Soil & water conservation and plastic pollution

Akham Bonbirdhwaja Singh *

Blue and Green for Organic Manipur - Awareness programme on Plastic pollution in Sep 2010 :: Pix - Deepak Shijagurumayum

In my last article (TSE, 18th Dec, ’13) I have shared with readers the details of problems of plastic pollution and its potential for causing cancer to human beings. Unless we solve the problems of plastic pollution, it shall be serious problem for mankind, threatening its very existence on earth. It is dreadful when it creates air pollution, it releases poisonous gases and fumes, but in the soil and water also, it is highly dangerous.

Aesthetically, they are so ugly looking and one single piece or two shall destroy beauty of the entire landscape. It greatly affects the soil quality and hydrology. In fact, soil conservation and water conservation are synonymous and in hilly terrains, soil conservation and water conservation works are affected equally. In a state like Manipur, which have water stress for about four months a year, understanding the impact of plastic pollution on soil dynamics and hydrological regime is very important. In an average, plastic constitute about 13% of solid waste by weight, and they are non biodegradable.

Plastic is the main source of water pollution nowadays. Plastic wastes are thrown in to the river, either by dumping in the riverside as garbage pits or by throwing in to the rivers directly. I have seen people carrying solid garbage in buckets or directly throwing large plastic bags filled with smaller ones containing biodegradable waste in to the rivers or drains. This is common happening.

Secondly, the plastic wastes are dumped near the ponds and lakes, some of them are carried during runoff in heavy rains and some of them are carried down to the streams and rivers. These plastic wastes are disturbing the water supply systems. Ultimately, a large portion of Plastic wastes are all going into the rivers, oceans and seas of the world due to which the marine fauna and flora are facing serious hazards.

Marine animals like fishes, sea birds, otters and other marine species are take these plastic wastes as food items and swallow them and that are leading to a premature death of these precious aquatic and marine species. Plastic pollution of oceans affects 267 species worldwide, including 86% of sea turtle species, 44% of all sea bird species, and 43% of marine mammal species.

The water polluted with plastics are highly contaminated because those plastics come with other materials and chemicals. Such wastes also hinder the treatment of water for water supply schemes and supply for human use. Such water pollution has potential of creating epidemics. Further, the plastic bags physically block the aeration, oxidation and normal stream flow. Hence, they increase in COD and BOD to a high level and water becomes unusafe for humans and fish and other aquatic life. Our rare and indigenous fishes shall no longer be able to live in such contaminated water.

Plastic wastes are hazardous substance. When plastic wastes are mixed with soil, it also contaminates and harbours bacteria, germs and insects by creating a miniature environment in the soil. Combined with the biodegradable materials inside, they have great potential for this. The plastics in the garbage dumps and scattered ones get buried at a shallow level and create innumerable number of problems.

In the hilly terrain, it becomes more dangerous. It creates Soil contamination and increases erodibility by reducing soil water absorption and permeability. As the portion of soil above the plastic layer always remains loose, they are easily carried away in the heavy and seasonal rains creating serious soil conservation problems. The water retention capacity of the soil also gets drastically affected as no percolation is allowed by the plastics.

The soil contaminated with plastic pollution is not suitable for plants growth. It creates serious restrictions to the plant growth, by not allowing the shoots coming up from below and roots spread below. When root growth is restricted, the plant health is also affected because it cannot absorb water and food materials. It also, creates root coiling which has harmful effects.

It cannot get sufficient food materials and water and coiled area becomes soft spots for germs to attack. The soil structure also gets changed due to death of earthworms etc. So areas with higher level of plastic contamination are not suitable for agriculture and forestry. So, if we have to bury plastic, they can be bundled and compacted and buried at a greater depth to avoid contaminating the soil.

Another impact of plastic pollution of soil is that the germs harboured in the mini environment of plastic pollution are leeched to the river water during rains which will be harmful for the health. At one state, we thought that polybags shall revolutionise the plantation and horticulture sector, but due to careless handling of wastes everywhere, it is becoming detrimental to the soil quality.

Other chemicals in the polybags are also carried down to the water. In case of epidemics of water borne diseases, it could a serious problem. Those partly burnt plastics also goes on releasing cancer causing substances for years to come and it is like slow poisoning for all of us.

In spite of a low per capita plastic consumption, India has a high rate of plastic pollution. The littering of plastic waste is not yet an offence in the country. India’s plastic production is 2.5 million tonnes against world total of 105 million tonnes. But in India, almost all the plastic wastes are coming to the environment for pollution.

But in the developed countries, the percentage of waste becoming pollution is much less as a large portion of waste goes for recycling. Sweden is the best country with 80% of water bottles going for recycling. China even imports plastic scrap for recycling as they have highly efficient rate of recycling. In some countries, there are heavy penalty for plastic littering.

Here, we have the habit of breaking the law if nobody is looking at, so we throw garbage everywhere if nobody is around. This creates serious problem in tackling the problem of plastic pollution of soil and water. Secondly, the polybags used for seedlings for plantation are mostly abandoned in the sites after plantations, thereby allowing them to pollute the soil. This needs to be stopped. These should be brought back for recycling or disposed off safely; it should not be a problem at all.

It is a fact that the global recycling rate is not that satisfactory, particularly in the thin poly bags and multi layered plastic packaging. It is also a problem in case of plastic parts of other appliances and equipments, because plastic parts need to be separated. It is much better in case of water bottles where labels can be removed and effectively recycled.

Plastic pollution is a problem for all of us, so it is responsibility for all of us to work to solve it. Till we come up with alternatives and better means, we have to act cautiously and responsibly, to reduce and avoid plastic wastes so that the soil which gives our food and water which gives us life are not made unavailable to ourselves.