India Responsible For One-Fifth Of Global Plastic Pollution, Study Finds

A study published last week in the journal Nature revealed that India is responsible for one-fifth of global plastic pollution.

Annually, India incinerates around 5.8 million tonnes (mt) of plastic and releases an additional 3.5 mt into the environment as waste.

In total, India contributes 9.3 mt of plastic pollution each year, surpassing Nigeria, Indonesia, and China, the next highest contributors.

The study highlighted a significant Global North-South divide in plastic pollution, noting that Southern Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeastern Asia have the highest plastic waste emissions.

In fact, about 69% (or 35.7 million tonnes annually) of global plastic pollution originates from 20 countries, none of which are classified as High Income Countries (HIC).

No High Income Countries are among the top 90 polluters due to their effective waste management, as the researchers noted that waste disposal depends on government services, not just regional blame or praise.