The Plastic Pandemic: A Crisis Spanning Land, Sea, and Sky

Plastics first came into widespread use in the 1950s, and according to Roland Geyer, a lead author of a scientific study, humans have produced more than 11 billion metric tons globally.

The evidence for its toxicity became clear with the discovery of microplastic molecules in the flesh of tested marine species and was further clarified by the identification of specific chemicals in drinking water and in the leaves of plants irrigated by polluted streams.

According to the UN Environmental Agency, the world produces 430 million metric tons of plastic annually, two-thirds of which are in short-lived products destined for disposal as waste. This waste includes the equivalent of over 2,000 garbage trucks of plastic dumped into the world’s oceans, rivers, and lakes every day. Consequently, plastic pollution is set to triple by 2060 if no action is taken.

It must be realized that plastic production, like the burning of fossil fuels, is the result of human activity and contributes to greenhouse gases.

The Extent of Plastic Pollution

From the 1950s to the 1970s, only a small amount of plastic was produced worldwide, and plastic waste was relatively manageable. However, between the 1970s and 1990s, plastic waste generation more than tripled, paralleling a similar rise in plastic production.

In the early 2000s, the amount of plastic waste generated rose more in a single decade than it had in the previous 40 years. Today, despite growing awareness of the volume of plastic pollution in the environment, many everyday items are still made from plastic.

According to the United Nations, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute around the world, and half of all plastic produced is for single use. From the Philippines to the Arctic, plastic is everywhere, taking various forms, from synthetic fishing nets to single-use items like water bottles and trash bags.

If all plastic waste in the ocean were collected, it would fill 5 million shipping containers. To put it another way, there is enough plastic in the ocean to stretch 30,000 kilometers (18,640 miles) if placed end to end—that’s the equivalent of a trip from New York City to Sydney, Australia.

Plastics have become an industry worth $712 billion a year, with no signs of slowing down. The world is producing four times as much plastic as it did in 1990, and its consumption, along with waste, is expected to nearly triple by 2060, according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.

We are seeing other worrying trends. Since the 1970s, the rate of plastic production has grown faster than that of any other material. Currently, the world is producing 430 million tons of plastic per year, two-thirds of which are only used for a short period.

If this historic growth trend continues, global production of primary plastic is forecasted to reach 1,100 million metric tons by 2050. Another concern is the shift towards single-use plastic products. Approximately 36 percent of all plastics produced are used in packaging, including single-use plastic products for food and beverage containers, approximately 85% of which end up in landfills or unregulated waste.

Plastic production soared from 2 million tons in 1950 to 348 million tons in 2017, becoming a global industry valued at US$522.6 billion, with capacity expected to double by 2040. The impact of plastic production and pollution on the planetary crises of climate change, nature loss, and pollution is a global catastrophe in the making. Plastics are a byproduct of fossil fuels, which are associated with greenhouse gas emissions. Fossil fuel-based plastics are forecasted to add 19% to global carbon emissions by 2040.

Plastics are Harmful to Our Health and Ecosystems

Plastics are not biodegradable and break into smaller and smaller pieces over time, creating macromolecules of microplastics and nanoplastics. Plastic bottles thrown as litter on the beach are subjected to ocean waves and radiation from the sun, causing them to break down into these micromolecules.

These microplastics contaminate various parts of our globe, including rivers and oceans. Microplastics in the environment carry chemicals used in plastic production, which end up being consumed through food, water, and air.

Microplastics have been found in food stored or heated in plastic containers and even in toothpaste. They have also been found in human blood, liver, kidneys, placentas, and lungs. Research has shown that microplastics damage cells in the human body, leading to serious health effects, including cancers, lung disease, and birth defects. Toxic additives in plastics have been shown to alter hormone activity in the human body.

Plastics are the largest, most harmful, and most persistent fraction of marine litter, accounting for at least 85% of total marine waste. A plastic grocery bag has been found in the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the ocean. Without urgent action, the estimated 11 million metric tons of plastic currently entering the ocean annually will triple in the next twenty years.

An area in Louisiana, its residents call "Cancer Alley," where plastic plants along the lower Mississippi River are located, has the highest rate of cancer in the United States among its marginalized communities. Thus, the danger of plastics to human health has also become an issue of human rights.

Children and infants in the womb are most vulnerable to the harmful effects of plastics due to the early stages of human development and their particular sensitivity to hazardous chemicals in the environment. Exposure to plastics has been found to increase the risk of birth complications, lung growth issues, and childhood cancer. This means plastic pollution will continue to pose dangers to our lives for generations to come.

The impacts of plastics on human health are particularly concerning due to the difficulty of removing them from the environment once they have entered ecosystems. Plastic production also harms human health by contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.

