Plastic pollution

Penalise violators, incentivise the unorganised sector

India’s track record in managing plastic pollution compares poorly with that of many other countries counted among the world’s major producers and consumers of plastic goods. This comes out clearly in the latest global Plastic Management Index, which ranks India 20th among 25 major plastic-producing nations. The dismal showing on this count is not due to any paucity of policies, laws, or regulations concerning this issue. Their enforcement is wanting. Going by the Central Pollution Control Board’s estimates, which some feel are conservative, the country produces 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste every year. The per-head plastic generation, notably, has