TOPIC – Beating plastic pollutionThe Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules notified by the Centre on August 12 acknowledge the gravity of pollution caused by plastic articles of everyday use, particularly those that have no utility beyond a few minutes or hours. Under the new rules, the manufacture, sale and use of some single-use goods made with plastic, polystyrene, and expanded polystyrene, such as ear buds, plates, cups, glasses, cutlery, wrapping and packing films, are prohibited from July 1 next year, while others such as carry bags must be at least 75 microns thick from September 30, 2021, and 120 microns from December 31 next year, compared to 50 microns at present. The decisions follow recommendations made by an expert group constituted by the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals two years ago. In 2018, India won praise globally for
asserting on World Environment Day that it would eliminate all single- use plastic by 2022, a theme that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has stressed more than once. Yet, policy
coherence to achieve the goal has been lacking. The Central Pollution Control Board has reported that 22 States have, in the past, announced a ban on single-use plastic, but this has had little impact on the crisis of waste choking wetlands and waterways and being transported to the oceans to turn into micro plastic. At about 34 lakh tones generated in 2019-20, India has a
staggering annual volume of plastic waste, of which only about 60% is recycled. What is more, a recent study of the top 100 global producers of polymers that
culminate in plastic waste found six of them based in India. It is unsurprising, therefore, that in spite of the staggering problem; policymakers have been treading on eggshells. The international view is changing, however, and support for a UN Plastic Treaty is growing; the majority of G7 countries too are supportive of cleaning up the oceans through a charter in the interests of human wellbeing and environmental integrity. India’s policies on environmental regulation are
discordant, lofty on intent but
feeble on outcomes, and plastic waste is no different. State governments have felt no compulsion to replace municipal contracts, where companies are paid for
haulage of mixed waste, with terms that require
segregation and accounting of materials. Considerable amounts of plastic waste cannot be recycled because of lack of segregation, leading to
incineration, while mixing newer types of compostable plastic will
confound the problem. Patchy regulation has led to prohibited plastic moving across State borders. Now that the Centre has adopted a broad ban, further pollution must end. Micro plastic is already found in the food chain, and governments must act responsibly to stop the
scourge.
MEANINGS AND WORDS
Asserting (adjective) – Relating to the use of or having the nature of a declaration
Synonyms – Alleging, averring, asseverate, contend, swan
Antonyms – Forbidding, refuting, abdicating, cranky, inquisitive
Coherence (noun) – Logical and orderly and consistent relation of parts
Synonyms – Adhesion, clinging, entirety, lucidity, antithesis
Antonyms – Disjunction, dissonance, misalignment, abstruseness, blurriness
Culminate (verb) – Reach the highest or most decisive point
Synonyms – Consummate, crest, halt, climaxed, accomplish
Antonyms – Commence, embark, conception, crownless, flummox
Discordant (noun) – Opposing
Synonyms – Cacophonous, strident, raucous, discrepant, shrill
Antonyms – Pacifist, euphonious, mellifluous, amicable, affable
Feeble (adjective) – Deficient in physical strength
Synonyms – Debilitated, infirm, decrepit, ailing, fragile
Antonyms – Robust, stalwart, sturdy, vigorous, formidable
Haulage (noun) – The act of drawing or hauling something
Synonyms – Portage, conveying, truckage, draught, resorption
Antonyms – Acquisition, slipperiness, unhook, receival, disregard
Segregation (noun) – A social system that provides separate facilities for minority groups
Synonyms – Sequestration, apartheid, seclusion, insulation, ghettoization
Antonyms – Coalescence, comradery, embodiment, assimilation, chamber
Incineration (noun) – The act of burning something completely
Synonyms – Cremation, combustion, cineration, cupellation, scorification
Antonyms – Quench, chill, quench, calm, extinguish
Confound (verb) – Mistake one thing for another
Synonyms – Bewilder, perplex, baffle, mystify, flummox
Antonyms – Explicate, elucidate, scrutinize, embolden, interpret
Scourge (noun) – A person who inspires fear or dread
Synonyms – Flagellate, nemesis, devastate, torment, pestilence
Antonyms – Felicity, abet, anoint, armor, bolster
Staggering (adjective) – So surprisingly impressive as to stun or overwhelm
Synonyms – Astounding, stupefying, wondrous, prodigious, splendid
Antonyms – Awaited, dammit, obvious, foreseeable, determined