The Delhi government is taking proactive measures to effectively reduce plastic waste from the ecosystem, Dr K S Jayachandran, member secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee said.
Dr Jayachandran said 19 single-use plastics have already been banned and more will follow.
“This change should significantly reduce the existing 550-tonne single-use plastic waste per day,” the member secretary, Delhi Pollution Control Committee said during a panel discussion on the theme ‘Plastic Neutrality Through Circular Economy’ at the IFAT India 2022 show preview in the national capital.
Messe Muenchen India hosted the show preview of the 9th edition of IFAT India in the national capital. IFAT India 2022 will be held at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, on 28-20 September.
IFAT India is one of the leading trade fairs in the country for environmental technologies. It is reputed as a high-powered platform for industry experts, policymakers, and business leaders to discuss regional strategies on pressing environmental challenges such as wastewater treatment, solid waste
management, and recycling.
“IFAT India has provided an unbiased and vocal platform which brings all the key stakeholders on one table. Events like these not only spread awareness amongst common people but also make the government and public sector commit for a better and cleaner environment,” Dr Jayachandran said.
The panel discussion was moderated by Dr Ashish Jain, director of the Indian Pollution Control Association.
There is a strong push from the government and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC) towards creating a circular economy in India and to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastics, effectively ensuring their circulation in the economy and out of the environment, Dr Jain said.
“Today, only a handful of stakeholders are following this path of plastic neutrality. There is a huge gap in consumption, collection, and recycling of plastic,” Dr Jain said.
“Consumption of plastics has increased by 21 per cent over the last five years,
whereas barely 16 per cent of plastic is collected and recycled,” he said during the panel discussion.
Dr Jain further said that he was confident that IFAT India 2022 will create the right ecosystem for industry leaders to share their experiences and strategies and encourage stakeholders to take appropriate measures towards a plastic neutral economy. “I expect that with such platforms, the collection and recycling rate will see a growth of more than 50 per cent,” he said.
Among other Speakers who participated in the panel discussion were
Sanchita Jindal, Former Adviser (Scientist G), MoEFCC; Tusar Ranjan Pattnaik, Corporate Head – EHS, Dabur India; Mahendra Singh Tanwar, Commissioner, Ghaziabad Municipal Corporation; and Chander Mohan Gupta, Mayor, Jammu Municipal Corporation.