The Plastic Pollution Problem
By: Fatema Bhanpurawala
When people think of a vacation destination, India almost never makes the cut. Relaxing beaches, resorts, and historic places are always the number one choice. Despite having all this and even one of the wonders of the world, India is almost never considered relaxing or exotic. Why? This is because when people think of India, the first thing that comes to mind is the piles of trash and slums all around the city. The beauty and allure of the country is being overlooked due to the high mountains of plastic and waste making up much of the landscape. Traveling there almost every summer, it is apperent that once a beautiful and culturally rich land is fighting a losing battle with its biggest enemy- the landfills.
Taking a look into Delhi, the population has rapidly increased from 12 million to 19 million in the last two decades. Unfortunately infrastructure has failed to keep up and instead waste has filled up the cities landscape, growing from anywhere from 8 million to 20 million pounds a day. With 3 major dumps in the city, Ghazipur raises the most concern. Inside the landfill, non biodegradable items mix in with recyclable plastic and creates the biggest trash mountain of India. Rising to reach the height of the iconic Taj Mahal at 73 meters tall, this dump is nicknamed the Mount Everest of Trash.
The dump of Ghazipur affects not only the city but also the poverty stricken residents who are forced to live around it. Airborne particles spread through the city and infect the residents with dreadful diseases such as tuberculosis and dengue fever. Furthermore, the poisonous gas makes breathing almost impossible. A local doctor said she sees almost 70 patients a day due to respiratory issues. In fact, between 2013 and 2017 almost 981 deaths took place due to acute respiratory infection. Yet the people are unable to escape the clutches of the enemy, and have no where else to go which forces them to adapt to this sickening lifestyle.
Furthermore, this dump poses a huge hazardous problem as the environment also suffers at the hand of the dump. With the waste being left out in the open, there is an increase in anaerobic decomposition, the process in which organisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen, and generates heat and methane. This produces many surface and sub surface fires which pollutes the air with the smell and harmful materials carried from the dump. Specifically, the sitting waste produces black hazardous liquid called leachate. With nothing to hold in the secretion, it flows directly into many canals nearby polluting a major water supply. With hazardous material infiltrating the water, residents continue to be put in danger.
As a response many politicians took charge to solve this growing problem. From the 29 states and 7 unions in India, 17 have implemented bans and restrictions on the usage of plastic, but without a proper alternative to the plastic bags and bottles in India, not much change is able to take place. But recently new policies and techniques have been set in place such as taxing extra to use plastic bags and creation of new dump sites further away from residential areas to divide up the waste accumulation. These new implementations and more that will come in the future are helping India restore beauty and safety throughout.
Why do you think that most of these trash mountains are located in slums and affecting mainly the poverty stricken residents? What are some plausible alternatives to plastic that the people can use in order to reduce their waste? How are the hazardous environmental impact of these mountains affecting the flora and fauna of the area?
https://www.sciencealert.com/a-growing-mountain-of-rubbish-in-india-will-soon-require-aircraft-warning-lights
https://www.cnn.com/2019/06/07/asia/india-plastic-waste-intl-hnk/index.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/10/world/asia/india-delhi-garbage.html
29 comments:
It is really upsetting that the poverty stricken are the ones who have to pay the worse price for everyone’s waste. They are not the only contributors to the waste, but they bear the brunt of the issues because the government protects themselves and their families first. In order to reduce their waste, people could switch to reuseable bags and bottles for shopping and drinking. Also, people could eat out restaurants less frequently. This would produce less food waste as well as container waste. These trash mountains take up and pollute viable ecosystems. The toxic leachate that seeps from the mountains poisons the land and water and kills off the plants animals living near the mountain. Furthermore, the chemicals released into the atmosphere from the garbage fires are hazardous to living things, including people. The gas causes respiratory issues and kills off hundreds of people every year.
The post reminds me of a current trend seen on a Instagram about how Thailand’s government officially banned plastic bags, so their citizens have decided to make it a trend to see who can come up with the most funniest and creative way to carry their groceries. From laundry racks to vases, many people are creating a fun solution counter an issue and protecting the environment together. I feel like if we can as a community work together to counter this issue by creating a solution or simply meeting up and help clear these areas for the benefit of humanity alone rather than for monetary benefit. People often blame or rely too much on the government their problems when they can contribute too and help solve these situations we face because we all share the earth so why not work together? Many of the disposed items could have alternate substitutes such as using reusable bags and water bottles. The environmental repercussions would at least decrease instead of building onto the mountain.
