According to a paper titled “The Use of Plastic as Household Fuel among the urban poor in the Global south” by Curtin University from Perth, the main reason to burn plastic for fuel is due to lack of traditional energy sources like gas or electricity and access to resources like coal or wood. This is a problem in developing countries across Africa, Latin America and Asia.
Lead researcher Dr Bishal Bharadwaj from the Curtin Institute for Energy Transition (CIET) observed that the study stated that 13% of Nigerian households reported using garbage as a cooking fuel. Soil and food samples in Indonesia have revealed dangerous toxin levels linked to burning plastic.
“By 2050, two-thirds of the world’s population will live in urban areas and many cities already struggle to provide basic services such as waste collection,” he noted, adding that the estimated global plastic consumption is expected to triple by 2060.
CIET Director, Professor Peta Ashworth felt research was required to develop solutions to an issue seen in areas dominated by slum colonies. “A ban on plastic burning might not help if people have no other option to keep warm and cook their food. Possible ways to address the problem include subsidies for cleaner fuels to make them affordable for poorer families, better waste management to reduce piling up of plastic in slum areas, campaigns to inform communities about the dangers of burning plastic and alternative low-cost, innovative cooking solutions tailored to lower-income areas.”
