This worrying tendency draws attention to India’s escalating environmental disaster, per a recent report published in Nature. India generates more rubbish than Nigeria and Indonesia combined, burning 5.8 million metric tons of plastic annually and releasing an additional 3.5 million metric tons into the environment.
Unmanaged trash contributes significantly to pollution and irreversible environmental harm. One prevalent way of disposing of plastic waste in rural regions is by open burning, which emits harmful chemicals that can cause cancer and other health problems.
The Global South suffers from inadequate waste management infrastructure in contrast to the Global North, where almost all plastic waste is managed through recycling or landfilling. Open burning is widespread in India and poses major risks to the environment and human health.
India has enacted laws to boost recycling and decrease the use of single-use plastics, but problems with public awareness and enforcement still exist. To alleviate this situation, experts recommend increasing waste collection, boosting recycling technologies, and increasing public awareness. India, the biggest producer of plastic in the world, needs to put an emphasis on creative solutions and sustainable practices to stop this trend and safeguard the environment and the general public’s health.