It truly is very sad that most of the trash and waste ends up near the homes of people in poverty. They most likely were not even responsible for half of the waste in Delhi, yet it all ends up near their homes. The reason that this happens is because the higher and middle class believe that the poor don’t have a voice. Since they know the poor are not in a position to demand justice, they will keep treating them unfairly. In fact, this is not only a problem in India; it is common in many other countries too. As for options that people can use instead of plastic, glass and metal are big ones. Street food is very popular in India, and all these street vendors sells their food in plastic bowls and cups with plastic forks. To greatly reduce the amount of plastic waste, a law should be implemented which bans these plastic forks, bowls, and cups. These vendors can serve their food or drinks in metal bowls and glass cups and wash them after people eat in them using a metal fork. By using the fork, the spreading of bacteria is minimal, and by using metal bowls and glass cups, plastic waste is minimal. I am aware that this is a drastic change but drastic changes have to be made in order to achieve our goal. There are many who know of India’s beauty, but there are also many who think that India is just a wasteland. It is time to remove that negative image of India and only have a positive one. By making this small change, and many others, the entirety of India can be beautiful again.
After visiting India multiple times, I can attest to the conditions described in this blog. It is, indeed, disheartening hearing about and seeing the conditions prevalent near these poverty stricken areas. However, considering the massive population of India, just under 1.4 billion, the amassing trash mountains seem to be an inevitable result. Although there may not be any realistic solutions to eliminating trash, what can be done is the increasing of recycling and more efficient, less harmful materials for storing and depositing trash and other household items. The banning of plastic bags is a great start to restoring or at least reducing the environmental impact of the trash mountains. One way of boosting this process could be by introducing and promoting inexpensive reusable materials, such as steel containers and straws. Although this process may take decades to achieve its intended goal, it is, in fact, gradual, thus the changes will be continuously rewarding as we make more progress. Therefore, like this blog has mentioned, it is crucial that we all partake in this team-effort to save the planet and restore the beauty and purity of nature.
I think that these trash mountains are primarily located in slums because these areas do not have the proper waste management facilities to dispose of the trash. As a result, it makes sense that those who resided poverty stricken areas tend to be the ones who are most effected by the respiratory conditions caused by poor disposal techniques of the trash. In order to reduce their waste production levels, people in these areas could recycle items that can be recycled. Also, the government could implement laws that require companies to limit the amount of packaging they use on their products. The government could also have tax incentives for the residents who decrease their overall waste production. The trash mountains also have negative impacts on the environment, resulting in habitat loss (plants in the area may not grow, etc.). This would ultimately lead to loss of biodiversity in the area.
I used to live in Bangalore, an Indian city that had a similar problem. There truly was garbage everywhere and the smell was sometimes overpowering, besides this the garbage would also block sidewalks and roads inhibiting their function. These garbage mounds would also be lit on fire once in a while which was catastrophic for the air quality. This also reminded me of the news stories of developed countries such as the U.S and other wealthier countries shipping their garbage to poorer South Asian countries. Once again here the poverty stricken are ones who suffer. I think this illustrates how the world as a whole has a long way to go when it comes to waste management and, while it may seem convinient to just dump our problems (and our garbage) on those who are unable to protest this outrage, it is vital we find long term solutions to this issue.
As someone who has been to India multiple times, I can verify that these conditions are indeed accurate. Every time my family takes a trip to India, we go to New Delhi as it is where most of my family resides. As you drive through the streets of the city, the conditions that you see as you pass by make you reconsider everything that you take for granted. I believe that these trash mountains are affecting these poverty stricken residents because the middle and higher class citizens are able to afford to keep their areas relatively clean. Due to these poorer residents not being able to afford to keep their areas trash free, the entire city's trash inevitably ends up in these poverty stricken areas. An obvious alternative to plastic and disposable items is to use reusable items. For example, the usage of reusable bags and water bottles goes a long way in initiating an environmental movement. Another movement to reduce waste is to incorporate incentives in order for the public to act more environmentally friendly. These trash mountains have also resulted in habitat destruction. This pollution could lead to plant species dying. This could disrupt the food webs of an ecosystem, which will inevitably lead to a loss of biodiversity in the area.
