Helena Joyce
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue that affects all ecosystems, from land to freshwater and marine environments. It is a significant contributor to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change. While there have been positive steps towards tackling plastic pollution, such as bans on specific single-use plastics, the problem persists and requires a global approach. The main sources of plastic pollution are diverse and range from everyday items like food wrappers, plastic bags, and bottles to industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. Rivers are a significant pathway for plastic to enter the oceans, with land-based sources accounting for 70% to 80% of ocean plastic pollution. Marine sources, such as fishing gear and abandoned vessels, contribute the remaining 20% to 30%. Macro-plastics, larger than 0.5 mm in size, made up 88% of global plastic leakage in 2019, while microplastics, smaller than 5 mm, pose additional challenges due to their increased bioavailability. Addressing plastic pollution requires collective action, including individual efforts to reduce single-use plastics, and global initiatives to reduce plastic production and promote sustainable alternatives.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sources of plastic pollution | Land-based sources (70-80%) such as urban and stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture |
| Marine sources (20-30%) such as fishing nets, lines, ropes, and abandoned vessels | |
| Most land-based sources come from rivers, with the top-emitting rivers in Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean | |
| Types of plastic pollution | Macroplastics (>0.5mm) made up 88% of global plastic leakage in 2019 |
| Microplastics (<5mm) and nanoplastics (<100nm) form from the breakdown of larger plastics due to natural factors like solar radiation and wind | |
| Primary microplastics are produced in small sizes, while secondary microplastics come from the degradation of larger objects like vehicle tires and synthetic clothing | |
| Impact of plastic pollution | Affects all land, freshwater, and marine ecosystems, contributing to biodiversity loss, ecosystem degradation, and climate change |
| Causes entanglement and ingestion in wildlife, with an estimated 100 million marine organisms killed annually | |
| Impacts economies, with negative effects on sectors like small-medium enterprises, tourism, fisheries, and water safety | |
| Solutions to plastic pollution | Bans and taxes on single-use plastics, public awareness campaigns, incentives for recycling, and global treaties to reduce plastic production |
| Plastic production | Over 400 million metric tons of plastic are produced annually, with more than 99% derived from non-renewable resources like oil, natural gas, and coal |
| Plastic waste | Only 9% of all plastic waste has been recycled, with the US seeing an increase in plastic waste from 0.4% in 1960 to 13.2% in 2017 |
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Single-use products
Bottles, for example, are made from PET (polyethylene terephthalate), which is the most commonly recycled plastic. However, many bottles still fail to reach recycling facilities and pose a significant threat to marine life. Similarly, plastic bags are a major problem for marine ecosystems, as animals can become entangled in them or mistake them for food, leading to fatal consequences. Straws are also a major contributor to plastic pollution, with initiatives like "No Straws Attached" encouraging hotels and food chains to adopt more sustainable alternatives.
Cigarettes are another single-use product that contributes to plastic pollution. The filters contain tiny plastic fibres that can end up in the environment when cigarettes are improperly disposed of. These plastic fibres can then break down into microplastics, which are difficult to remove from the environment and can be ingested by marine organisms.
To address the issue of single-use plastic pollution, governments and organisations have implemented various measures. Some countries have introduced bans or levies on single-use plastic products, such as plastic bags, while others offer incentives for recycling or encourage the use of reusable alternatives. Public awareness campaigns also play a crucial role in educating people about the impact of single-use plastics and promoting more sustainable practices.
Overall, the overconsumption and improper disposal of single-use plastic products have severe environmental consequences. It is essential to reduce the use of these products, improve waste management practices, and transition to more sustainable alternatives to mitigate the impact of plastic pollution on our planet.
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Land-based sources
Urban and Stormwater Runoff: Mismanaged waste and littering in urban areas are significant contributors to plastic pollution. This waste is often transported through stormwater runoff, which carries plastic debris and litter into rivers and, eventually, the ocean.
Rivers: Rivers are a major pathway for plastic pollution, carrying plastic waste from land to the sea. While some rivers contribute more plastic pollution than others, it is important to address the issue comprehensively across thousands of river outlets. Asia, East Africa, and the Caribbean are regions with some of the world's largest emitting rivers.
Littering and Improper Waste Management: Deliberate or accidental littering and improper waste management practices play a crucial role in plastic pollution. This includes the disposal of single-use plastic products, such as bottles, caps, bags, straws, and containers, which are often discarded after one use.
