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GenWorks revolutionizing women’s wellness as the real freedom

: For long, societal norms and expectations have been assigning women the role of caregivers because of which women’s health and well-being are considered secondary to the responsibilities at home and work. To change this trend for good, women leaders in India have been encouraging conversations on women’s health needs that have been neglected for a long time by setting an example in society. They are introducing and promoting good health practices by leading from the front so that women in all corners of the country are encouraged to keep their health as the foremost priority. Sunita Narain, an environmentalist and a healthcare practitioner is known for her work on public health in India. Dr Kiran Mazumdar Shaw, an entrepreneur and a pioneer in the biotechnology industry is known for her work in making healthcare more affordable and accessible. In the sports field, Sakshi Malik a wrestler and Olympic bronze medalist has been associated with campaigns that promote menstrual hygiene and women’s health awareness in India. Just as these women are looked upon for their exceptional in their respective fields, it is necessary that they are also followed for their dedication to healthcare and wellness.

Slovenia floods: Damage caused by ‘worst-ever disaster’ due to poor spatial planning, research shows

Government adopts changes to Natural Disaster Recovery Act to expedite relief, remedial actions The ongoing floods in Slovenia is the worst natural disaster the country has experienced since its independence in 1991, said Prime Minister Robert Golob at a press conference August 4, 2023. This means that the floods are worse than those that occured in 1998 and 2004, which caused widespread destruction. The country recorded more than 200 millimetres of rain within 12 hours from August 3-4, 2023, according to meteorologist Brane Gregorcic from Slovenia’s environmental agency ARSO. “The weather station at the Brnik Airport has never before recorded such a quantity of rain within 12 hours,” he noted. This is more than these areas would normally see during the whole of August. [...] If we do not take measures with more suitable policies for spatial planning, we will no longer have the possibility in future to reduce the negative consequences of floods, the authors of the study warned. European countries including Slovenia would potentially have to spend a significant share of their current gross domestic product to abate the future impacts from flooding in view of socio-economic and climate changes, a study of the socio-economic impacts of river floods in the European Union in view of climate and socio-economic changes stated. [...] Natural Disaster Recovery Act amended Through the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, Slovenia had asked for assistance in machinery for debris removal and for the provision of road transportability. Devastation caused by colossal floods in Slovenia is heartbreaking, said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the EU Commission. “The EU is by the side of the Slovenian people. We will mobilise support as needed,” she posted on X. https://www.preventionweb.net/news/slovenia-floods-damage-caused-worst-ever-disaster-due-poor-spatial-planning-research-shows

Thus begins our season of despair

We must not slip into believing that fixing this mess is beyond our control. Then there is no way ahead. This would be the ultimate tragedy Climate records have tumbled like never before in the past two months. First, the planet observed its hottest June on record. Then came July, which recorded the hottest two weeks ever. In June, the surface temperature of the world’s oceans was the highest ever; Antarctica’s ice was the thinnest ever. The heat has gone off the charts in many parts of the world, and never before have there been extreme rainfall events that have resulted in such a large-scale loss of property and lives. Scientists warn that this is only the beginning of our season of despair, as much is changing in the natural world around us. The unprecedented intense heatwaves in the oceans, including in the Bay of Bengal, are changing the way the monsoon winds blow over the Indian subcontinent’s landmass. Then the western disturbances, which emanate from the Mediterranean region and bring snow and rainfall to the subcontinent in the winter season, are becoming more variable. This, scientists believe, is linked to temperature changes in the Arctic. In 2023, the western disturbances, which came as late as in June, collided with the monsoons and resulted in extreme rainfall, floods, and devastation. This is now going to be combined with the much warmer than anticipated North Atlantic Ocean temperatures, which drive extreme weather disturbances like cyclones, and the onset of El Niño in the Pacific, which is a precursor of extreme heat and drought. The bottom line is that there is no weather pattern for scientists to follow. We are out of our comfort zone and will be exposed to nature’s dictates like never before. Yet, our response to the catastrophic events has been grossly inadequate in terms of action to combat climate change. Let’s be very clear about this — greenhouse gas emissions are not decreasing anywhere close to the scale or at the pace they need to. This is a fact and it needs to be repeated so that we are not under the optical illusion that the already rich and industrial world is moving out of fossil fuels into clean energy and battery-driven vehicles or, even better, buses. The only big development that has brought down emissions in the rich world has been its shift away from coal for energy supply — mostly to use natural gas. But natural gas is a fossil fuel; it still pollutes and keeps the world in the unsafe zone. Furthermore, the world that is today ravaged by the impacts of climate change is not getting the investment it needs to move even incrementally towards a cleaner tomorrow. We need to address this, and now. Let’s stop beating around the bush on this issue and understand that when we say we are in this together, we really are. Many parts of the world which are heating up will need to find solutions for thermal comfort — including installing air conditioners. What this will mean for our warming world will depend on what these countries do to reduce the emission intensity of their energy grid. It will also depend on their ability to do what has been discussed for long; retrofit their buildings for better insulation and for ventilation. The fast-warming world will require inventive solutions so that we do not end up blowing up even more of the non-existent carbon budget. In our world, we have millions of farmers, who are the worst impacted by extreme and variable weather. The situation is so bad that they have no idea when to plant their next crop — the planting season, which starts with the advent of the monsoon, has come and gone. What they plant is devastated by flood or by lack of rain. There is no crop calendar that they can work with now; and their risks are compounded many times. This is the tragic human face of extreme weather that we are seeing over and over again. Let’s not lose sight of this. Then, we are oblivious of the need for climate-resilient development. In fact, we are doing the reverse. We are building on the floodplains, choking drainage, and filling up waterbodies. We are mindless about the fact that the Himalayas are the world’s youngest mountain range and so, development of everything from buildings to roads and other infrastructure must be based on this vulnerability. The devastation in our world is not only because of climate change — as our politicians would like us to believe. Climate change is exacerbating, making worse our human-made mess. I say this because we must not slip into believing that fixing this mess is beyond our control. Then there is no way ahead. This would be the ultimate tragedy. The writer is at the Centre for Science and Environment sunita@cseindia.org, Twitter: @sunitanar

Workshop on Climate Change for Odia and Telugu language Journalists Concludes in Bhubaneswar