It is eye-opening to read about how much trash dumps affect people around the world. It’s especially heartbreaking to hear about impoverished communities being stricken with highly polluted areas. The cycle is so prevalent because people in poverty do not have the resources to fight the situation, such as money or a strong voice for social change. A potentially successful concept to reduce plastic consumption is for street food vendors, which are common in cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, to use plant-based plastics. It only takes bioplastics around six months to decompose, which can significantly benefit the volume of plastics from street food consumers. Additionally, citizens should be encouraged to use reusable bottles and bags. The reprecussions that these trash mountains have on the environment is pretty severe. For example, if trash dumps are created in more remote areas, plants and animals would experience habitat loss. As a result, the affected ecosystems would experience a loss of biodiversity.
It is frightening that parts of India are suffering due to waste not being taken care of properly. Due to my family and I being from India, we visit once a year. Going and seeing major cities flooded with trash and the poor being left in horrible conditions due to it is frightening. We need a better system to dispose of the waste products properly. Instead of plastic bags and bottles people should use reusable and eco-friendly items. The start of changing to reusable items can make a big difference in their environment. I think the trash mountains are located in the slums because the poorer people aren’t able to afford moving the garbage into a different area. The wealthy people can afford to clean up their land. With these trash mountains, methane can be released into the atmosphere causing climate change and loss of biodiversity in India. This problem should be fixed because the environment is suffering.
A considerable amount of waste is disposed of in the center of poor communities because they have hardly any power to fight back. Even as poisonous gases and hazardous liquids begin to form in parts of these, nothing is done. This is a major issue around the world exemplified especially by the enormous trash heaps that surround parts of India. Though there are ways to reduce the waste we are currently producing-- such as using reusable water bottles, bags, and containers-- I wonder what we could do about the trash that has already accumulated. There are places that are mostly unsettled by humans where we could, perhaps, dispose of trash, but it is also necessary to find a way to put a stop to the hazardous secretions emitted by these trash mountains. It is essential that this crisis is solved soon as health issues are increasingly prominent in areas like this. Recycling materials, cleaning up slums, and placing strict regulations on where trash can be kept would be some of the first steps that must be taken.
Pollution in these trash mountains and unhealthy air quality harm the health of numerous patients each year in New Delhi. However, another cause of this poisonous gas is the actions of farmers, living south west of the region. As the farmers burn off remaining crop to quickly begin the new growing season, a plume of smoke accumulates. With the help of the Himalayas and continental winds, this smog hovers over the city each winter, causing a myriad of diseases. The haze can be seen from space, and breathing it is often equivalent to smoking 50 cigarettes a day. In order to solve this alarming problem, the government must work diligently to restrict all factors of this unhealthy environment. From waste mountains, agriculture burns, poverty and beyond, these interconnected issues must be solved before it is too late. Furthermore, the sad truth is that the burden falls mostly on the impoverished people, who are forced to live among this pollution. One possible solution could be to create weather-resistant shelter and housing out of recycled material. This could possibly supply housing for those in poverty, while simultaneously removing trash from these mountains. Undoubtedly, the problem only getting worst, and must be slowed.
Most of these trash mountains are made possible because of the lack of enforcement of sustainable practices in less developed areas. Unfortunately in areas stricken with poverty like slums, these environmental concerns are trumped by the concern of trying to earn and/or find enough money and resources to merely survive, which means that they may be forced to live unsustainably and contribute more to the waste due to financial problems. However, at the same time, in more developed areas, people tend to waste more resources, which is also unsustainable, meaning that sustainability is best achieved when the extrema of these circumstances are compromised. These trash mountains cause biodiversity loss as many species can no longer live in such a polluted area. As the less developed areas have to suffer the environmental consequences caused by the decisions of the more developed areas, the trash mountain dilemma can only be solved if both the rich and the poor work together to live more sustainably. As said in the article, reducing the amount of plastic use can benefit this environmental situation greatly yet the bans and restrictions of plastic use have not been able to improve the conditions significantly. Some plausible alternatives to plastic include using objects and containers made out of ceramic, metal, silicon, glass, and more! Objects made out of these materials are usually reusable, and thus if politicians ever made any legal encouragements for the people to use objects made of reusable materials like these, I'm positive that this would be a great impact toward the trash mountain issue.
