Ministry of Environment tightens rules on bioplastics

Types of Biodegradable Plastics:

• Biodegradable plastic: These are plastic items treated before being sold to facilitate degradation through biological processes.
• Compostable plastic: These plastics can also degrade, but they require specialized industrial or municipal waste management facilities for the process.

Updates to Plastic Waste Management Rules:

• The recent amendments to India’s Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2024, now define biodegradable plastics as those capable of degradation without leaving behind any microplastics.
• The rules emphasize that biodegradable plastics must degrade through biological processes in specific environments like soil or landfills, without leaving microplastics residue.

Challenges and Concerns:

• Absence of specific guidelines: The amendments lack clarity on the specific tests required to establish the absence of microplastics in biodegradable plastics.
• Uncertainty for manufacturers: The Central Pollution Control Board's refusal to issue provisional certificates to companies seeking to label their products as biodegradable has left many manufacturers in limbo.
• Lack of standardized testing: While India's current standards recommend tests to determine microplastic levels, there is no definitive test prescribed.

Impact of Microplastics:

• Microplastics pose a significant threat to the environment, particularly rivers and oceans, as a major source of pollution.

Industry Perspectives:

• Sunil Panwar, CEO of Symphony Environmental India, advocates for a standardized testing protocol that encompasses both compostable and biodegradable plastics.
• Currently, the absence of clear standards and testing methods adds to the challenges faced by plastic manufacturers seeking to comply with the new regulations.

Global sea level jumped due to El Nino, climate change: NASA

Findings of the study

• Observed Rise in Sea Level: From 2022 to 2023, sea level rose by 0.3 inches (0.76 cm), nearly four times the increase of the previous year.
• Long-Term Trend: Overall, sea levels have risen by around four inches since 1993. The rate of increase has also accelerated, more than doubling from 0.07 inches per year in 1993 to the current rate of 0.17 inches per year.
• Projections: At the current rate of acceleration, sea level is expected to rise by an additional 20 cm (7.8 inches) by 2050. This would be double the amount of sea level rise experienced in the entire 20th century.

Impacts of Sea Level Rise

• Sea level rise has a number of serious consequences, including: a) More frequent and severe coastal flooding, b) Erosion of beaches and coastal property, c) Increased salinization of freshwater resources, d) Loss of wetlands and coastal ecosystems and e) These impacts will displace millions of people living in coastal areas and cause significant economic damage.

Causes of Sea Level Rise

• The primary cause of sea level rise is thermal expansion of the oceans as they absorb heat from the atmosphere. Melting of glaciers and ice sheets is another contributing factor. El Nino events can also cause temporary increases in sea level.

El Nino vs. Long-Term Warming

• El Nino is a natural climate cycle that causes warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. This can lead to a temporary rise in sea level. However, the long-term trend of sea level rise is due to global warming, which is caused by human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

The Way Forward

• Limiting global warming is essential to reduce the rate of sea level rise. This requires transitioning to clean energy sources and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, adaptation strategies are needed to prepare for the inevitable impacts of sea level rise.