Bhubaneswar : The U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad, in partnership with VIEWS, a non-profit organization, hosted a two-day climate change workshop in Bhubaneswar, which concluded on Saturday. The workshop is the fifth in the series of 10 workshops that are being hosted in Bhubaneswar, Vishakhapatnam and Hyderabad to enhance the knowledge around climate change issues and increase the reportage around it. “The prime objective of these workshops is to provide tools and techniques to Odia and Telugu language journalists that will help strengthen their reports and analysis on climate change issues,” said Consul General Jennifer Larson in a statement. “Journalists can provide in-depth analysis and investigative stories with facts and figures which bridge the information gap for the public regarding climate change,” she added. Mr. S. Bheema Rao, Executive Director of VIEWS India, said, “We are pleased to be the implementing partner for the U.S. Consulate General in Hyderabad in this initiative. These workshops will help sensitize media houses to increase their coverage of climate issues, leading to greater public awareness of climate concerns.” On the inaugural day, senior journalist Sandeep Sahu chaired a panel with Mr. Manoranjan Mishra, Editor, Kanak News; Ms Rakhi Ghosh, Editor Stories of Odisha and Ms Minati Singha on ‘Why Climate Matters.’ It was followed by a session by Mr. Richard Mahapatra, Managing Editor, Down to Earth on ‘Reporting the most Globalized Local story’ and Mr. Umi Daniel, Director, Aid et Action on Climate Change, Natural Disaster and Migration.’ On the concluding day, an interface meet was conducted with global experts on ‘Impact of Climate Change on food security and small-scale fisheries.’ Noted journalist and mentor with Earth Journalism Network Ms Stella Paul hosted a session on ‘Gender-sensitive Climate Change reporting,’ followed by another technical session on ‘Sustainable Agriculture through indigenous knowledge and inputs,’ by Mr Rajeev Kumar Roul. The participants were felicitated with certificates and mementos.

Rising air pollution shows urgent need for localized climate action in the Northeast

Considering the dense forest cover of India's northeast and that it harbours the last remnants of our country’s rainforests - the popular perception of the northeast being a pollution-free serene region of our country has turned out to be a fallacious myth today. In March this year, Guwahati, the largest metropolis in India’s northeast region, found itself in the global list of 100 most polluted cities, as well as in the list of 10 most polluted cities in Asia, according to data from the World Air Quality Index. While air quality in the northeast has been steadily deteriorating, contrary to the perception of its pristine blue skies, the issue has unfortunately failed to draw the attention it requires. In March this year, Guwahati, the largest metropolis in India’s northeast region, found itself in the global list of 100 most polluted cities, as well as in the list of 10 most polluted cities in Asia (HT File) In March this year, Guwahati, the largest metropolis in India’s northeast region, found itself in the global list of 100 most polluted cities, as well as in the list of 10 most polluted cities in Asia (HT File) Although conversations on ‘air pollution’ and ‘air quality’ have been gaining momentum in recent years, these have predominantly focused on Delhi and neighbouring areas that are too episodic and fizzle after winter months. Researchers, however, have been cautioning us that air pollution is not just an urban problem, it is neither a Delhi-NCR-centric issue nor a winter phenomenon, but a national problem persisting throughout the year. Contrary to public perception, research from the Centre for Science and Environment corroborates the expanding grasp of toxic air with northeastern cities like Guwahati, Byrnihat, Dimapur, Kohima, and Agartala recording concerning levels of air pollution, to the extent that Guwahati has recorded air quality levels equal to those in Delhi-NCR, and even more severe at times. Arguably, the limited air quality data available underestimates the scale of the problem confronting the northeastern states and inhibits proper assessment of risk. However, even the limited data available to us points to mounting vulnerability and risk. On examining data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) for the first quarter of this year itself, it is apparent that for a significant number of days, recorded air quality in Guwahati has been worse than in Delhi and Mumbai, with the Air Quality Index (AQI) being recorded above 300 (i.e very poor). This data is primarily based on monitoring of PM 2.5, the prominent pollutant which is a fine particulate matter that poses serious health risks when present in the atmosphere, and its sources can be diverse, including emissions from vehicles, industrial processes, and biomass burning. The city experienced a substantial number of days categorized as 'poor' and 'very poor' in terms of AQI. Guwahati’s AQI in the first quarter of 2022 (Prominent pollutant PM 2.5) Number of days in ‘poor’ category (AQI 200+) Number of days in ‘very poor’ category (AQI 300+) Number of days Guwahati AQI was worse than Delhi January 14 out of 31 days (45%) 11 out of 31 days (35%) 10 out of 31 days (32%) February 12 out of 28 days (42%) 10 out of 28 days (35%) 4 out of 28 days (14%) March 11 out of 31 days (35%) 10 out of 31 days (32%) 10 out of 31 days (32%) April 10 out of 30 days (33%) 9 out of 30 days (30%) Nil Source: CPCB Data These figures underscore the frequency of unhealthy air conditions prevailing in the city during this period. A particular concern highlighted by the analysis is that Guwahati's AQI was worse than Delhi's AQI on multiple days each month. Delhi is notoriously known for its polluted air, and the fact that Guwahati on several occasions had worse air quality than the capital city reveals the severity of the air pollution challenge. Over the same period, experts have noted an increase in severe lung diseases, acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma, and other respiratory problems among the residents of the city. Moreover, as per IQAir’s ‘World Air Quality Report 2022’ which globally ranks most polluted cities based on PM 2.5 concentration as per WHO guidelines, Guwahati ranked 95th. It is important to caveat the variations in national (CPCB) and international (WHO) AQI standards, India’s annual concentration standards for pollutants continue to be 40 micrograms per cubic metres (ug/m3) for PM 2.5, a figure eight times higher than WHO’s standards of 5ug/m3 for particulate matters. While this points to the need to revise our norms and narrow the gap between the two standards, it is telling that Guwahati (among other northeastern cities) fails to meet neither. Guwahati’s ranking on the global list of most polluted cities based on PM 2.5 concentration(IQAir) Guwahati’s ranking on the global list of most polluted cities based on PM 2.5 concentration(IQAir) Source: World Air Quality Report 2022 Presently, seven cities from three northeastern states, namely, Dimapur (Nagaland), Byrnihat (Meghalaya), Guwahati, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sibsagar, Silchar (Assam), find a place in the list of 131 non-attainment cities under the National Clean Air Program (NCAP). A Union government program launched in 2019, NCAP aims to improve air quality in the 131 cities identified as most polluted across the country. However, these northeastern cities need further thrust under NCAP to ensure robust assessment frameworks and implement specific and contextual action plans suited to local needs. Given India’s geographical diversity, city micro action plans mandated under NCAP must be tailored to unique and localized concerns, bringing on board regional inputs rather than a cookie-cutter model which is the trend. One such localized concern, for example, is the high level of black carbon emissions in Guwahati, which researchers estimate may be one the highest recorded levels in the world. A study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati (IITG), showed that exposure to black carbon (BC) pollution in Guwahati, especially in winter months, might cause health risks equivalent to passively smoking 25 cigarettes every day. Studies show that when inhaled, black carbon is deposited in the lungs and can cause acute health problems including premature deaths. Preliminary research has also drawn links between black carbon emissions and erratic rainfall patterns, demonstrating the connection between air pollution and climate change, which can have alarming effects on an already climate and flood-vulnerable state like Assam. All this points towards the need to reset our approach to policy-making and implementation, and advocate for effective and decentralized governance that will subsequently take everyone along. There is a need to bolster monitoring resources, invest and facilitate a greater deal of scientific research, build the capacity of administrators to effectively mitigate local sources, encourage entrepreneurs to innovate local solutions, and empower civil society with the right information to enable them to be active stakeholders in driving change. Delhi-NCR and some northern states have long dominated the discourse on air pollution - but it is time to look beyond, lest we risk further sidelining an air pollution and public health crisis brewing in other regions. It’s time policymakers look East, towards localizing action plans for the right to breathe cleaner air for all. Pradyut Bordoloi is a Lok Sabha member of Parliament from Nowgong, Assam and member of the parliamentary group for clean air. The views expressed are personal.