Industrial Activities, Construction, and Agriculture: These sectors contribute to land-based plastic pollution through the use and disposal of plastic materials. For example, the construction industry relies on plastic innovations for various applications, while agriculture generates plastic waste through the use of synthetic textiles, which shed microplastic fibres.
Tyre Abrasion: Vehicle tyres are a source of secondary microplastics, as they break down and shed small plastic particles through abrasion. These microplastics are challenging to clean up and can have a significant impact on the environment due to their small size.
Addressing land-based sources of plastic pollution requires collective action on a global scale, including public awareness campaigns, incentives for recycling, levies, and bans on specific plastic products.
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Rivers
The plastic in rivers comes from a variety of sources, including urban and stormwater runoff, littering, industrial activities, tyre abrasion, construction, and agriculture. Rivers in Asia are the largest emitters, with some significant contributors in East Africa and the Caribbean. The Pasig River in the Philippines alone accounts for 6.4% of global river plastics. Other major emitting rivers include the Yangtze, Xi, and Huangpu rivers in China, and the Ganges in India.
The plastic in rivers breaks down into microplastics (smaller than 5 mm) and nanoplastics (smaller than 100 nm) due to solar radiation, wind, and currents. These smaller plastic particles are much more difficult to clean up, and their increased bioavailability means they can potentially impact more species. Secondary microplastics, which come from the degradation of larger objects, are also shed by vehicle tyres and synthetic clothing.
To tackle plastic pollution in oceans, a targeted approach is necessary to identify the rivers contributing the most plastic and implement effective waste management practices. While earlier studies suggested that a few large river basins were the main culprits, more recent data indicates that a broader range of rivers is responsible, with large populations and poor waste management practices being key factors.
To address the issue, governments have implemented various measures, including public awareness campaigns, incentives for recycling, levies, and bans on certain plastic products. Bans on single-use plastic bags have been particularly successful, with Africa leading the way in this regard. Additionally, initiatives like 'No Straws Attached' are encouraging hotels and food chains to adopt sustainable alternatives to plastic straws.
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Marine sources
Fishing gear has been found to cause entanglement in marine species, including the Mediterranean monk seal, whose second leading cause of death is fishing gear entanglement. Whales have also been spotted in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, indicating exposure to high quantities of plastic pollution.
Another marine source of plastic pollution is paint shed from shipping. Marine life is severely impacted by plastic bottle caps, as many forms of marine life mistake these caps for food. Plastic pollution kills an average of 100 million marine organisms per year. Plastic bags are also a major problem for marine life, as they get entangled with birds, animals, and wildlife, and restrict the growth of trees and plants by tangling with their roots.
Plastic pollution in the oceans and seas comes primarily from land-based sources, with 70-80% of plastic transported from land to the sea via rivers or coastlines. However, the remaining 20-30% comes from marine sources, which can have a significant impact on the environment.
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Global treaties
The urgency of the plastic pollution crisis is evident, with an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic entering our oceans annually. The impact of plastic pollution is widespread, killing wildlife and contaminating our food, air, and water. To address this, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) resolution (5/14) called for the establishment of an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop a comprehensive instrument addressing the full life cycle of plastic, including production, design, and disposal.
The INC has been actively engaged in negotiations, with sessions held in various locations, including Uruguay, France, Kenya, Canada, and South Korea. The negotiations aim to finalise the treaty by the end of 2024, although some countries were unable to agree within this timeframe, leading to extended negotiations. The treaty negotiations focus on several critical aspects, including phasing out unnecessary plastic products with high pollution risks, such as single-use items and excessive packaging.
Additionally, the discussions emphasise establishing binding design requirements for plastic products to reduce consumption and promoting a circular economy for plastics. This involves preserving natural resources, reducing waste, and encouraging efficient production, design, reuse, and recycling. The Zero Draft, a crucial component of the negotiations, includes provisions for a fair and inclusive transition, acknowledging the potential impact on developing countries' economies and the informal waste sector.
The global treaty negotiations also highlight the principle of polluters paying, with extended producer responsibility (EPR) systems to enhance the accountability of producers and importers for environmentally sound management throughout the plastic lifecycle and across international supply chains. The ultimate goal is to achieve ambitious and effective global regulations that curb plastic pollution and protect the environment, human health, and wildlife from its harmful effects.
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