World Environment Day 2023: Cleaning up marine litter; too little, too late?

India generates 55 million tonnes of municipal waste annually, of which only 37 per cent is treated, according to the Central Pollution Control Board.

Land-based sources account for most of the plastic in the water, contributing significantly to the growing burden of marine debris. Unaccounted waste from urban centres is carried by river systems to oceans for final dumping.

India has a coastline spanning 7,517 kilometres housing a population of 420 million out of which 330 million live on or within 150 km of a coast. Three in four metro cities of the country are located on the coast.

Around 95 per cent of India’s trade by volume and 68 per cent by value is executed through waterways. Plastics contribute a major portion of about 60 per cent of the total marine debris that reaches the oceans.

Only 60 per cent (9,205 tonnes per day) of the total collected plastic waste is recycled, while the fate of the remaining 40 per cent is not accounted. Some 15,343 tonnes of waste dumped in the south Asian seas daily are generated from 60 major Indian cities, according to the United Nations Environment Programme.

High quantities of sediments are noticed along the entire water column during monsoon due to their spread into coastal water through creeks, rivers and estuaries.

Attempts have been made by some organisations like TREE Foundation in rescuing marine species from debris and specifically ghost nets. The foundation has also saved and released more than 3,101,000 Olive Ridley turtles by employing youth from artisanal fishing communities.

In June 2021, a ghost net retrieval programme was spearheaded by incentivising fishermen who retrieved 57,353 kg of ghost nets from the sea. But, there is a way forward for managing marine litter in a better way.

They include the following:

• Formulation of the National Marine litter Policy of India (2018) according to which researchers will develop a database on the origin, pathways and trends of marine debris across the country’s coastline.
• A coastal cities forum for ensuring a cross-learning ecosystem. Partnerships among coastal towns, cities and urban administration for the creation of sustainable waste management ecosystems.
• Regular beach clean-up and awareness programmes
• Steps to execute legislation like banning Single Use Plastic (above 50 microns), since the ban is not effective on ground.

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