Plastics are ubiquitous in Nepal. From waking up to going to bed, we see plastic everywhere – in our school, at the shops and our surroundings.

We live in the Mountain Children Home, located in Dandagaun, north of Kathmandu and on the bank of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park. The park is a shelter for several animals including bears, leopards and monkeys, and hundreds of species of birds. However, plastics are littered close to and inside the park due to human encroachment, and innocent animals consume them unknowingly, causing them several health issues.

During our research on plastic pollution, we found that plastic is a synthetic material derived from petrochemicals. It can be found in all shapes and sizes, ranging from soft to hard, thick to thin.

The first form of plastic was invented using cellulose in 1869 by John Hyatt in the US, who was attempting to find a substitute for ivory. The production and use of plastic became widespread in the mid-20th century. Between 1950 and 2015, humans have produced nine billion tonnes of plastic, with more than half this quantity having been produced since 2004.

Plastic pollution is a major problem across the world. Nepal has a lot of plastic problems because people use it daily. For example, they buy vegetables and fruit and carry them in single-use plastic bags, which are later thrown away carelessly.

Many foreign and domestic tourists visit Nepal to enjoy the beauty of its forests and wildlife. But this beauty is declining due to people discarding plastic bags in the forests while camping, trekking and hiking. This has immensely impacted the wildlife, which has become the root cause for their extinction. A research paper published in 2023 in Science Direct found that microplastics are even found in rhino dung.

Soil damage, also known as degradation, can be caused by natural processes or human activities. Plastic decreases the soil quality because it takes more than 400 years for plastic to decompose. This can lead to reduced crop yields and concern about food safety due to toxic chemicals joining the food chain through plant uptake.

People can reuse plastic by making sitting mats and plastic flowers, which can be used as decorations or for other purposes. In addition, burning plastic should be strictly prohibited as it causes several problems, including air pollution.

Similarly, the Nepali government should also ban plastic products such as single-use polythene bags and instead promote bags and products made of cloth. Stakeholders should band together to reduce plastic pollution in all possible ways, from policies to prevention to prohibition.