Archive · 27 Sep 2025
Ganga River Study: Packaging Waste Dominates Plastic Pollution
Imagine the Ganga River as a home for special animals like dolphins and otters.
Scientists checked how much trash was in this home.
They found lots of plastic, mostly from things we throw away like food wrappers.
This trash is a problem, especially in areas where the animals live.
The trash mostly comes from people's homes and is carried into the river.
Because there's not much help to collect it, the trash piles up, making it unsafe for the animals.
A study found packaging waste is the main type of plastic pollution in a Ganga River stretch.
The study focused on a high-biodiversity zone supporting endangered species.
Packaging waste accounted for over half of the total debris found.
Floodplains showed significantly higher pollution levels than river shorelines.
Lack of waste collection systems is a key factor in waste accumulation.
- Who
- Researchers from the Wildlife Institute of India.
- What
- A survey of plastic pollution in the Ganga River.
- When
- Between 2022 and 2024.
- Where
- A high-biodiversity stretch of the Ganga River in Jharkhand.
- Why
- To assess plastic pollution impacting endangered species and identify key waste sources.
- Study Location
- Ganga River, Jharkhand (Sahibganj district)
- Study Period
- 2022-2024
- Debris Items Documented
- 37,730
- Packaging Waste Percentage
- 52.4%
- High-Biodiversity Zone
- 34 km stretch supports endangered species
- Primary Waste Source
- Household waste (87%)