How Replacing Plastic with Biodegradables Can Reduce the Carbon Footprints?

Biodegradable materials offer a pathway towards a more sustainable future by providing alternatives to traditional, non-biodegradable plastics and other synthetic materials. In contrast to conventional plastics, which persist for hundreds of years and contribute to environmental degradation, biodegradable materials have the inherent ability to decompose naturally over time. It also leaves minimal or no harmful residues in the environment. India, being the most populous country in the world, is facing significant environmental challenges, which include rampant plastic pollution and unsustainable waste disposal practices. The importance of innovative solutions that align with the circular economy and ecological sustainability has never been more urgent.

India generates approximately 26,000 metric tonnes of plastic waste daily, amounting to nearly 3.46 million metric tonnes annually. This places India just behind the US and the European Union in terms of plastic waste generation. Tragically, the bulk of this waste is in landfills, rivers, oceans, and urban streets. Alarmingly, only 8% of this waste is recycled, according to the National Circular Economy Roadmap for Reducing Plastic Waste in India. This problem worsens climate change and endangers public health. This positions India among the top twelve countries contributing to global plastic mismanagement.

Moreover, the incineration of plastic waste contributes to air pollution and global warming. Burning plastics releases harmful gases and microparticles, aggravating respiratory illnesses and adding to India’s greenhouse gas emissions. This impacts local air quality and contributes globally to the climate crisis. India stands to benefit significantly from embracing bio-degradable materials as it is an agricultural powerhouse and has an expanding industrial landscape. With a supportive ecosystem comprising research institutions, industrial collaborations, developed plastic processing infrastructure, and a strong backbone of industrial biotech companies, India is well placed for the efficient production of biodegradable materials. Some ways in which India is improving in the field of biodegradable materials are:

Technology:  Significant investments in research and development (R&D) are made, fostering collaboration between research organisations, corporate R&D, and public-private partnerships (PPP) in biotechnology, chemistry, and engineering.

Expertise: Leveraging its demographic advantage, India is capitalising on a skilled and competent workforce in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). A harmonious blend of manual operations and automation will enhance efficiency.

Production Ecosystem: Ensuring access to power, water, and land at competitive prices is crucial for creating a conducive production ecosystem, and the development of a robust transportation and logistics infrastructure will further support the industry’s growth.

Plastic Processing Industry: Facilitation with ease of doing business is necessary while being coupled with the advantages of an already established plastic processing industry in the country. The plastic processing industry in India is quite old and developed. Bioplastic compounders can benefit from the already-developed know-how and infrastructure for developing various bioplastic formulations. 

Policies: The implementation of the single-use plastic ban worldwide and an ambitious biomanufacturing initiative by the Government of India are serving as facilitating drivers for bioplastics production. In 2021, the Plastic Waste Management Amendment Rules were enacted, prohibiting specific single-use plastic items with low utility and high littering potential. India is part of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC), which is convened by the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) to develop an internationally legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment, based on a comprehensive approach that addresses the full life cycle of plastic.

For India to address its plastic waste crisis, the adoption of biodegradable waste materials is crucial. India faces a pressing challenge with a significant contribution to environmental pollution and substantial plastic waste generation. However, India can effectively pivot towards a biodegradable solution with its growing industrial sector and by leveraging its position as an agricultural powerhouse. With policies of global collaboration for robust foundations and a ban on single-use plastic, India will reduce its environmental footprint and foster a sustainable future.