media using
#WorldEnvironmentDay and
#BeatPlasticPollution.