Dabur Replies To Claims Of Carcinogens In Honey, Calls Them ‘Motivated’ And ‘Baseless’

Dabur India Ltd. dismissed reports of cancer-causing substances in their honey, calling the claims “motivated” and “baseless.” According to a Zee News report , a high percentage of carcinogenic substance was discovered in the popular brand Dabur Honey. Dabur Honey samples were evaluated at the National Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food. CEO Mohit Malhotra commented on the situation after a post- earnings Conference Call on Thursday, he said, “We stand by the purity of Dabur Honey…Every single batch of Dabur Honey dispatched from our factories complies with all FSSAI parameters, including HMF.” He further added, “”In fact, Dabur Honey is the only leading honey brand in the country which has been granted the Agmark special certification post inspection and proper due diligence…This certifies the purity of Dabur Honey. We are also the only Indian honey brand that is packed in (the) U.S. FDA certified facilities.” According to Abneesh Roy of Nuvama Wealth Management, honey products generate 6-7% of Dabur’s income in India and 5% of consolidated revenue. He does not expect a significant impact on honey sales in the long run, but there may be a “small” impact in the short term. However, this is not the first time Dabur’s honey has been involved in a scandal due to failing quality testing. The Centre for Science and Environment reported in 2020 that honey marketed by 13 Indian manufacturers, including Dabur, had been contaminated with sugar syrup. As part of an inquiry, the environment watchdog stated at the time that Dabur Honey failed the demanding nuclear magnetic resonance test, which is regarded the global gold standard for honey. Dabur, on the other hand had dismissed the findings at the time, claiming that it was the only corporation in the country with NMR testing equipment in its own laboratory. In India, NMR testing have been made mandatory for honey that is meant for export and the ruling has been in place since August 1, 2020. “India’s food regulator has set about 65 parameters, and Dabur complies with all of them,” Malhotra added. “So, the report is simply motivated to malign the image of the market leader.” Malhotra concluded by stating that Dabur has acquired 500 basis points of market share since the last issue caused by the CSE report, which is a “clear indication that Dabur remains a strong player.”

Report On Honey Motivated To Malign Image Of Market Leader, Says Dabur Honey

products contribute 6–7% to Dabur's revenue in India and 5% to consolidated revenue. Dabur India Ltd. rejected the reports about the presence of cancer-causing substance in its honey and termed the claims as "motivated" and "baseless." A high concentration of carcinogenic material was allegedly found in the popular brand Dabur Honey, according to a Zee News report. The samples of Dabur Honey were tested at the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food at the National "We stand by the purity of Dabur Honey," Chief Executive Officer Mohit Malhotra said during a post-earnings conference call on Thursday. "Every single batch of Dabur Honey dispatched from our factories complies with all FSSAI parameters, including HMF." "In fact, Dabur Honey is the only leading honey brand in the country which has been granted the Agmark special certification post inspection and The NMR tests have been made mandatory in India for honey that is meant for export as of Aug. 1, 2020. The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India also started a pan-nation drive in 2021 to collect samples of honey and get them tested for adulteration. Queries emailed to the FSSAI remained unanswered till the time of publishing. "There are about 65 parameters set by India's food regulator,

What is your vision for sustainable mobility in India?

Q&A Sunita Narain Director General, Centre for Science and Environment We know mobility is key for economic growth and livelihood security, particularly in our urban areas, where work and home are distant. My vision is a mobility system that is affordable and accessible for all, yet modern, convenient and clean. Let me explain why I say this. Currently, as per official data, the bulk of people in our cities do not drive personal vehicles; less than 15%-20% on average commute by personal car. Yet personal cars take up the bulk of our road space, and, like other cities in the world, we are struggling to build more highways and fight the battle of the bulge. A city like Delhi has over 25% of its land area under road infrastructure, 90% of which caters to the 15%-20% of the commuting population that travels in personal vehicles. The bulk of people in cities still walk, cycle or take the bus, or now the metro — this is where the huge opportunity is. We need to envision and reengineer our cities so that people can use public transport that is massively augmented and available to all. Most importantly, for public transport to work, we need last-mile connectivity. People cannot take a bus or metro if they cannot walk or cross the road — our cities need to be redesigned not for the ease of moving vehicles but moving people. What is the link between mobility and sustainability in India? We face a challenge of toxic air pollution, which is endangering our health. The key contributors to pollution are vehicles in our cities and the use of unclean fuel for energy. This is in spite of the huge efforts made by the government to introduce clean fuel and vehicle emission standards. The fact is we have a large fleet of older vehicles, and as we introduce newer, cleaner variants of fuels, the sheer number of older vehicles on the road negates the impact of cleaner fuels. Congestion on roads adds to pollution as well. We also know that transport-related emissions are a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. So, as India moves to transforming its mobility systems, it will improve air quality in our cities as well as decarbonize our transport sector. It is a clear opportunity for co-benefit. This is particularly important as we can see that with only 15%-20% of people driving, the airshed is polluted. We literally do not have the space for the remaining 80% of people to drive personal vehicles, which will then contribute to emissions. Like the issue of climate justice in our world, this needs policies deliberately designed to cater to the growing needs of people, and, in this case, it means building mobility systems of the future that are suitable for all. Does electric mobility play a role in this transformation in India? Indeed it does, but not in the way the rest of the world is approaching electric mobility. The focus on e-mobility for private transport is not a game changer in a fast-warming world. This is particularly because there are constraints on minerals and the management of batteries and other issues when it comes to e-vehicles. The Indian government has recognized this, and its programs have incentivized e-buses and paratransit vehicles like three-wheelers. This means that we are investing in e-vehicles for the transport for the majority — over 15,000 e-buses will soon be on roads in key cities in the country. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs is providing guidance to cities to invest in public transport. This now needs to be augmented and interconnected to intra- and intercity mass transport systems, including fast-track railways and metro-rail systems. This electrification of transport systems will help to clean local air. This is a huge opportunity for our cities.

