Packaging Waste Dominates Ganga's Plastic Pollution Threatening Endangered Species

A survey by the Wildlife Institute of India highlights packaging waste as a major contributor to plastic pollution in Jharkhand's biodiverse stretch of the Ganga river. Comprising 52.4% of total waste, this debris threatens endangered species like the Gangetic dolphin. Inefficient waste management exacerbates the problem.

Packaging waste has emerged as the primary culprit in plastic pollution along a critical biodiversity zone of the Ganga river, threatening various endangered species, a new survey reveals.

The study, conducted by researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India and published in Sustainability, highlights that packaging materials account for a staggering 52.4% of the plastic debris in a 34-km high-biodiversity area in Jharkhand.

The absence of proper waste management systems is a major issue, with floodplains showing significantly higher pollution levels compared to river shorelines, thus endangering species like the Gangetic dolphin.