Let’s get our act together to tackle plastic pollution

Has our love for plastic consumed us so much that we are unable to see the damage it is causing to our planet and the different forms of life? A young whale that was washed up in the Philippines recently died from ‘gastric shock’. Images of autopsy showed endless piles of rubbish inside the animal. The young whale had ingested 40kg of plastic bags, including 16 rice sacks, four banana plantation style bags and multiple shopping bags. But this isn’t a one-off case. Several marine species are dying every year, and will continue to until we stop treating our waterways and oceans as dumpsters. Our mindless consumption and disposal of mountains of plastic is filling our landfills, impacting our oceans, landscape, wildlife, and our health. There is also evidence of nanoparticles of plastics entering the food chain. We don’t know how severely this will impact us in the future, but we have only begun to see the far-reaching consequences of the pollution unleashed by plastic.

Have we unleashed a monster that we cannot control now? Perhaps no. We can still make a difference. Concerted efforts help. A few countries and cities have been showing the way. Rwanda, for instance, was among the pioneers in banning plastic bags and packaging, way back in 2008. In 2014, California imposed a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags at large retail stores. In 2015, Delhi placed a blanket ban on the use of plastic carry bags across the city. Morocco banned use of plastic bags in 2016. Imagine the impact if more countries join in. Perhaps, the UAE too should take stricter steps in the fight against plastic. Big retailers have been consciously promoting the use of reusable bags, but we still see consumers opting for the plastic alteratives. The government needs to give direction to people, and often the most effective way to bring about change is through directives. Plastic per se is not bad, but it is our excessive consumption that is to be blamed. Our cavalier attitude towards its reuse has brought us to this stage. Only if we learn to recycle it properly, can we be at peace.