Tax breaks can incentivise reprocessing of construction waste

Indian cities reprocess a mere one percent of construction waste. Planned tax incentives can push this into an investment opportunity. As natural calamities escalate, these measures need to be taken sooner than later Over 400 mm of rain fell in the Raigad district in Maharashtra between July 17 and 19, leading to the collapse of a section of the hills which buried the Irshalgarh village and caused 16 deaths. A few days later the Matheran hill station developed a crack about 100 metres long and six feet wide. Climate change-induced intense rainfall is here to stay in the world and in many places in India. But intense mining of these hills to meet the ever-increasing demand from the construction industry that is poised to touch $1.4 trillion by 2025 (Economic Survey estimates) is creating many more problems in the several ranges of the western ghats, as predicted several decades ago by ecologist and environmentalist Madhav Gadgil. Managing Construction Waste On the other hand, cities are struggling to manage construction debris from rapid redevelopment across India to house the additional 15 percent of the population that will take urbanisation in the country from 35 percent to 50 percent in a few years. Currently, India is believed to be producing about 150 MT of construction waste, accounting for 35-40 per cent annually of global construction and demolition (C&D) waste. It accounts for 20 percent of municipal waste according to estimates by Central Public Health and Environmental Engineering Organisation (CPHEEO). In 2020, the Centre for Science & Environment estimated that India processes just one percent of its C&D waste. Balancing that demand and supply mismatch is a simple enough solution that policymakers could very easily incorporate into building norms. Today technology allows reprocessing of construction debris to extract aggregates and material that reduces the need for fresh mining and extraction of material. This circularity of materials gives the construction industry many benefits. The buildings and construction sector currently account for over 40 percent of global carbon emissions, according to McKinsey, World Green Building Council and World Bank sources. So, for Godrej Construction which set up a recycling plant in Vikhroli in Mumbai, corporate responsibility was the driver. By focussing on using recycled building materials for reducing embodied carbon emission, addressing the operational carbon emission and adopting a net zero design approach by choosing lifecycle operations for greener construction, explains Anup Matthew, the group went for green as a concept. It pulverises concrete debris into fine recycled aggregates, that are used for manufacturing various types of solid, hollow, insulating concrete blocks and other customised prefabricated products. Since operations began in 2017, the plant has already processed 30,000 MT of C&D waste in the city of Mumbai to concrete blocks and pavers for use internally and for sale in the external market. These products are Green Pro certified and get the user companies green credits. Incentives To Recycle Some policy-led benefits are already available when these recycled products are used. Since the plants operate with renewable energy, there is still further enhancement of green credits. Buildings that meet the criteria for these certifications may receive incentives such as tax benefits and higher floor area ratio (FAR) allowances. The government of Maharashtra's urban development department offers an additional FAR of 3 percent, 5 percent and 7 percent for green buildings rated by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) as silver, gold and platinum, respectively. The Indian government offers tax incentives to encourage green construction. For example, under Section 80-IA of the Income Tax Act, developers of green buildings can claim deductions on profits generated from such projects. However, these products cannot be priced favourably against traditional products because of the cost of reprocessing and a whopping 18 percent GST slapped on them. If that is revised to five percent or even zero to promote the use of such products made from C&D waste, they will become more competitive in the market and will attract more investors to clear the large tonnage of C&D waste in cities. When the Supertech towers were detonated under instructions of the Supreme Court, the 80,000 tonnes of waste to be reprocessed by the plant in Noida was expected to take about three months. Utkarsh Mehta of Edifice Engineering had spoken to this writer about how to handle the C&D waste. Even despite this planning, the recycling went behind schedule due to high pollution days in the National Capital Region. Balancing the amount man extracts from nature and how much can be put back is a continuous struggle. Hills, mountains, and even the earth itself is under stress because of the uncontrolled extraction of water and minerals. Today it is the actions of a few good corporates that are bringing hope to the industry. A little policy tinkering can push this into a flood of good practices. Going by the cataclysmic disasters that hit the world practically every day, that should be sooner than later. E Jayashree Kurup is a writer-researcher in real estate and Director Real Estate & Cities, Wordmeister Editorial Services. Views are personal, and do not represent the stand of this publication.

Is Your Honey Pure Or Adulterated? Lab Test On Popular Honey Brands Reveals Key Details

