Eight out of ten items currently on my random desk are made of plastic—the only exceptions being a glass cup and the chocolate wrapper I just finished eating. Plastic has become so omnipresent in our lives that it’s not only all around us but also inside us.
Recent studies have revealed shocking findings: microplastics—tiny particles resulting from the degradation of plastic waste—have been found in the human placenta, bloodstream, and even testes. Their presence in the body is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks, strokes, and a range of other health problems.
While plastic has provided solutions to numerous everyday challenges, it is now one of the greatest threats to human health and the environment. If the current trends in plastic production and consumption continue, the outlook for humanity and the planet is bleak.
According to the OECD report Global Plastics Outlook: Policy Scenarios to 2060, global plastic waste could nearly triple by 2060. The report predicts that increased plastic production will lead to approximately 1.2 billion tons of plastic waste annually, with half ending up in landfills and less than one-fifth being recycled. Most of the waste comes from short-lived products like packaging and cheap textiles, which further complicates efforts to tackle plastic pollution.
Additionally, the World Economic Forum (WEF), in its report The New Plastics Economy (2016), estimates that if current trends continue, by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish (by weight) in the oceans.
Hope for saving the planet from the “plastic invasion” partially rests on the outcome of the fifth and final round of negotiations for a global plastics agreement currently taking place in Busan, South Korea.
These negotiations are part of a United Nations initiative to adopt a legally binding instrument to address the global plastic pollution crisis. Proposals include limiting plastic production, eliminating hazardous chemicals in plastic products, and introducing global standards for product design to enable recycling.
However, these negotiations are not without tensions, highlighting the world’s reluctance to let go of the plastic scourge. Disagreements between developed and developing nations, particularly regarding funding obligations and rules in different economic contexts, have taken center stage.
On one side, the European Union strongly supports plans to reduce primary plastic production and ban harmful single-use products. The EU advocates for the “polluter pays” principle, whereby producers bear the financial responsibility for plastic waste. Their focus is on creating a circular economy where plastic is recycled and reused rather than ending up in nature or landfills.
There’s also the High Ambition Coalition, comprising 65 countries including Canada, New Zealand, and Rwanda, which aims to reduce plastic pollution by 2040 through strict global standards for plastic production and recycling.
Nevertheless, several countries and groups oppose ambitious goals for reducing plastic production. Among them are Saudi Arabia, Iran, Russia, China, and India. These nations, particularly oil-rich ones, view plastic as a critical market for the long-term survival of the fossil fuel industry, which is already struggling due to declining demand in the transportation sector. Their representatives argue that plastic plays a significant role in economic development and advocate for improved waste management rather than reduced production.
The outcome of these negotiations could be crucial for adopting an agreement by the end of 2024, with the goal of ratification the following year. If no consensus is reached, negotiations will continue, delaying the urgently needed global action. The primary focus remains on reducing pollution, supporting a circular economy, and mitigating the impact of plastic on human health and biodiversity.
The question remains: will we take the necessary steps in time, or will plastic forever change the face of our planet? One thing is certain—the world cannot afford any further delays.
