In a recent study, India has emerged as the world's top plastic polluter, releasing 9.3 million tonnes (Mt) of plastic annually. It now constitutes about one-fifth of global plastic emissions, the study revealed in Nature. This figure also highlights an important environmental concern, with India's plastic emissions surpassing those of other countries by a considerable margin.
After India, it’s Nigeria and Indonesia that hold the second and third position in the plastic emissions, with 3.5 Mt and 3.4 Mt, respectively. The study defines plastic emissions as materials that have transitioned from a managed system (controlled or contained state) to an unmanaged system (uncontrolled or uncontained state — the environment).
The study also points out that India’s official waste generation rate, which is about 0.12 kilograms per capita per day, is likely underestimated. The report suggests that waste collection figures are also inflated. This discrepancy may stem from the exclusion of data from rural areas, the open burning of uncollected waste, and waste recycled by the informal sector.
Before this, China was identified as the top global polluter, but the country has dropped to fourth position. This shift reflects China’s progress in waste management, including investments in incineration and controlled landfills over the past 15 years. The study’s updated data, which includes correction algorithms for unreported waste, offers a more accurate picture of global plastic pollution.
The research quantified emissions from 50,702 municipal-level administrations, assessing five sources: uncollected waste, littering, collection systems, uncontrolled disposal, and rejects from sorting and reprocessing. The findings reveal that global plastic waste emissions reached 52.1 Mt in 2020. Littering was the predominant source of emissions in the Global North, while uncollected waste was the major source in the Global South.
Notably, 69% of global plastic waste emissions, or 35.7 Mt per year, originate from 20 countries, including four low-income, nine lower-middle-income, and seven upper-middle-income nations. High-income countries, despite having higher plastic waste generation rates, are not in the top 90 polluters due to their comprehensive waste collection and controlled disposal systems.
The study, while comprehensive, may still underestimate emissions from some high-income countries as it excluded plastic waste exports. These insights are crucial for the upcoming Global Plastics Treaty, which aims to create a legally binding agreement on plastic pollution by 2024. The findings offer a new baseline for countries to assess and address their plastic pollution, helping shape future action plans and improve waste management strategies.