High levels of adulteration were found in popular honey brands in India as per the findings of a lab test. Honey, a commonly used food ingredient, is known to have multiple health benefits. There are different kinds of honey that have different flavonoids, distinct tastes, and unique properties, depending on the floral source of the nectar. Honey is a pantry staple that is found in almost all Indian households. Several health benefits are associated with consuming honey – and many diabetic patients use it as an alternative to sugar. Honey is easily available in the market from several brands. However, honey marketed by prominent brands failed key purity tests, according to a report by Zee News. High levels of adulteration were found in popular honey brands in India as per the findings of a lab test. Zee News conducted research to find the on-ground reality of the purity of Indian brands selling honey. For the research work, three samples of two honey brands were collected and sent to the lab for testing. One of the honey samples belonged to the Dabur brand. For the research, the samples were sent to the lab without any labels or brand packaging to maintain the anonymity of the brands. The samples were sent to the Gujarat-based National Dairy Development Board’s Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food for testing. What The Lab Test Results Show All three samples of the two popular brands – Dabur Honey and Shree Ji Honey – that were sent for testing had failed the purity test, according to Zee News. A specific compound in the samples was found to be much higher than the expected standards. The HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) content in Dabur honey was found to exceed the required range. One of the samples of Dabur honey was found to have 176.57 mg of HMF – which is much higher than the established standards. The HMF content of honey should not exceed more than 80 mg, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The other sample of Dabur sample sent for testing was found to contain 97.250 mg of HMF. Another sample from Shree Ji Honey also failed the purity test as it contained an HMF content of 135.16 mg. Earlier, an investigation conducted by the Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) in 2020 found rampant adulteration in honey sold by major Indian brands including Dabur. According to a Hindu report, CSE researchers chose 13 high and smaller manufacturers of processed and uncooked honey being bought in India to test their purity. Samples of these brands were first tested at the Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food (CALF) at the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) in Gujarat. In all, 22 samples were tested of which only five passed. CSE said 77 per cent of the samples were found to be adulterated with addition of sugar syrup and only three could pass the internationally accepted Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (NMR) test. “Honey samples from leading brands such as Dabur and others failed the NMR (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance) test,” the study said. What Is HMF And Is It Harmful Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) – a quality marker of honey – is an organic compound derived from dehydration of certain sugars. HMF content in honey determines the purity level. A pure honey will contain up to 15 mg of HMF per kg. HMF is found in bread, dairy products, and fruit juices at different concentrations. Studies have indicated that high level of HMF consumption has been reported to have negative effects on health such as “cytotoxicity toward mucous membranes, the skin and the upper respiratory tract, mutagenicity; chromosomal aberrations, and carcinogenicity”, according to the peer-reviewed journal BMC Chemistry.

Foundries in VKI area adding to air pollution

Jaipur: Jaipur has 11 major industrial clusters, housing polluting industries, and of these, the Vishwakarma Industrial Area (VKIA) accounts for the highest pollution load of 33 per cent. A lot of this pollutants in VKIA is coming from the 46 foundries that are located in the cluster causing the air pollution. The data has emerged from a recent assessment of the foundry sector in Rajasthan carried out jointly by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and the Rajasthan State Pollution Control Board (RSPCB). The two agencies organised a workshop on the subject on Wednesday in New Delhi, with the aim of discussing a roadmap for improving the environmental performance of the foundry sector in the state. Vijai N, member secretary, RSPCB inaugurated and addressed the event and Nivit Kumar Yadav, programme director, industrial pollution, CSE also addressed.

DNA Analysis on Honey: सेहतमंद रखने वाला ब्रांडेड शहद कहीं आपको कैंसर की दावत तो नहीं दे रहा?

DNA Analysis on Honey: बाजार में मिलने वाले बड़े ब्रांड के शहद के सैंपल हमने टेस्ट के लिए भेजे. जिनमें HMF काफी ज्यादा मात्रा में पायी गई है. टेस्ट रिपोर्ट में इसका खुलासा हुआ है. जब डाबर जैसी कंपनियां एकदम शुद्ध शहद बेचने का दावा करती हैं तो फिर उनके शहद में HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा क्यों मिली? इसकी कई वजह हो सकती हैं. हम सभी हर मौसम में खुद को सेहतमंद रखने के लिए शहद का सेवन करते हैं. गुणवत्ता का ध्यान रखते हुए ब्रांडेड हनी खरीदते हैं, लेकिन ये शहद आपको कैंसर के खतरे की ओर तो नहीं धकेल रहा है. ब्रांडेड कंपनियों के दावों की पोल खोलने वाले DNA के ऑपरेशन हनी ट्रैप में इसी का खुलासा किया गया है. इसमें पाया गया है कि शानदार Packaging और बड़े-बड़े दावों के साथ बिकने वाले शहद में मिलावट थी और ये मिलावट जानलेवा भी हो सकती है. ज़ी न्यूज़ ने इसका Reality Check के लिए कई कई महीनों तक रिसर्च और ग्राउंड रिपोर्टिंग की. देश में सबसे अधिक बिकने वाले शहद के कई छोटे और बड़े Brands का लैब टेस्ट (#Honeytest) भी करवाया. नामी ब्रांड के शहद की लैब टेस्टिंग के परिणाम चौंकाने वाले आए. शहद के दोनों ही सैंपल, एक खास मानक पर फेल हो गए. अधिक मात्रा में पाया गया HMF कंपाउंड जांच में एक खास तत्व Hydroxy-methyl-furfural यानी HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा पाई गई. यह दोनों ही कंपनियों के शहद में तय सीमा से दोगुने से भी ज्यादा मिला. डाबर के शहद के एक सैंपल में HMF की मात्रा 176.57 मिलीग्राम मिली और दूसरे सैंपल में 97.250 मिलीग्राम मिली. वहीं टेस्ट में एक अन्य ब्रांड, श्री जी हनी का सैंपल भी फेल हुआ, जिसमें HMF की मात्रा 135.16 मिलीग्राम पाई गई थी. तय मानकों के हिसाब से ये मात्रा किसी भी स्थिति में 80 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए. कैंसर का कारण बन सकता है HMF स्टडी में पाया गया है कि शहद में Hydroxy-methyl-furfural (HMF) की ज्यादा मात्रा कैंसर का कारण बन सकती है. रिसर्च की मानें तो इंसान, हर दिन 30 से 150 मिलीग्राम HMF ही पचा पाता है. इससे अधिक मात्रा का हर दिन सेवन करना कैंसर को बुलावा देने जैसा है. यह कंपाउंड आंतों, लिवर और किडनी को खासकर नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. HMF, Neo-Plasticity पैदा कर सकता है यानी शरीर के Healthy Cells को Tumor वाले Cells में बदल सकता है. HMF की अधिक मात्रा, Gene Mutation यानी आनुवांशिक संरचना को बदल सकती है. लगातार HMF का अवश्यकता से अधिक सेवन इंसान के DNA को भी नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. भारत में शुद्ध शहद का दावा करते डाबर जैसे कई बड़े ब्रांड मिलावटी शहद बेच रहे हैं. लोग बाजार में मिलने वाले शहद सेहतमंद होने के लिए खाते हैं, लेकिन यह आपके लिए बहुत नुकसानदायक साबित हो सकता है. हमारे देश में शहद की क्वालिटी चेक करने का जो Mechanism है, वो इतना कारगर नहीं है कि मिलावट की 100 फीसदी जांच हो पाए. मिलावटी शहद बेचे जाने का यह भी एक बड़ा कारण हो सकता है. इसकी खुलासा दिसंबर 2020 में भारत में बिकने वाले ब्रांडेड शहद को लेकर बड़े एनजीओ (NGO) सेंटर फॉर साइंस एंड एनवायरमेंट (Centre For Science And Environment) यानी CSE द्वारा किया जा चुका है. HMF की मात्रा बढ़ने का कारण अमेरिका की National Centre For Bio-Technology Information के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की तब मात्रा बढ़ती है जब- शहद बहुत पुराना हो. Processing के समय शहद को ज्यादा गर्म किया जाए. शहद में मॉइश्चर यानी नमी अधिक हो. शहद का स्टोरेज ठीक से न किया गया हो. उसमें चीनी जैसे शुगर सीरप मिलाए गए हों. साथ ही शहद को मेटल के कंटेनर में रखा गया हो.

