Government makes sweeping move to eliminate common item from schools and colleges: 'Becoming a visible challenge'

A state in India has drawn worldwide attention for announcing a total ban on small, single-use plastic water bottles in schools and colleges.

The northern Indian state of Himachal Pradesh instituted the ban to combat pollution from single-use plastic packaging, The News Himachal reported.

The restrictions, which applied to PET water bottles 500 milliliters (16.9 fluid ounces) or smaller, joined a similar measure excluding small, plastic water bottles from government conferences, events, and indoor meetings. 

"The increasing littering caused by excessive use of small PET water bottles is becoming a visible challenge," read the state's notification for one of the bans. "The used PET water bottles, when improperly disposed of, contribute to pollution, harm the state's fragile ecosystems and tarnish its reputation as a tourist destination." 

Located in the Western Himalayas, Himachal Pradesh is famous for its natural beauty, and the state is taking aggressive action to preserve this pristine splendor.

In addition to the restrictions on single-use plastic, the state is also educating students on the importance of good environmental stewardship, according to The News Himachal. 

While local action is a key part of the solution, plastic pollution remains a global issue. According to the U.N. Environment Programme, every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic enters the world's waterways. That amounts to 19 to 23 million tonnes (21 to 25 million tons) of plastic per year. 

All of this plastic has a devastating impact on human health, the food system, and drinking water, not to mention wildlife and the natural ecosystem.

According to UNEP, toxic chemicals leach from discarded plastics and enter the drinking-water system. Microplastics have been detected in multiple human organs, which is perhaps unsurprising considering we literally eat, drink, and even breathe them in.

Though the situation is dire and projected to get worse if we don't change course, there are things we can do to combat plastic pollution. The government of Himachal Pradesh has provided a great example with its efforts to ban small, single-use plastic water bottles. 

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As a consumer, you can choose not to purchase single-use plastic packaging whenever possible. If you do use plastic containers, make sure to properly dispose of them, recycling whenever possible. 

However, it is important to recognize that recycling itself is not a silver-bullet solution to plastic pollution. As Inger Andersen, the executive director of UNEP, said: "We will not recycle our way out of the plastic pollution crisis: We need a systematic transformation to achieve the transition to a circular economy." 

Himachal Pradesh has taken an important step in that direction. 

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