Global Plastic Pollution
A pressing issue the world is facing today is the need for a global agreement to end plastic pollution.
Statistics on Plastic Waste
- Approximately 353 million metric tonnes of plastic waste are generated globally per year.
- This equates to nearly one million metric tonnes of plastic waste produced every day.
- According to the OECD's Global Plastics Outlook, only about 9% of this waste is recycled.
- Approximately 50% of the plastic waste ends up in landfills.
Environmental Impact of Plastics
- In 2019, plastics were responsible for generating 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
- A significant 90% of these emissions stem from the production and conversion of plastics from fossil fuels.
Health Implications
- Microplastics (> 5 mm) and nanoplastics (approximately 1/8th of the diameter of a red blood cell) are pervasive.
- These tiny plastic particles have been detected in nearly every part of the human body.
- The primary pathways for microplastics entering the human body include the food and drinks we consume as well as the air we breathe.