Delhi News: ज़ी मीडिया का बड़ा खुलासा, नामी कंपनियों का शहद आपको बना सकता है कैंसर का मरीज, जानें कारण

Delhi News: इन नामी कंपनियों का शहद आपकी सेहत के लिए हानीकारक साबित हो सकता है. इसको लेकर हमारी ज़ी मीडिया की टीम ने टेस्टिंग की तो डाबर कंपनी के शहद के नमूने फेल हो गए. आयुर्वेद में शहद को अमृत के समान माना गया है. शहद का सेवन करने से शरीर में ऊर्जा बरकरार रहती है. रोग प्रतिरोधक क्षमता भी अच्छी होती है. यहां तक कि नियमित शहद खाने से कैंसर जैसी बीमारियों का खतरा भी कम होता है. इसलिए आयुर्वेदिक औषधियों में भी शहद का इस्तेमाल होता है. आपमें से बहुत से लोग शहद खाते होंगे. गुनगुने पानी में लोग ये सोचकर शहद ले लेते हैं कि वो पतले हो जाएंगे. डायबिटीज के कई मरीज, चीनी के विकल्प के तौर पर शहद की चाय-कॉफी पीते हैं. यहां तक कि भारतीय परिवारों में नवजात बच्चे के अन्नप्रासन में सबसे पहले शहद की बूंद चटाई जाती है, ये सोचकर कि शहद, प्रकृति से मिलने वाली सबसे शुद्ध चीज है, लेकिन मिलावट के इस दौर में अब अमृत समान शहद के नाम पर कैसे आपको विष बेचा जा रहा है, आज हम इसका, Lab Tested खुलासा करेंगे. Branded शहद की रिपोर्ट परेशान करने वाली ज्यादातर लोग ये मानते हैं कि Branded Company का शहद है तो इसमें मिलावट नहीं होगी, लेकिन क्या वो शहद असली है? शुद्ध है ? जैसा कि कंपनियां दावा करती हैं. इसका Reality Check करने के लिए ज़ी मीडिया की टीम ने कई महीनों तक रिसर्च और Ground Reporting की हैं. ज़ी मीडिया ने देश में सबसे ज्यादा बिकने वाले शहद के कई बड़े और छोटे Brands का लैब टेस्ट भी करवाया है, जिसके नतीजे इतने हैरान कर देने वाले हैं, उससे ज्यादा परेशान कर देने वाले हैं. वहीं बड़े बड़े ब्रैंड्स दावा करते हैं कि उनका शहद सबसे शुद्ध है और जीरो मिलावट का दम भरते हैं, लेकिन क्या वाकई डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड्स के शहद, शुद्धता की कसौटी पर खरे उतरते हैं ? दो सैंपल की हुई जांच हमारी टीम ने बाजार से देश में सबसे ज्यादा बिकने वाले शहद के दो सैंपल उठाए, जिसमें से एक सैंपल, सबसे बड़े ब्रैंड डाबर (Dabour) का था और फिर इन सैंपल्स को लैब टेस्टिंग के लिए भेजने की तैयारी शुरु की. हमने दोनों सैंपल्स को उनके ब्रैंड्स के डिब्बों से निकालकर दूसरे डिब्बों में स्टोर किया है, ताकि जब हम लैब में ये सैंपल भेजें तो पता ना चले कि कौन सा शहद, किस ब्रैंड का है. शहद की टेस्टिंग करने वाली मान्यता प्राप्त लैब्स की संख्या देश में गिनी चुनी है । ज्यादातर प्राइवेट लैब ने हमारे सैंपल टेस्ट करने से ही इंकार कर दिया. लैब टेस्टिंग कंपनी ने कर दिया मना गुरुग्राम की एक नामी लैब Fare labs ने हमारे सैंपल टेस्ट करने के लिए हामी भरी. हमसे सैंपल भी ले लिए. इसके बाद हमारी टीम सैंपल लेकर पहुंची. कंपनी के एक्सपर्ट ने सैंपल रिसीव करते समय हमसे बाकायदा बात की. हमें उम्मीद थी कि जल्द ही हमें टेस्ट रिजल्ट मिल जाएंगे, लेकिन करीब एक हफ्ते बाद कंपनी की तरफ से एक ई-मेल भेजा गया, जिसमें कहा गया कि शहद की टेस्टिंग करने वाली मशीन का एक पार्ट टूट गया है. जिसे उन्हें इंपोर्ट करना पड़ेगा इसलिए वो टेस्टिंग नहीं कर पाएंगे. यानी लैब, शहद का टेस्ट करने से ही मुकर गई, लेकिन हमारी टीम ने हार नहीं मानी और फिर शहद के सैंपल्स को लेकर हम पहुंचे गुजरात के आणंद में स्थित National Dairy Development Board की laboratory (Centre for Analysis and Learning in Livestock and Food) के सेंटर पर, जो कि देश की सबसे विश्वसनीय टेस्टिंग लैब है. लैब में शहद के सैंपल्स की जांच उन सभी 40 मानकों पर की जानी थी, जो भारत में शहद बेचने के लिए जरूरी हैं तो सैंपल, लैब में जा चुके थे और हमें इंतजार था टेस्ट रिपोर्ट का तो क्या शहद के बाजार में मार्केट लीडर, बिक्री में नंबर वन, डाबर हनी शुद्धता के मानकों पर खरता उतरा? इन सारे सवालों के जवाब इस टेस्ट रिपोर्ट में दर्ज हैं. पैरामीटर पर खरे नहीं उतरे ब्रैंड्स बाजार में मिलने वाले नामी ब्रैंड्स के शहद की लैब टेस्टिंग के नतीजे आ चुके हैं. हमने दो Brands के शहद के तीन सैंपल टेस्ट के लिए भेजे थे और दोनों ही सैंपल, एक खास Parameter पर Fail हो गए. दोनों ही कंपनियों के शहद में एक खास Compound की मात्रा, तय सीमा से दोगुने से भी ज्यादा मिली. शहद में ज्यादा मात्रा में HMF (Hydroxy Methyl Furfural) डाबर के जिस शहद का सैंपल हमने टेस्टिंग के लिए भेजा. उसमें HMF की मात्रा 176.57 मिलीग्राम मिली, जो कि तय मानकों के मुताबिक ये मात्रा किसी भी स्थिति में 80 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए थी. वहीं डाबर के ही दूसरे सैंपल में भी HMF की मात्रा 97.250 मिलीग्राम मिली, जबकि एक अन्य ब्रैंड, श्री जी हनी का सैंपल भी टेस्ट में फेल हो गया, जिसमें HMF की मात्रा 135.16 मिलीग्राम थी. यानी तीनों ही सैंपल शुद्धता की कसौटी पर खरे नहीं उतरे. अब आप सोच रहे होंगे कि आखिर ये HMF है क्या? और ये सेहत के लिए कितना नुकसानदायक हो सकता है, तो ये भी आपको