IN 2017, a team of scientists published their findings on global plastic production, the first such attempt at measuring the scale of the problem since 1950. The study revealed that by 2015, a whopping 8.3bn metric tons of plastic had been produced, out of which 6.3bn tons became waste. Only 9pc of that waste was recycled, while 12pc was destroyed. The remaining 79pc was simply dumped into the environment and landfills. And it can take anywhere from 100 to 1,000 years to disintegrate. Perhaps the most disturbing finding was that approximately half of all the total plastic waste was produced only since the turn of the century. To say that humanity has an addiction to plastic is an understatement. Without large-scale, long-term intervention, the problem will keep escalating.

By 2050, an estimated 12bn metric tons of plastic waste is expected to be deposited in landfills or thrown into the environment, wreaking havoc on natural life, clogging waterways and drainage systems, and spelling disaster for human health. Around 8m tons end up in the oceans, which contain the vast majority of all life forms on the planet. The news of whales and other majestic marine life dying due to their consumption of plastic is becoming more and more frequent. Divers have found plastic in the deepest points of the ocean. A study conducted earlier this year found microplastics inside amphipods in six of the deepest-known parts of the ocean, including the Mariana Trench. Undoubtedly, this human-created material finds its way into our diet as well, and this has been proven in several studies.

Like much of the rest of the world, Pakistan too suffers from its addiction to plastic since it is cheap to manufacture and durable, particularly single-use plastic bags and wrappings that are used and discarded at whim. According to the Pakistan Plastic Manufacturers Association, approximately 55bn plastic bags are used each year in the country. In the most recent effort to cut down on the use of plastic bags, the climate change ministry announced Aug 14 as the cut-off date for using such bags in the capital city. Failure to comply will result in heavy fines for the manufacturers, and the ministry has warned that it will be conducting raids. Whether the authority is successful or not remains to be seen. In the past, there have been several efforts by provincial governments and municipal authorities to outlaw their use, but law enforcement remains weak. There is also an outcry from plastic bag manufacturers that employ thousands in factories. While there are no easy, quick-fix solutions — and even though it may be hard for some to imagine a world without plastic — it is important to remember just how recent a phenomenon plastic is. It is not a necessity, and its long-term damage to the environment and human health far outweighs its temporary convenience.

Published in Dawn, August 5th, 2019