It always makes me sad to see the lack of attention given to the disposal of waste in India. Having visited India several times, I can truthfully say that the trash-filled idea of the country that others have in their heads is not the entire case. There are several spots in India that are absolutely gorgeous, however, this is partly due to the fact that these spots are clean. I think that the trash mountains are located in slums because these areas don't have enough money or power to have anything done about moving the trash. This greatly diminishes the quality of the air, soil, and water in the areas, making it harder for the environment to sustain life. The tourist sites in India escape this fate because of the amount of money that is being put into maintaining its upkeep. There are ways to maintain the amount of waste being thrown into the landfills, however. In the developed parts of India, where there tends to be more waste, people can switch towards using reusable items such as washable bottles and cloth shopping bags. Although these measures will not be able to stop the growing problem of India's landfills, it is a good start.
I have been to India several times and each time I go, I have noticed the pile up of trash basically everywhere. My family in India lives in a poor area and the effects of the landfills are easily noticeable. In just one drive around the neighborhood, you begin to realize how unsanitary it is and how much you really have in Flower Mound. It’s an unfortunate realization because no one should have to deal with these conditions. This is a problem that the lower classes face because they have less of a voice, due to a lack of money. The higher class does not want to deal with the trash, leading to the landfills being conveniently located in the impoverished areas of India. To combat the heavy usage of plastic bags, there can be rules implemented to increase recycling of these plastic bags or other plastic materials. The government has a huge task on their hands if they are to reduce plastic usage, but I think it is possible. Additionally, the fauna are losing their habitats due to the landfills taking up so much space, causing them to migrate. Most of the time, migration proves ineffective, and the animals begin to die. The flora are also losing their habitats, but they cannot migrate, causing them to just slowly die off. India is a beautiful place, even through the trash, and if it is cleaned up, there is no doubt it will become a tourist destination.
Being a frequent visitor, the idea of India being covered in trash is not a new concept. Though I’ve never seen a real “trash mountain,” car rides through garbage filled landscapes have almost become the norm. That being said, I believe that the fact politicians are even attempting to correct this landfill situation is applaudable. India is a massive country; containing nearly a seventh of the world’s population within a smaller sized country leads to inevitable overcrowding and trash build up. Banning/restricting plastic in 17 states/unions is a huge step in the right direction, albeit a bit ambitious. If executed correctly, India could easily become one of the more environmentally conscious countries in the world. The plans to implement a tax on plastic bags and design specific spaces in which to create landfills will allow for some preliminary clean up opportunities. However, to completely solve this issue, I believe it’s worth it to look for biodegradable materials that can replace plastic. In general, we have become extremely reliant on plastic materials to contain products; therefore replacing this plastic with a biodegradable form could be extremely beneficial.
Being from India, I can also agree with this statement. Although India has many beautiful landscapes and cities, the overwhelming mass of trash around India has clouded what many people think of India. Trash can also take a huge toll on the cleanliness of the many rivers that Indian civilians use every day. Most of the trash that ends up in the rivers is non-degradable, staining the once healthy waters for tens to hundreds of years. While the government is attempting to make strides towards becoming environmentally focused, the impoverished areas of India will find it much harder to sustain the plastic regulations that have been adopted in other counties. Sadly, the issue of poverty and money is one that India must also face when taking on the issue of trash, making an eco-friendly solution much harder to attain. Personally, I believe that India should continue and expand upon its research into innovations regarding the types of cost-efficient, bio-degradable plastics that can be created. This is an innovation that needs to occur across the world and would help India reduce a significant portion of its trash in the future.
I also visit India almost every summer and I have noticed the piles of trash over there. Long car rides through trash-filled roads make the country seem like that is all there is to it. Sometimes, even I forget that there are beautiful parts of India. Many people from the upper and middle class in India settle in the cleaner and more expensive areas while the lower class is forced to settle near landfills because of the cheaper costs. The problem lies with the poverty stricken residents not being able to afford to move to more sanitary locations. Some great alternatives to plastic that people could use in order to reduce their waste are reusable bags or paper bags, metal straws, and metal water bottles. Using these items would allow people to reduce, reuse, and recycle in order to keep the world a cleaner place. The trash mountains in the impoverished areas also affect the flora and fauna near them. For example, runoff from litter, polluted water, and consumer waste can infiltrate the soil. The soil absorbs toxins from the runoff and harms the flora when they absorb the toxins. The fauna may be affected by the trash mountains by losing their physical habitat. Fauna require space to live, and massive trash mountains invade that space, forcing the animals that once lived there to move to another location.
