Single-Use Plastic Dominates Himalayan Waste Cleanup Drive

Single-Use Plastic Dominates Himalayan Waste Cleanup Drive

Why in the News ?

The Zero Waste Himalaya Alliance revealed that 84% of plastic waste in the Himalayan region comprises single-use food and beverage packaging, with 71% non-recyclable. The findings emerged from the 2024 Himalayan Cleanup drive, exposing critical waste management gaps in mountain ecosystems.

Himalayan Cleanup 2024: Scope and Findings

• The Zero Waste Himalaya Alliance and Integrated Mountain Initiative spearheaded the Himalayan Cleanup (THC) since 2018.
• In 2024, 15,000+ volunteers from 350 organisations participated across 450 locations.
• A total of 1,21,739 pieces of trash were collected, with 1,06,857 plastic items.
• The waste was classified into six categories: food packaging, household items, personal care, smoking materials, packing materials, and others.

Plastic Composition and State-wise Impact

• 2% of plastic waste was from single-use food and beverage packaging.
• 71% of plastic was non-recyclable, including multilayered plastics and Tetrapak.
• Sikkim generated the highest litter (53,814 items), followed by Darjeeling (36,180), Ladakh, Nagaland, and Uttarakhand.
• Waste pickers avoid such plastics due to no resale value, leading to choked waterways and mountain litter.

Challenges & Policy Recommendations

• The crisis is more of a production and systemic issue than a post-consumer problem.
• Volunteers found maximum litter in tourist areas and water bodies.
• The Alliance urged a shift from the recycling-centric approach to more sustainable packaging practices and corporate accountability.
• The meet in Bir, Himachal Pradesh highlighted the failure of current waste policies to address mountain-specific challenges.