World Environment Day is celebrated yearly on 5 June, and is geared towards creating awareness for a sustainable environment. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), it has grown to be the largest global platform for environmental outreach. It is celebrated by millions of people across the world.
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), plastic has become ubiquitous in our lives, but it hasn’t always been this way. In the mid-20th century, plastic production was relatively low, and so was plastic waste. However, from the 1970s to the 1990s, plastic waste generation increased dramatically, reflecting a surge in production. And in the early 2000s, plastic waste generation skyrocketed, surpassing the previous 40 years’ production combined.
This year’s theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution”, is a call to individuals, non-governmental organizations, businesses, government entities etc., to leave the spheres of mere aspiration and take action to ending plastic pollutions.
Plastic pollution has become a pressing global issue; it is no more news that the excessive use of plastics has caused a lot of harm to our environment and marine ecosystems, by causing significant health risks, altering habitats, reducing biodiversity, and contributing to climate change.
According to Ocean Blue Project, Plastic packaging, especially in food products, can lead to the ingestion of harmful chemicals and microplastics, further exacerbating health risks. A form of plastic called Phthalates, which increase the flexibility and plasticity of materials like PVC (Mariana et al., 2016), impact the cardiovascular system. They do so by altering heart rate variability, increasing systolic blood pressure, and amplifying the risk of coronary heart disease.
UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, addressing this day, said plastic pollution is choking our planet – harming ecosystems, well-being, and the climate. Plastic waste clogs rivers, pollutes the ocean, and endangers wildlife. And as it breaks-down into smaller and smaller parts, it infiltrates every corner of Earth: from the top of Mount Everest, to the depths of the ocean; from human brains; to human breastmilk”.
As a complex problem that requires collective efforts to tackle , the solution to plastic pollution raises an urgent call for change. We have dwelt on this ‘mountain of mere desire’ enough. We can create a more sustainable planet for ourselves and future generations by taking practical steps to reduce the use plastics, encourage recycling, produce alternative materials like eco-friendly packaging, and implement effective waste management systems.
Guterres added, “Yet there is a movement for urgent change. We are seeing mounting public engagement, steps towards reusability and greater accountability, and policies to reduce single-use plastics and improve waste management. But we must go further, faster. In two months, countries will come together to hammer-out a new global treaty to end plastic pollution. We need an ambitious, credible and just agreement this year. One that covers the life-cycle of plastic, through the perspective of circular economies, that responds to the needs of communities, that aligns with broader environmental goals, the sustainable development goals, and beyond, and that is implemented fast and in full. Together, let’s end the scourge of plastic pollution and build a better future for us all.”
