Packaging waste tops plastic pollution in high biodiversity zone stretch of Ganga, shows study

New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) Packaging waste is the most prevalent form of plastic pollution in a high-biodiversity stretch of the Ganga river that supports several endangered species, a new survey has found.

The section in Jharkhand, between Lal Bathani and Radhanagar in Sahibganj district, was selected because it includes a 34-km high-biodiversity zone that supports endangered species such as the Gangetic dolphin and smooth-coated otter.

The study, published in the journal Sustainability by researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India, documented 37,730 debris items across 76 km of the Ganga.

Packaging waste accounted for 52.4% of the total, comprising food wrappers, single-use sachets and plastic bags.

Plastic fragments were the second-largest category at 23.3%, followed by tobacco-related litter at 5% and single-use cutlery such as cups, spoons and plates at 4.7%. Fishing gear, textiles and medical plastics were also present in smaller amounts.

Floodplains showed the heaviest pollution, with densities of 6.95 items per square metre, nearly 28 times higher than river shorelines, which recorded 0.25 items per square metre.

Rural and urban areas showed similar levels of waste, and no major difference was observed between high- and low-population-density sites.

Seasonal differences were minimal, but the study found that floods replenished debris by carrying waste into the river post-monsoon. In the high-biodiversity zone alone, 61% of the total debris was recorded, including large amounts of discarded fishing nets and Styrofoam, posing risks to aquatic species.

Household waste contributed 87% of the debris, while fishing gear accounted for 4.5% and religious offerings 2.6%.

The absence of organised waste collection and disposal systems in floodplain communities was identified as a key factor in the high accumulation levels.

The survey, carried out between 2022 and 2024, used transect-based sampling to measure and categorise plastic waste. PTI UZM AMJ AMJ