Pollution and trash mountains have always struck a chord with me, even since I was little. Though I’ve never witnessed India and its pollution in person, every time we’d drive past the landfill in Lewisville, (a well-managed alternative to dumps), I’d still become incredibly sad at the idea of so much human waste piling up. To imagine unchecked waste piling up around poverty-stricken homes until the people are choked by sickness and stench — it gives me flashbacks to Wall-E , and not the cute parts where the lover robots twirl in space. What’s interesting here is that it’s not really the waste that are causing the problem (though it does play a major role), it’s mostly management of city and poverty levels — things humans are supposed to be able to solve. Since India is second only to China in world population, its management of waste and poverty set not only a precedent but impact a large chunk of earth’s surface. I think this example shows what a big role politics and economics play into the environmental part of environmental science. City trash which threatens to drive out species and swamp the ecosystem with vermin and disease is best treated by economic and political care, not only to the environment, but to the millions of poor in Dharavi. The trash mountains are one thing nature won’t fix on its own.
It is very unfortunate knowing that the large population of those suffering from poverty must also suffer poor health and living conditions from the immense amount of trash in India. In addition, India has a rapidly increasing population, and the mountains of trash ultimately prevent young infants and children from using basic necessities such as fresh water. There should not be people dying from respiratory issues from trash waste, but unfortunately, due to the horrible conditions in poverty-stricken slums, the price they must pay is both their life and health. However, it is very reassuring that the Indian government has become aware of this major issue and is currently making laws to help regulate trash as well as the issue of plastic waste. One solution to the plastic issue could be using paper bags as a substitute for plastic bags or using boxed bottles rather than plastic bottles. In fact, boxed water is cheaper with almost zero waste and is easier to transfer than plastic bottles. By simply switching from plastic bottles to boxed water, not only does the environment benefit, but people will also be able to save money for both purchasing and shipping. Following this, paper bags are 100% biodegradable, reusable, and recyclable. They are able to withstand more pressure than plastic bags and also prevent less of a suffocation risk for young children and animals. This switch also has the ability to benefit the environment and is less of a threat to the children and infants of India.
Much of this is caused by how the developed and developing nations are handling the situation of waste production and resource depletion. The rapid consumption of resources by the developed countries and sustainable practices in developing nations are leading to the cause of this. This common theme of being sustainable will never be achieved if there's pollution and trash mountains scattered in certain countries, and it comes at the fault of the privileged and unprivileged. We need to be more considerate with how much we consume and produce, and then be aware of where the waste products go. Sustainable practices such as going vegan or avoid eating red meat, riding a bike instead of driving an automobile are all things that can prevent hazardous things like this. If we all realize the impact we have on the environment and have an understanding that our increased well being comes to conflict with nature then we will be taking the right steps to solving tragedies like these and enforcing the mindset to be cautious.
It’s so sad to see how negatively the growing population of India is affecting the rich ecosystem there. It’s also so upsetting that the majority of the people affected are under the poverty line, and they can’t do much to improve their situation. The trash mountains negatively affect the ecosystems health, polluting the water, air, and soil. It affects not only the humans living in the area, but also the flora and fauna that live there as well. The richer parts of India don’t struggle with the trash problem as much, because the large amount of money helps with the maintenance of cleanliness. Some solutions to the growing trash problem could be to try and make biodegradable plastics and waste so that at least, they would break down eventually. Also, they could start trash pickup funds where the rich donate to the poorer areas.
It’s upsetting to see the country where my parents, grandparents, and ancestors grew up slowly deteriorate because of landfill. It is even more upsetting to see poverty-stricken people receive some of the most backlash because of the landfill waste. However, with India’s growing population, it is difficult to control this issue. These trash mountains affect India’s water, air, and are overall unpleasant to the eye. To overcome this situation, politicians in India have started taxing the use of extra plastic bags. Although this doesn’t directly solve India’s landfill problem, hopefully it will lead to more action taken to address this issue. In fact, we can contribute at home by changing what we consume and changing which products we use (plastic vs paper).
