The first item in the list is ball pen (black / red/ blue / green). It is sought to be “good quality, use and throw.” Approximately 100,000 pieces are required at an indicated cost of Rs 3.51. piece. This is from a “Notice inviting online tender (e-tender) MMC no: QSF/MMC-02/02”, uploaded by the Office of the District Magistrate and Collector, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal. The subject being, “Supply of different types of stationery items for the West Bengal Legislative Assembly Election 2026”.
To put things in the right perspective, there are currently 23 districts in West Bengal, South 24 Parganas being one of them. While the population and other relevant figures vary between them, if we take South 24 Parganas as the yardstick, the state’s official requirement of ball pens for the ensuing elections will be roughly 23,00,000 pieces. Now, a typically cheap, single-use plastic pen in India weighs approximately between 8 to 12 grams – say, 10 grams for convenience’s sake. That would mean 230,00,000 grams, of plastic waste, equivalent to 23 metric tons!
Now imagine at least four such pens in every polling booth that will be used by the representatives of the candidates of the different political parties. Even if we consider a conservative 85,000 booths (the actual number is 85,379), that will mean an additional plastic burden of 85000 X 10 X 4. That is another 3.4 MT. I am not even considering the impact of the use-and-throw plastic pens that will be used, and discarded, during the process leading to the polling by workers of different political parties, the candidates and those manning the voter assistance booth on the day of the election. Or for that matter sketch pens which too, will be extensively used in the electoral process officially.
Just add the weight of the flex banners and hoardings that adorn the state. The amount will be humongous. Please also note that while the political parties put up these hoardings and banners with religious diligence, taking them down is not considered to be among their responsibilities. We all know the result.
The question that begs an answer is, where will all this plastic waste end up? In the drains, in our riverine systems, in our oceans. In net terms what will be the cost of this huge amount of plastic waste that this election will generate? I asked Google, and here is the reply that I got:
The environmental cost of 1 metric ton (MT) of plastic includes significant carbon emissions, with production and incineration generating roughly 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases globally, translating to several tonnes of \(CO_{2}\) equivalent (\(CO_{2}e\)) per ton of plastic. Plastic pollution carries an annual environmental cost of $362–$626 per ton, with incineration releasing toxic dioxins and furans.
Key Environmental Impacts of Plastic (per MT):
- Carbon Footprint: Production and incineration create high emissions, with some scenarios estimating over 1.6–2.2 tons of \(CO_{2}e\) per ton of plastic waste.
- Marine Damage: Plastic pollution causes an estimated $13 billion in annual damage to marine ecosystems worldwide.
- Air Pollution: Open burning of 1 ton of plastic waste can have a financial damage cost exceeding $300, while detailed waste management reduces this to under $100.
- Waste Management Costs: Uncollected plastic waste could cost up to $133 billion in lost material value by 2030, with substantial impacts in regions like India.
Life Cycle Costs:
- Production: The average market price of plastic is approximately $1,200 per ton, with a suggested levy of $75–$100 per ton needed to address collection and recycling.
- Persistence: Plastics take hundreds of years to decompose, releasing microplastics as they break down.
I know I am crying up the wrong wall, but can’t some of this waste be reduced by using fountain pens and inks? Or wood pencils even?