Polluter to Pioneer

In 2025, India crossed a disturbing threshold. The country is now officially recognised as the world’s largest plastic polluter, producing nearly 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste each year—almost 20% of global plastic pollution. While government statistics show that 81% of this waste is collected, the remaining 1.77 million tonnes remain uncollected, finding their way into drains, rivers, and oceans.

The consequences are visible everywhere. From clogged stormwater channels that worsen urban flooding, to plastic-choked beaches that cripple fisheries, to toxic microplastics entering the food chain, the crisis is no longer abstract. India’s per capita plastic consumption has surged to 11 kilograms per year, a figure that continues to rise with expanding urbanisation, consumer culture, and e-commerce packaging. Along India’s 7,500 km coastline, 80% of litter is plastic, devastating marine ecosystems and undermining coastal livelihoods.

The crisis is deep and systemic. It is not simply about poor waste management—it is about unchecked production, weak global governance, and domestic enforcement gaps. And because India is now at the center of this global storm, it must rise as a leader.

The Invisible Backbone: India’s Informal Recyclers

India has one of the most robust recycling systems in the world, but it rests almost entirely on the shoulders of the informal sector. Nearly 1.5 million waste pickers work across cities and towns, recycling more than 60% of recyclable plastics. Their efforts contribute to India’s PET bottle recovery rate of up to 90%, one of the highest in the world.

Yet, despite their essential contribution, these workers remain excluded from official policy frameworks. They operate in unsafe conditions, exposed to toxic fumes, sharp waste, and hazardous chemicals, without protective equipment, healthcare, or social recognition. Their labour is what keeps Indian cities from drowning in plastic, but they are treated as expendable.

Any serious attempt to address the plastics crisis must start by formally recognising and integrating these workers. Waste pickers must be included in Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, given fair wages, health protections, and access to social security. Beyond efficiency, this is a matter of justice.

Geneva’s Stalemate: A Warning for India

The collapse of the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations in Geneva (August 2025) highlighted the paralysis of international cooperation. For the second time, negotiations ended without agreement. Over 100 nations criticised the draft treaty as “unambitious,” faulting it for omitting production limits and health safeguards.

India, alongside oil-producing economies, opposed production caps, insisting instead on improving waste management. While understandable given India’s development imperatives, this stance risks locking the country into a defensive position at precisely the moment when bold leadership is needed.

Plastics are not just a waste problem; they are a production problem. Recycling cannot keep pace with the sheer volume of plastics being produced. Without global limits, waste will outstrip even the most advanced collection systems. India’s refusal to engage with this bigger picture weakens its credibility as a global sustainability leader—especially after its successful leadership of the International Solar Alliance, which positioned the country as a clean energy champion.

India’s Policy Reforms: A Start, But Not Enough

Domestically, India has taken some significant steps. The Plastic Waste Management Rules, amended in 2024 and 2025, have introduced:

* Stricter EPR provisions, making producers accountable for end-of-life management.

* Mandatory recycled plastic use in packaging, pushing industry toward circularity.

* Coverage of biodegradable plastics, closing loopholes that allowed greenwashing.

* Expanded oversight for local bodies, to improve enforcement at city level.

These are welcome measures. Yet enforcement remains the Achilles’ heel. Informal workers are still excluded, compliance remains uneven, and toxic chemical additives in plastics continue to go unregulated. Moreover, bans on single-use items are often tokenistic, poorly enforced, or easily circumvented.

The gap between policy ambition and policy implementation is now India’s biggest challenge.

What India must do

If India is to rise to the challenge, it must go beyond piecemeal bans and firefighting. A truly ambitious plastics agenda should rest on five critical pillars:

* Lead on Production Limits

Recycling cannot solve an endless tide of new plastics. India must push globally for differentiated production caps, holding high-consumption economies and fossil fuel industries accountable. At home, it must begin reducing virgin plastic use annually, sending a signal that production cuts—not just waste management—are the future.

* Recognize and Protect Informal Recyclers

The integration of waste pickers into formal systems is urgent. EPR frameworks must mandate their inclusion, guarantee fair wages, provide protective gear, and extend healthcare. India should also champion their recognition on the international stage—as frontline climate and health workers, not invisible scavengers.

* Regulate Hazardous Additives

Plastics contain thousands of chemical additives, many linked to cancer, reproductive disorders, and environmental contamination. India must mandate disclosure, monitoring, and phase-out of the most hazardous chemicals. Moving beyond voluntary codes, regulation must be legally binding.

* Scale Reuse and Refill Systems

India already has cultural traditions of reuse that can be scaled. The dabbawalas of Mumbai, who deliver millions of meals daily in reusable containers, are a world-class reuse model. Kirana stores still refill oils, grains, and detergents for customers. With digital tracking and modern logistics, these models can be expanded nationwide. By investing in reuse and refill systems, India can chart a circular economy path distinct from Western recycling-heavy approaches.

 * Enforce Accountability

Rules without enforcement are meaningless. Producers who fail to meet EPR targets must face penalties. National reuse and recycled-content targets must be backed by financial incentives and infrastructure investments, not left to market goodwill.

The Cost of Inaction

The risks of inaction are stark. Weak enforcement allows richer nations to offload their plastic waste on India, overwhelming cities already burdened with inadequate sanitation, floods, and air pollution.

Meanwhile, the unchecked expansion of domestic petrochemical industries contradicts India’s climate commitments. Plastics are, after all, fossil fuels in solid form. Continuing this path risks locking India into decades of carbon-intensive development, at a time when the country is striving to be a global climate leader.

Most tragically, the costs will fall on the poorest communities—those living near dumpsites, breathing toxic fumes from open burning, and drinking water contaminated by microplastics. Without urgent change, the plastics crisis will deepen existing inequalities.

Towards a High-Ambition Plastics Coalition

Geneva’s failure is not just a setback—it is an opportunity. India has the diplomatic experience and credibility to lead a High Ambition Plastics Coalition, modelled on its success with the International Solar Alliance, Global Biofuel Alliance, and International Big Cat Alliance. Such a coalition could set ambitious global standards on production limits, chemical regulation, and circular infrastructure.

This would not only break the current international deadlock but also position India as the global standard-bearer for sustainability. By taking the initiative, India can shift the narrative from being the world’s largest polluter to being its most credible reformer.

A Defining Moment

India’s plastics crisis is no longer about waste alone. It is about health, justice, and climate responsibility. The country now stands at a crossroads: it can continue to react piecemeal to bans and treaty failures, or it can step forward as a global leader, pioneering a new plastics economy rooted in sustainability and equity.

Views expressed are personal