Often, minors are employed at plastic waste segregation plants.  Photographs by Vikas Choudhary
Waste

Failure of Busan talks shows that consensus for global plastics treaty is not easy to achieve

As world grapples with plastic pollution menace, negotiators are having a hard time arriving at mutually agreeable terms

Vikas Choudhary

No matter how hazardous the plastic waste generation is, countries around the world are having a hard time to agree upon a global plastics treaty.

The failure of talks in South Korea’s Busan shows that when it comes to ensuring sustainability of the businesses at the cost of profits, no country or corporation is ready to budge.

Globally, out of 400 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated annually, merely 9 per cent of plastics are recycled.

India is the world’s biggest generator of plastic waste, and its disposal is also not up to the mark. While repeated bans are imposed on single use plastics, but their implementation is far from ideal.