Nepal is grappling with a severe environmental and public health crisis linked to growing plastic pollution and poor waste management practices. The problem has come into sharper focus in recent weeks as air quality deteriorated dramatically across the country.
According to the Air Quality Index (AQI) data from April 2025, Kathmandu’s AQI crossed 250—classified as very unhealthy. A visible haze over the valley, largely attributed to vehicle pollution, wildfire, dust and open burning of waste, especially plastics, in urban and semi-urban areas impacted the public. Many social media users reported eye burning problems and difficulties in breathing.
“With limited landfill space and ineffective plastic waste collection, many local governments resort to open dumping or burning of plastic, releasing toxic pollutants into the atmosphere,” says Ujjwal Upadhyay, an environmental expert.
This burning is not just an environmental hazard—it’s a public health emergency. Scientific research now confirms that microplastics are being inhaled, absorbed into the bloodstream, and accumulating in human organs—including the brain.
A startling investigative article by NBC News on Sept 2024, citing a study published in JAMA Network, reported that researchers in Brazil had discovered microplastics in the olfactory bulbs of deceased human subjects. The olfactory bulb, located just above the nasal cavity, is directly connected to the brain. Scientists suspect that airborne microplastics are entering the body through the nose and accumulating in this region, raising alarm about potential neurological effects.
A separate study conducted at Cukurova University in Turkey found that microplastics could constitute up to 0.5 percent of the human brain’s total weight. These revelations underline the urgency of addressing airborne microplastic pollution.
According to the World Bank’s 2020 estimates, Nepal generates around 60,000 metric tons of plastic waste annually, of which approximately 20,000 metric tons end up in rivers. With many landfill sites located near waterways, heavy rainfall or improper dumping leads to significant plastic leakage into rivers, eventually flowing into the Ganges in India and further into the Bay of Bengal, polluting marine ecosystems.
Plastic, once hailed as a “wonder material” for its durability and low cost, is now proving to be an environmental curse. “It is non-degradable, breaks into microplastics over time, and is now found in drinking water, food, air, and even in salt,” says Upadhyay, who is also a team lead at Project CAP (Collaborative Approach for Preventing Plastic Leakages in Rivers). “A study by Dungel and Maharjan, published in Heliyon, found 80 to 1,040 microplastic particles per kilogram of salt sold in Nepal.”
“Completely banning plastic may be impractical, but immediate steps can be taken to phase out single-use plastics and strengthen plastic waste management,” he says. “Recycling, public awareness campaigns and behavioral change are key to reducing plastic pollution. Waste management systems must be modernized with support for circular economy models, turning plastic waste into reusable raw materials.”
According to Upadhyay, sanitation workers—often the backbone of waste collection—must be supported with proper safety gear, training and fair compensation. “Scaling up recycling infrastructure and connecting informal waste pickers to plastic recovery supply chains can contribute to both environmental protection and economic upliftment.”
“There is a high chance of rainfall on Wednesday, which might clear the pollution, and everyone will forget about it,” says Upadhyay. “But that should not be the case—every stakeholder must treat this as an emergency and take action.”
