Food Waste
and
Plastic Pollution
“Every year, the average Indian household discards approximately 250 kg of food waste”
“Every year, each person in India wastes 55 kg of food per year” as per the UN Environment Program’s report.
This waste food is discarded using conventional plastic bags, contributing significantly to environmental pollution and harm to animals.
This plastic waste contaminates our soil and water.
Poses severe risks to wildlife, with reports of animals ingesting harmful plastics leading to illness and death.
Plastic waste, especially in the form of bags, poses severe threats to wildlife. It’s estimated that 90% of urban stray cattle in India suffer from ailments due to ingesting plastic bags. Tragically, instances like a pregnant cow carrying 71 kg of plastic or marine animals dying from plastic ingestion underscore the urgent need for sustainable alternatives.
Marine Life: “Over 100 crore marine animals and seabirds die annually due to plastic pollution. This includes at least 267 species globally, such as 86% of sea turtle species, and 43% of marine mammal species affected by marine plastic debris.”
Over 1,00,000 Large Marine Mammals die annually due to plastic.
More than 1 million Sea-Birds die consuming plastic debris.
Notably, 186 species of seabirds are impacted by plastic waste.
Recent studies have found plastic in the stomachs of 90% of seabirds
Even terrestrial wildlife is at risk. Recently, an elephant was tragically found dead with 750 kg of plastic waste in its stomach, highlighting the pervasive reach and deadly consequences of plastic pollution.
