Introduction: According to the 2024 report “Plastic Overshoot Day – September 5, 2024,” by EA Earth Action, India is among the top 12 nations contributing to around 60% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste. The report was launched ahead of the 4th meeting of the United Nations Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) in Ottawa, Canada, from April 23-29, 2024.
Key Points:
- Top 12 Contributors: China, India, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, Vietnam, Iran, Indonesia, Egypt, Pakistan, the United States, and Türkiye.
- India’s Per Capita Plastic Waste: Stands at 8 kg per capita per year, among the world’s lowest. India’s mismanaged plastic waste is less than one-fifth of China’s and one-third of the USA’s.
- Environmental Impact: India is estimated to release 3,91,879 tons of microplastics and 31,483 tons of chemical additives into waterways in 2024.
Global Plastic Waste Statistics:
- Increase in Waste: Global plastic waste generation increased by 7.11% since 2021, with 220 million tons generated in 2024. Around 70 million tons will end up polluting the environment.
- Highest Waste Production: Belgium produces the highest plastic waste per person at 147.7 kg/year, 16 times more than India.
- Mismanaged Waste Leader: Oman leads in mismanaged plastic waste with 111 kg per person in 2024, 30 times more than Norway.
Plastic Overshoot Day:
- Definition: Marks the date when plastic waste surpasses waste management capacity, causing environmental pollution.
- Global Date: September 5, 2024.
- India’s Date: April 23, 2024.
- Overshoot Duration: 117 days in 2024, indicating a period when plastic waste won’t be adequately managed.
- Global Impact: By April 2024, nearly half of the world’s population will live in areas where plastic waste exceeds management capacity.
Assessment: The report is based on municipal solid waste data from 2024, with global plastic production of 220 million tons. It categorizes countries into various archetypes: Moderate Polluters, Overloaders, Low-Waste-Producing Polluters, Toxic Waste Producers, Transactors, and Self-Sustainers.
Recent Related News:
- State of the World’s Migratory Species Report: Launched on February 12, 2024, at CMS COP14 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
- Integrated Waste Management Facility in Goa: Inaugurated by PM Narendra Modi on February 6, 2024, for the scientific treatment of 60 TPD wet waste and 40 TPD dry waste.
About EA Earth Action:
- Co-CEOs: Julien Boucher and Sarah Perreard
- Headquarters: Lausanne, Switzerland
- Established: 2013
EA Earth Action is a non-profit organization providing environmental research, consulting, and solutions.
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