"The Social Life of Plastic in India"

Picture a mound of litter fragments of food containers, empty water bottles, and scraps of to-go wrappers. Maybe you envision this plastic accumulation on a beach or along a coastline. However, while we typically associate plastic waste with the degradation of marine ecosystems, the global plastic problem is not a distant phenomenon occurring in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Rather, the hazardous effect of plastic pollution extends beyond sea turtles, coastal birds, and other marine life; it is also happening to humans right before our eyes. Plastic is seeping into every part of our lives - our politics, our health, and quite literally our own backyards.

In a recent article titled ''The Anthropology of Plastics: An Agenda for Local Studies of Global Matter of Concern,

'' published by Gauri Pathak of Aarhus University and Mark Nichter of the University

of Arizona, the scientists analyze the effects of the Indian plastic industry since it began in the mid 1900’s to modern times. Based on their fieldwork and interviews, Pathak and Nichter note both the immense amount of good that plastic products have brought to India as well as the trail of waste that plastic has left behind over the years. Moreover, the researchers also explored the “social life of plastics” by examining the cultural and societal norms of India to understand why life almost seems to revolve around plastic. Their findings point towards the convenience and efficiency of plastic, which fuels its appeal to consumers. An easy and safe solution to water contamination, a problem that plagues many rural Indian communities, plastic water bottles help provide clean drinking water. Likewise, disposable plastic menstrual products, such as sanitary pads, ensure the safety of women’s reproductive health since these products are single-use.

While plastic alleviated problem

by Vivian Goller

Wisconsin, USA

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after problem, immensely improving the standard of living in India since its introduction in the mid 1900s, plastic also created a multitude of new issues that deteriorate both

by Vivian Goller

Wisconsin, USA human and environmental health according to researchers. In particular, the plethora of chemicals, toxins, and additives found in plastic

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pose a threat to humans as they compromise various anatomical systems when ingested, such as the endocrine system through endocrine disruptors. Similarly, as discarded plastic items travel around the globe via waterways or wind, they collect pathogens and become “breeding sites for vectorborne diseases” (Banerjee et al. 2015; Mahfodz et al. 2017; Vezzani and Schweigmann 2002).

Certain disposal methods, like the burning of plastics, are commonly practiced nearby or even inside Indian households, thus leading citizens to be directly exposed to toxins. Plastic accumulation around populated areas is another result of plastic pollution and results in clogged waterways and extreme flooding that wipes out houses and other inhabited buildings.

With these plastic-related issues in mind, environmental activists and NGOs (non-government organizations) began pushing for reform, specifically in the form of a ban on single use plastics in 2016.

The logic behind the ban was that it was feasible considering plastic’s central role in India; a plastic bag could easily be replaced with a reusable tote or another more environmentally conscious alternative. Likewise, environmental activists also hoped that the ban would also function as a segue into future plastic reforms made by policymakers in the future.

However, discourse arose between citizens in favor of the ban and industrial manufacturers, who did not support the ban as it harmed their business and profit. Moreover, leaders of industry highlighted how plastic, specifically plastic packaging, was crucial for providing necessities to all people of India, especially fresh produce to those in poverty. After the ban's implementation was delayed for nearly two years, policymakers utilizing this time to edit and rework the legislation in order to appease all stakeholders, the ban proved to be largely ineffective.

Despite this outcome, which environmentalists found disappointing, the study by Pathak and Nichter argues that there is still a silver lining for India and other areas around the globe that are affected by plastic.

by Vivian Goller

Wisconsin, USA Despite [the ineffective singleuse plastic ban]... there is still a silver lining for India and other areas around the globe that are affected by plastic.

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Plastic is a product of human intellect and innovation, created by humans to help humans. Its anthropogenic roots prove that humans can once again create a = solution to global plastic pollution, such as by “designing, implementing, and monitoring interventions aimed at mitigating risks” caused by plastics. Through a unified, collaborative initiative, we can work towards preserving both the health of humans and the health of the planet we share.

Works Cited/Image Credits

Nichter, Mark, and Pathak, Gauri. 2019.

"The Anthropology of Plastics: An Agenda for Local Studies of Global Matter of Concern" Medical Anthropology Quarterly 33 (3): 307-26. DOI: 10.1111/maq.12514.

Banerjee, S., G. Aditya, and G. Saha. 2015. "Household Wastes as Larval Habitats of Dengue Vectors: Comparison between Urban and Rural Areas of Kolkata, India. " PLoS One 10 (10): doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0138082.

Mahfodz, Z., N. N. Musa, N. A. Hasmi, H. N. Ismail, and F. Pardi. 2017. "Potential Breeding Sites for Aedes albopictus and Aedes aegypti: Assessment against Different Container Types. " Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences 9 (6S): 778–87. DOI: 10.4314/jfas.v9i6s.58.

Vezzani, D., and N. Schweigmann. 2002. "Suitability of Containers from Different Sources as Breeding Sites of Aedes aegypti (L.) in a Cemetery of Buenos Aires City, Argentina. " Memorias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz 97 (6): 789–92. DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762002000600006

Watercolor image by the author.

by Vivian Goller

Wisconsin, USA