India's commitment to beat plastic pollution 'doable': UNEP chief

Plastic Bags

Calling India's commitment to beat plastic pollution "doable", UN Environment chief Erik Solheim said Wednesday there is enormous energy from its states to fulfil its promise to eliminate single-use plastic by 2022. He suggested a three-pronged approach to beat plastic pollution and said the first step is elimination of plastic products, such as plastic straw and cups, that do not serve any purpose.

"Then there are plastic products that are very useful and those we need to recycle, and the third is innovation where we can use straws made from hay, from bamboo," he said.

Talking about India's commitment to beat plastic pollution, Solheim said it is a "doable" challenge to eliminate single use plastic by 2022.

"I can see enormous energy in India from various states to beat plastic pollution who have made very very strong commitments (to beat plastic pollution). It is doable," he said.

"There is a strong strong push by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to beat plastic pollution and innovation can also provide a number of jobs. We are also working with people around Delhi to see how agriculture wastage can be used as a resource," he added.

India has made a commitment to eliminate all single-use plastic in the country by 2022 to combat plastic pollution.

In India, 80 percent of total plastic consumption is thrown as waste and according to official statistics, the country generates 25,940 tonne of plastic waste daily.

At least 40 percent of this waste is uncollected.