“Every year, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced worldwide – a third of which is used only once,” said Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
2,000 trucks per day
“Every day, the equivalent of more than 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic is dumped into our oceans, rivers and lakes.”
He notes that microplastics are finding their way into the food we eat, the water we drink and even the air we breathe.
“Plastic is made from fossil fuels – the more plastic we produce, the more fossil fuels we burn and the worse we make the climate crisis,” the UN chief said.
We have the solutions
But solutions are already in place: including a legally binding agreement, which is still underway, after five days of negotiations involving more than 130 countries last week.
“This is a promising first step, but we need it all together,” he said, noting that a new report from the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP)UNEP) shows that plastic pollution could be reduced by a staggering 80% by 2040 – if humanity acts now to reuse, recycle and move away from plastic.
“We must work as one – government, company and consumer – to quit plastic addiction, advocate zero waste and build a true circular economy.
“Together, let’s shape a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future for all.”
Young people collect plastic bottles, cans and solid waste from Chilika wetlands, eastern India..
unbelievable truth
The statistics on plastic damage are disturbing: more than400 million tons of plasticproduced annually worldwide, half of which are designed for single use only. Of that, less than 10% is recycled, according to United Nations figures.
an estimate19-23 million tonsends up in lakes, rivers and seas every year – approximately the weight of 2,200 Eiffel Towers.
Plastic menu
microplastics– defined as plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter – find their way into everything we consume and breathe. It is estimated that each person on the planet consumes more than 50,000 plastic particles a year – and much more if inhalation is taken into account.
Discarded or burned disposable plastic harms human health and biodiversity, and pollutes every ecosystem from mountain tops to ocean bottoms.
With solutions and science available to tackle the problem, governments, companies and other stakeholders must scale and accelerate actions to tackle this crisis, the United Nations said. , while emphasizing the importance ofWorld Environment Day“in mobilizing transformative action from every corner of the world.”
