Page 24 - Plastics News April 2021

FeAtures

AtmaNirbhar Bharat.” The association also welcomed virtual mode during this pandemic year. One of the recent
the Government of India’s thrust on tapping the global PLEXCONNECT: Virtual B2B meet was for NAFTA region (US,
toys market, which is projected to reach revenue of Canada, Mexico) held on 15-17 March, 2021. NAFTA imports
more than US$ 120 billion by 2023, growing at a CAGR plastics products worth US$ 187 billion every year. Yet,
of around 4 per cent during 2017-2023. The Indian toys NAFTA plastics imports from India are valued at US$ 2.1
market was worth US$ 1.75 billion in 2019. I n i t s billion, which means India has share of just 1.1 per cent
endeavor to promote plastics exporters, the apex body in NAFTA’s Plastic import. This is a great opportunity for
had also lined up several Buyer-Seller Meets (BSMs) in Indian plastics exporters to enhance their business.

The Plastic Waste Crime

The overwhelming amount of plastic waste has now opened doors to criminal networks according to a report

lastic consumption has exploded over the years. This imposed regulations encouraging the recycling of plastic
Phas caused plastic waste production worldwide to waste. They have made large investments in recycling and
steadily increased by 10 million metric tons every year have mature waste treatment infrastructure that allows
in the last 10 years, to reach almost 360 million metric for collecting and sorting out plastic waste. However,
tons in 2018. The plastic crisis is one of the greatest it has also spurred corrupt operators to cash in on an
challenges facing planet earth. According to the Center industry that is difficult to police.
For International Environment Law (CIEL), up to 12 “Waste crime is a rising threat with roots in a more
million tonnes of plastics leak into the oceans annually, fundamental problem: the inability to manage our plastic
severely harming biodiversity and killing marine species. use and production. We are witnessing the impacts of
More than 95 percent of global annual plastic waste and plastic pollution on marine ecosystems and now, the
microplastics stay on land – which create an expensive criminal implications of it. Systemic change and greater
waste management burden and social and economic crises accountability are the only way to tackle a crisis that
for local communities.
transcends national borders,” said Eirik Lindebjerg, Global
The overwhelming amount of plastic waste has now Plastics Policy Manager of the World Wide Fund for Nature
opened doors to criminal networks. France-based (WWF). From 1992 to 2018, China imported a cumulative
intergovernmental crime-fighting agency Interpol stated 45 percent of the world’s plastic waste. During that period
that global plastic waste management has found an of time, the global plastic waste market was dependent on
alarming increase in the illegal plastic pollution trade access to the Chinese recycling sector. However, following
across the world since 2018. A 2020 published report
titled, “Interpol’s strategical analysis on emerging
criminal trends in the global plastic waste market
since January 2018” revealed that there has been a
significant increase over the past two years in illegal
waste shipments, mainly rerouted to Southeast Asia via
multiple transit countries to camouflage the origin of
the waste shipment. Other findings include an increase
in illegal waste fires and landfills in Europe and Asia, a
rise in the use of counterfeit documents and fraudulent
waste registrations.

Waste Exports
Some countries, especially high-income ones have

Plastics News April 2021 24