May 26, 2023
Scientists warn that plastic pollution is harming the Earth. It's messing up the ground, oceans, and even the air. But the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) says the problem can be fixed if people really want to solve it.
UNEP recently said the world can reduce plastic pollution by 80% in less than 20 years. But to do this, countries need to make big changes. The UNEP report came out before an important meeting in Paris on May 29.
At the meeting, experts will start working on a plan to reduce plastic pollution.
Inger Andersen is the UNEP executive director. She said that if the world could follow this plan, it would help heal the planet and make people’s lives better.
The plan asks governments and big companies to create a more "circular economy." This could be done by using technology that already exists. That includes the reuse and recycling of plastic. The plan also wants to replace plastic products with ones that can break down naturally. UNEP says that by using refillable bottles and programs that give money back for returns, the world could reduce plastic waste by one-third by 2040.
UNEP also wants to make recycling programs bigger. This would help more plastic get reused. Now, only about 9% gets used again. It also wants to stop helping industries that use fossil fuels. Plastics are made from these types of fuels. If it becomes too expensive to make plastic, companies would have to look for other ways.
The report also said that reducing plastic waste by 80% could get rid of half a billion tons of greenhouse gasses every year. It would also create many new jobs.
Photo by Nick Fewings courtesy of Unsplash.
Reflect: What are some practical steps you can take to reduce your plastic waste?
Recycling Plastic Has Been an Uphill Challenge. Could Chemical Recycling Change That?
This video details the traditional problems with recycling plastic and provides information on new chemical recycling technology that has the potential to revolutionize the way plastic can be broken down.
Why 99% of Ocean Plastic Pollution is "Missing"
This video describes the reservoirs of plastic in the ocean: garbage patches, coastlines, seafloor microplastics, and seafloor macroplastics.
How Do Oceans Circulate?
This video discusses how and why oceans circulate, the major ocean circulation patterns, how ocean circulation patters affect global weather patterns and regional climates, and the issue of plastic waste in the oceans.