By N C Talukdar
Plastic pollution has become widespread in the environment and emerged as a significant threat to the health of all types of ecosystems, including both plant and animal life.
An estimated 460 million metric tons of plastic produced globally every year and 20 million tons end up in environment.
Available data suggest that macroplastics (>0.5 mm in size) accounted for approximately 88% of global plastic leakage into the environment in 2019.
Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to over 100 years to decompose in the environment depending on their types and decomposition conditions.
Single-use plastic grocery bags typically take about 20 years to decompose, while plastic bottle made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) may take up to 400 years to break down.
The common household practice of disposing of plastic by burning them out of ignorance releases dangerous toxic gases such as dioxins, furans, mercury and PCBS into the atmosphere leading to serious health implications.
During decompositions, large plastic items gradually break down into smaller size fragments and eventually reach to size range of 1 µm to 5 mm.
In this size range, they are referred to as microplastics. In addition to originating from the breakdown of macroplastics, microplastic also enter the environment directly through industrial production such as microbeads produced for use as a component of personal care products.
Additionally, synthetic textiles contribute to microplastic pollution through the release of microfibers during washing.
Their smaller size and high mobility lead ultimately to accumulation of a significant portion of microplastic pollutants in the oceans, making them a major final sink.
Marine plastic pollution has become a major environmental concern, with widespread ecological and health implications.
The presence of plastic debris in the stomachs of seabirds, including albatrosses was first documented as early as the late 1960s (Schmid et al., 2021). T
he term microplastics was introduced in 2004 and between 2009 and 2011, nearly 3,000 scientific papers were published on microplastics, reflecting growing concern within the scientific community about their origin, distribution, and environmental impact.
In 2020, a team of Italian researchers reported the presence of microplastics in human placentas, and subsequently in the breast milk of several lactating mothers, highlighting the potential implications for human health.
In summary, plastic pollution represents a serious and growing threat to both environmental and human health. Its persistence as waste, global reach, and complex impacts on environment demand urgent and collective action.
It is a trans-boundary issue and cannot be tackled by individual efforts alone. International cooperation, informed policies, and sustained public engagement are required urgently.
The theme of World Environment Day 2025, Beat Plastic Pollution, emphasises the urgency of addressing this crisis with seriousness.
Charity begins at home, and so does the fight against plastic pollution. Whether as individual or organisation, through collective wisdom and effective policies we can contribute in prevention of plastic littering within residential and organization campuses.
In particular the student community can be actively engaged in collection, weighing and storing of escaped waste for recycling purposes.
Shredded plastic waste, when combined with organic and inorganic materials, can be repurposed as a valuable component of construction material.
Furthermore, Shredded plastic waste also has a wide range of other practical applications.
N C Talukdar is a professor at Assam down down University
