Plastic dumping

Plastic is slowly becoming a dangerous solid waste product for the entire world. Even bio-degradable plastics have recently failed the extensive studies as they did not degrade even after 10 years in the soil. Other studies have shown that plastics break up into smaller particles in the ocean, which is causing accumulation of micro plastic particles in marine life and even in the sand on the beaches. The US and China trade wars have highlighted another plastic issue. USA exports a lot of waste plastic to China but when the trade war stopped this flow of waste plastic, it started accumulating in the US. Companies are now trying to dump this plastic waste to other nations; many, any including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore, have recently shipped back all the dumped plastic waste shipments and banned further imports.

Plastic is also not easily recycled. The only viable method to destroy plastic is to burn it or repurpose it. Pakistan is already dumping plastic waste into rivers which is turning into micro plastic that is polluting the soil across Pakistan. The government of Pakistan should first ensure that American waste plastic does not end up in Pakistan. Secondly the government should initiate projects for burning waste plastic and reduce the use of disposable plastic in products.

Engr Shahryar Khan Baseer

Peshawar