बताते हैं. HMF एक Organic Compound है, जो कि कुछ मात्रा में मीठी चीजों में पाया जाता है. आमतौर पर शुद्ध और ताजा शहद में HMF की मात्रा प्रति किलो 15 मिलीग्राम तक होती है. शहद के अलावा HMF, ब्रेड्स और बेकरी के ज्यादातर प्रॉडक्ट्स, डेयरी प्रॉडक्टस में भी पाया जाता है. अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मानकों के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की मात्रा प्रति किलो 40 मिलीग्राम से ज्यादा नहीं होनी चाहिए. गर्म इलाकों में बनने वाले शहद के लिए ये मात्रा प्रति किलो 80 मिलिग्राम से कम होनी चाहिए, लेकिन बाजार में मिलने वाले बड़े Brands के शहद के जो Samples हमने टेस्ट करवाए हैं. उनमें HMF काफी ज्यादा है. टेस्ट रिपोर्ट साफ-साफ इसका खुलासा कर रही हैं, लेकिन जब डाबर जैसी कंपनियां एकदम शुद्ध शहद बेचने का दावा करती हैं तो फिर उनके शहद में HMF की मात्रा ज्यादा क्यों मिली? तो इसकी कई वजह हो सकती हैं. अमेरिका की National Centre For Bio-Technology Information के मुताबिक शहद में HMF की मात्रा तब बढ़ जाती है, जब शहद बहुत पुराना हो या शहद को Processing के दौरान ज्यादा गर्म किया गया हो, शहद में Moisture यानी नमी ज्यादा हो, शहद का Storage सही तरीके से नहीं किया गया हो, शहद में चीनी जैसे Sugar Syrup की मिलावट की गई हो या फिर शहद को Metal के Container में रख दिया गया हो. इन सभी वजहों से शहद में HMF Compound ज्यादा हो सकता है. वहीं हमारे पास जो लैब टेस्ट रिपोर्ट हैं, वो साबित करती हैं कि डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड्स के शहद में भी HMF की मात्रा, तय मानक से बहुत ज्यादा पाई गई है. इसका सीधा सा मतलब ये है कि बाजार में मिलने वाला शहद, शुद्ध तो बिलकुल भी नहीं है. वहीं अब आपके मन में ये सवाल आ सकता है कि आखिर शहद में ये मिलावट क्यों हो रही है? बता दें कि बाजार में भले ही कोई भी कंपनी कहे कि उसके ब्रैंड का शहद सबसे शुद्ध है तो यकीन मत करना, क्योंकि शानदार Packaging और बड़े-बड़े दावों के साथ बाजार में बिकने वाला शहद में मिलावट है, और ये मिलावट जानलेवा भी साबित हो सकती है, क्योंकि शहद में HMF की ज्यादा मात्रा कैंसर का कारण भी बन सकती है. कई शोध में ये पता चला है कि इंसान, रोजाना 30 से 150 मिलीग्राम HMF ही पचा सकते हैं, लेकिन रोजाना HMF की इससे ज्यादा मात्रा का सेवन करने से कैंसर हो सकता है. खासतौर पर आंतों, लिवर और किडनी को HMF बहुत नुकसान पहुंचा सकता है. बता दें कि HMF, Neo-Plasticity पैदा कर सकता है. यानी ये शरीर के Healthy Cells को Tumor वाले Cells में बदल सकता है. HMF की ज्यादा मात्रा Gene Mutation कर सकती है यानी आपकी आनुवांशिक संरचना को बदल सकती है. इतना ही नहीं लगातार HMF का जरूरत से ज्यादा सेवन इंसान के DNA को भी नुकसान पहुंचाने की ताकत रखता है. बाजार में मिलने वाला शहद, जो आप सेहतमंद बनने की इच्छा से खाते हैं. वो आपकी सेहत के लिए बेहद नुकसानदायक साबित हो सकता है. इसके बावजूद हमारे देश में डाबर जैसे बड़े ब्रैंड भी शुद्ध शहद का दावा करके मिलावटी शहद बेच रहे हैं और इसकी एक बड़ी वजह ये भी है कि हमारे देश में शहद की क्वालिटी चेक करने का जो Mechanism है, वो इतना कारगर नहीं है कि शहद में मिलावट को सौ फीसदी पकड़ पाए. हम ये किस आधार पर कह रहे हैं. ये भी आपको बताते हैं. दिसंबर 2020 में NGO, Centre For Science And Environment यानी CSE ने भारत में बिकने वाले ब्रैंडेड शहद को लेकर एक बड़ा खुलासा किया था. CSE ने दावा किया था कि डाबर सहित भारत में 13 प्रमुख Brands द्वारा बेचे जाने वाले शहद में चीनी सिरप की मिलावट पाई गई है. CSE के शोधकर्ताओं ने शुद्धता की जांच के लिए, उन 13 Brands को चुना था जो भारत में Processed शहद बेचते हैं. इस स्टडी में पाया गया था कि 77 प्रतिशत सैंपल्स में चीनी सिरप की मिलावट थी. CSE की स्टडी में कहा गया है कि डाबर, पतंजलि, बैद्यनाथ, झंडू, हितकारी जैसे प्रमुख ब्रांड्स के शहद के सैंपल्स, टेस्ट में फेल रहे. दिलचस्प बात ये है कि इन Brands के Samples का टेस्ट सबसे पहले भारत की लैब्स में किया गया था और लगभग सभी Samples, शुद्धता के परीक्षण में पास भी हो गये थे, लेकिन जब इन सैंपल्स का, CSE ने जर्मनी की Bruker Biospin लैब में Advance Test करवाया तो Branded शहर में मिलावट पकड़ में आई. भारत में शहद के Samples की testing करने वाली लैब्स की विश्वसनीयता तभी से संदेह के घेरे में है, जो शहद में मिलावट को पकड़ ही नहीं पा रही हैं. वहीं तीन साल पहले जब CSE ने शहद में मिलावट का खुलासा किया था तब भी डाबर ने ये मानने से इंकार कर दिया था कि उसके शहद में कोई मिलावट है. वहीं अब तीन साल बाद ज़ी मीडिया ने डाबर के शहद में मिलावट का खुलासा किया है तो अब देखते हैं कि इस बार डाबर क्या जवाब देती है, लेकिन इससे एक बात तो साबित होती है कि बाजार में मिलने वाले शहद को लेकर चाहे कोई कंपनी जितने मर्जी दावे करें. उनके शुद्ध होने की न तो कोई Guarantee है और न कोई Warranty है.