It is quite tragic to see a country with such natural beauty and rich culture turn into a giant landfill. Having visited India over several summer vacations, I have seen just how bad the pollution is. Because there is no official trash collection or recycling system, most Indians have to resort to burning their trash or dumping it on the sides of roads and rivers. It made me realize how grateful I am for waste management in America, something so normal and overlooked. People continue to litter and pollute in India because of the lack of environmental regulations or the lack of their enforcement. Although everyone contributes to the ever-growing amount of trash, the poorest of the poor are usually the ones who have to deal with the fatal effects that trash brings along with it. Because they have no other choice, they are forced to stay in their homes that are surrounded by trash. Poor people are also the ones who usually have to sort through the trash in order to earn a tiny amount of money. I believe that if India were to return to clay or metal containers, as it is historically known for, there would be a significant decrease in the amount of trash and plastic waste polluting the land and water. By doing so, flora, fauna, and humans can slow down or prevent the entry of the dangerous chemicals and particulates from the garbage into their beings.
It's disheartening to hear about the buildup of trash mountains in the poorest parts the country. While people like us are aware of the effects of pollution, are the people living in the slums educated enough to understand the damage? Logically, they would be doing their best to earn money to support their families rather than focusing on education. Reducing the amount of trash and taking care of environmental problems would not be their utmost priority. In addition to this, are the people in the slums well-educated enough to understand representation and voicing their opinions? The lower-class people once again aren't involved in major political events despite politicians assisting in reducing the use of plastics. A simple alternative to plastics would be to focus on recyclable items. To address the problem, people should also be educated on the effects of pollution and the potential short-term and long-term benefits of reducing pollution. The flora in the area is unable to grow and the fauna is unable to thrive. If trash is reduced, people will start seeing India for its beautiful attractions rather than the wastelands, which will result in more economic growth from tourism to help the poor.
I’m interested in finding out how much India could improve from implementing sustainable replacements for things like plastic bags and straws. It would be costly, but the worldwide benefit from implementing and providing sustainable alternatives and expand these laws to all of the states in India rather than only 2/3. These trash mountains and pollution are detrimental to the health and well being of the poorer classes in India, and from making an effort to remove them or prevent further pile up, the poorer citizens would be able to live longer and work better, which would improve not only the environment, but also the economy of India.
The reason for the trash mountains being located in slums is that the people in poverty have no voice or representation in the government, where choices like these are made. A lot of plausible alternatives to plastic that need to be itemized are reusable bags and water bottles, items that make up most f the trash collected in the trash mountains. I have personally visited India, and India is not as pristine as it used to be, with the overflow of trash due to population increase has seeped into our beautiful cities. The hazardous impact of these trash bins is that the overflow of trash is causing a lot of air pollution, causing the polluted air to travel to environments and cause lung diseases in animals. This leads to a loss of biodiversity in India’s flora and fauna. Also, the increase of trash leads to some of the trash traveling into India’s once beautiful ecosystems and is also one of the factors of decreased biodiversity.
Having been to India myself several times, I have seen the trash and pollution that collects on the street. However, that was only a small segment, and this blog shows that this problem affects millions of people and places across India. It is very sad to see that the poor population has to live in such terrible conditions, especially when it is caused by the actions of the people above them, like the wealthy and politicians. If those in poverty had greater representation, they might be able to advocate for more sustainable practices, such as more efficient waste disposal and the use of reusable products. This would help the immense trash problem, as well as prevent the poverty-stricken segment of the population from receiving all of the burden and blame.
It's heartbreaking to see the amount of trash that accumulates in the poorer areas in India. I believe the waste ends up there because it is farthest away from where wealthy people live, as they don't want trash near where they live, and poor people have barely any leverage to speak out on the injustices they have to deal with. However, the trash that is produced can be reduced by using reusable water bottles, fabric bags instead of plastic ones, and trying to reuse whatever waste we can. If this garbage is allowed to keep piling up then it will cause more and more human deaths, as well as the destruction of habitats because of the poor air quality.
Having visited India often, I agree. It is not just urban India that is affected— my mother is from a small town that we visit often, and waste conditions are the same. Class divisions are clearly visible by the amount of trash in the streets, as the wealthier citizens can afford keep their streets clean. India is a rapidly developing country, but its waste issue prevents its residents from attaining a higher, more consistent quality of health and life. I recently read an article about biodegradable bags made of cassava, which could be a plausible alternative to plastic bags. More legislation could be put in place to ensure citizens opt for reusable alternatives. It is becoming increasingly evident that cutting down waste is a mandatory step in India’s development.
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