Imagining a world without plastic bags is no longer a distant dream but a pressing global debate. The recent discussions in Geneva on a global plastics treaty brought back memories of the time when municipal authorities in Indian cities cracked down on the use of polythene bags. Street vendors, fruit sellers, and vegetable traders scrambled to hide their stash of pannis, while customers who forgot to carry cloth bags relied on these thin plastic bags that were secretly handed over. For a brief week, markets resembled inspection zones, with officials overturning baskets and seizing sacks of hidden plastic.
Global Treaty Faces Sharp Divide
The Geneva meet in mid-August collapsed after sharp divisions emerged. Nations dependent on petrochemical industries resisted restrictions, while developing countries argued that production limits would hurt their economic growth. Instead, they pushed for recycling as a middle path, despite evidence showing that recycling alone cannot solve the crisis. Environmentalists point out that plastic pollution is already causing severe harm to human health, marine life, and birds, making slow consumer awareness campaigns inadequate.
Recycling Brings Its Own Burden
While recycling is often promoted as a solution, it carries a heavy carbon footprint. Shiploads of plastic waste travel from rich nations to poorer ones, where recycling provides jobs but does little to cut down the global burden of pollution. Scientists warn that the crisis has already reached an irreversible stage, calling it a “polymer apocalypse.” Without collective and binding action, experts fear the world may fail to prevent irreversible damage caused by plastic.