India among the 12 countries responsible for 52% of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste: Report

On July 28, 2023, the Earth saw its first Plastic Overshoot Day: The point at which the amount of plastics exceeds the global waste management capacity, according to Swiss-based research consultancy Earth Action (EA). Nearly 68,642,999 tonnes of additional plastic waste will end up in nature this year, noted the 2023 Plastic Overshoot Day Report by EA. India is among the 12 countries, along with China, Brazil, Indonesia, Thailand, Russia, Mexico, the United States, Saudia Arabia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Iran and Kazakhstan, which are responsible for 52 per cent of the world’s mismanaged plastic waste, it pointed out. Under current scenarios, despite pledges and increased waste management capacity, increased production of plastics will lead to global plastics pollution tripling by 2040, it pointed out. Also read: Extreme weather events in India may be transporting more plastic litter into oceans, warn experts Of the 159 million tonnes of plastics (which can be used only for a short time) to be produced globally in 2023, 43 per cent (68.5 million tonnes) will end up causing pollution, the report pointed out. This day, which is just four days ahead of Earth Overshoot Day on August 2, is a wake-up call to the world. Plastic Overshoot Day sheds light on a critical aspect of the world’s plastic consumption: Short-life plastics, encompassing plastic packaging and single-use plastics. These categories account for approximately 37 per cent of the total plastic commercialised annually. Moreover, they pose a higher risk of leakage to the environment. When it comes to plastic consumption on a per-person basis, the world’s worst offender is Iceland, with annual consumption of 128.9 kg per person. This is 24.3 times higher than the yearly consumption per person of 5.3 kg in India. The global average consumption of plastic per person per year is 20.9 kg. Overshoot Day for India, or the date when the amount of plastic waste outweighed the country’s ability to manage it, was January 6 2023. Plastic Overshoot Day is determined based on a country’s Mismanaged Waste Index (MWI). The imbalance between the volumes of plastic that are produced and used, as well as the world’s ability to manage those volumes when they become waste, is the root cause of plastic pollution. The gap in waste management capacity and plastic consumption is called MWI. Three countries (followed by India) with the highest mismanaged waste — Mozambique (99.8 per cent), Nigeria (99.44 per cent) and Kenya (98.9 per cent) — belong to Africa, according to the document. India ranks fourth in the MWI, with 98.55 per cent of generated waste being mismanaged and fares poorly in the management of plastics waste, according to the EA report. However, Siddharth Ghanshyam Singh, programme manager of municipal solid waste at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Science and Environment (CSE), said, “The index of the report can be challenged as it does not mention the source of the information that it has published especially with respect to mismanaged waste index of India”. According to CSE’s report, The Plastic Life Cycle, India recycles 12.3 per cent of its plastic waste and incinerates 20 per cent. The centralised EPR portal developed by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change also suggests India has a cumulative capacity to process 14.2 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. This includes recycling and incineration, indicating that the country has the capacity to process 71 per cent of all the primary plastic that is produced. The researchers categorised countries into 10 archetypes to carry out the analysis: The transactors, the self-sustainers, the strugglers, the overloaders, the toxic exporters, the waste saviours, the waste sponges, the selective exporters, the exporting polluters and the small-scale inward polluters. Also read: Plastic-free planet: Evolution of Global Plastics Treaty Among these, plastic pollution particularly impacts developing countries without mature waste management systems, including India. These countries have been categorised as ‘waste sponges’. However, 25 per cent of the countries that EA categorised as waste sponges are trying to address the global waste crisis by absorbing waste from other countries but are struggling to manage their own waste. Waste sponges have a low plastic consumption yet a high level of plastic pollution. This is worrying since the expected mismanaged waste in India in 2023 will be 7,300,752 tonnes of plastic. The country will also be responsible for releasing an average of 3,30,764 tonnes of microplastics into waterways. “According to Indian Industry estimates, the total primary plastic production in the country is 20 million metric tonnes, of this 43 per cent is single use in nature. This means that roughly 8.6 million tonnes of single use plastic waste is generated in the country —1.3 million tonnes more than what is estimated by this report,” said Singh. To mitigate plastic pollution, India must Invest in waste management policies like Extended producer responsibility (EPR), suggested the report. Plastics that are not designed for circular use must be phased out, it added. India was among the few countries in 2019 to propose a global ban on single-use plastics. The idea was later widened, and the world agreed in March 2022 to draw up a global treaty on plastic pollution by 2024. The UN Plastic Treaty represents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to spark global action against plastic pollution. But to achieve this, the treaty must be adequately scoped, negotiated, ratified and enforced with high ambition. However, India abstained from furnishing its written submission for the second round of negotiations held in Paris from May 29 to June 2, 2023. While 70 per cent of the submissions spoke of restricting / phasing out unnecessary plastic products, a negligible 8 per cent suggested a moratorium on plastic production. Similarly, just 10 per cent of the submissions suggested looking at the entire lifecycle of plastic to find solutions, according to an analysis published in the State of India’s Environment 2023: In figures. EA, in its report, has called for an ambitious treaty and urged all governments to endorse and ratify it.