Plan the Ban

A look into the single-use plastic pollution and ban from the view of wastepickers

The first phase of the plastic ban tries to eliminate single-use plastics (SUPs). These have low recycling value and are not picked up by the wastepickers. If not managed, these pose a serious threat to nature. But, as India’s plastic waste is mostly managed by the informal sector, 40% of a waste-picker’s income comes from plastics. A complete ban in the future on all plastics will hamper their livelihood.

Complete ban on plastics can decrease the income of a large informal sector so they need alternate livelihoods.

Thus, this research conducted in Delhi, Nainital, Pune, and Indore identifies a pathway to handle larger plastic bans from the perspective of the wastepickers. Chintan, partnering with other organizations, carried out extensive research in four Indian cities: Delhi, Nainital, Pune, and Indore to identify and segregate plastics through surveys, plastics audits, group discussions, and review of existing literature on the issue. The key findings revealed the high-valued plastics. Single-use plastics along with harmful ones were also identified. An awareness of what damage plastics can do to the environment was observed too, where the wastepickers are not against a bigger ban but need proper policy so that they can stay in business. So, a systematic process of elimination of plastics was realized with the expansion of livelihoods using principles of circular economy and relooking of legal and policy mandates.

The report recommends modification of policies like the Plastic Waste Management Rules of 2018 and MSW rules of 2016 and collaboration with urban local bodies. The masterplans will not only locate income-generating activities and allocate space for the wastepickers but will also envisage reuse services as a viable option, and provide better means for wet waste composting. Accurately pinpointing the SUPs, proper vigilance on their management, and subsidizing plastic substitutes were also suggested.