In fact, the global cost of plastic-related health effects was estimated in 2022 at US$100 billion per year. Thus, the current global plastic crisis has environmental, health, economic, and social impacts, and we need to redesign both the products that use plastic and how we use them in our daily lives.

Historic Agreement at the United Nations Environment Assembly to End Plastic Pollution

Formal negotiations to end plastic pollution began in November 2022 with the convening of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee. On March 2, 2022, heads of state, ministers of the environment, and other representatives from 175 countries gathered at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi and endorsed a historic resolution to end plastic pollution and forge an international legally binding agreement by 2024. The resolution addressed the full lifecycle of plastic, including its production, design, and disposal.

Espen Barth Eide, president of the UN Environment Assembly and Norway’s minister for climate, said, “Against the backdrop of political turmoil, the UN Environment Assembly shows multilateral cooperation at its best. Plastic pollution has grown into an epidemic. With today’s resolution, we are officially on track for a cure.”

The International Energy Agency projects that demand for fossil fuels will peak before the end of this decade as the world moves toward renewable energy.

A meeting of nearly 200 delegates at the UN Climate Change Conference was held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from November 30 to December 12, 2023. A press release on December 13, 2023, summarized the outcome as the “Beginning of the End” of the fossil fuel era by laying the ground for a swift, just, and equitable transition.

It recognized the imperative to transition away from greenhouse gas emissions with a 43% cut by 2030 compared to 2019 levels, to limit global warming to 1.5°C. The agreement also emphasized scaled-up financing to developing countries for adopting measures for the transition to clean energy, and a new collective quantified goal on climate finance of USD 2.6 billion was established.

The measures discussed are intended to mitigate the problem of plastic pollution until we run out of fossil fuels or have adopted alternative energy sources. To reduce the impact of extra oil production, 175 nations agreed in March 2022, as mentioned above, to draft a legally binding treaty to end plastic pollution on land and in marine environments.

The UN Roadmap Outlining Solutions to Cut Global Plastic Pollution

The UN Environmental Program published a roadmap on May 16, 2023, that could reduce plastic pollution by 80% by 2040 with concerted action. The report, released ahead of a second round of negotiations in Paris for a global agreement, included the following procedures to combat global plastic pollution:

1. Turning Off the Tap: Drastically reduce plastic production and create a circular economy. The UNDP report directs all signatories to adopt approaches that keep plastics out of the ecosystem, out of our bodies, and out of our economy.

2. Reuse: Promote reuse options, including refill bottles, bulk dispensers, deposit-return schemes, package take-back programs, and other initiatives that could reduce plastic pollution by 30% by 2040. To help realize this potential, governments must help build a stronger business case for those adopting reusable schemes.

3. Recycle: Reduce plastic pollution by an additional 20% by 2040, which can be achieved if recycling becomes a more stable and profitable venture. Removing fossil fuel subsidies, enforcing design guidelines to enhance recycling, and other measures would increase the share of economically recyclable plastics from 21% to 50%.

4. Reorient and Diversify: Replace plastic products and take-away items with alternative products such as paper or compostable materials, which could lead to an additional 17% decrease in plastic pollution.

A report highlights the ongoing challenge of managing 100 million metric tons of plastics from single-use and short-use products by 2040. The recommended solutions include setting design and safety standards for disposing of non-recyclable plastics and holding manufacturers accountable for microplastic pollution.

Transitioning to a circular economy could save $1.27 trillion through recycling and an additional $3.25 trillion by mitigating externalities such as health, climate, and environmental degradation. This shift could also create 700,000 jobs in low-income countries by 2040, enhancing workers' livelihoods. While the investment for systemic change is substantial—$65 billion per year—it is still lower than the projected $113 billion per year without change.

However, the urgency is critical, as a five-year delay could increase plastic pollution by 89 million metric tons by 2040. Internationally agreed-upon policies are essential for overcoming national limitations, supporting a circular global plastics economy, unlocking business opportunities, and creating jobs.

Pew Trust's Recommendations for the UN Plastic Treaty

On April 4, 2024, the Pew Trust released a fact sheet urging robust international action on plastic pollution. Key recommendations for the UN Plastic Treaty include:

1. Reducing Primary Plastic Polymers: The treaty should prioritize cutting plastic production and consumption by reducing the supply of primary polymers and enforcing international trade restrictions on virgin plastic exports.

2. Banning High-Contributing Plastic Products: The treaty should list plastic products to be banned and others to be phased out over time.

3. Improving Product Design: The treaty should enforce legally binding design requirements to enhance product reusability, refillability, and recyclability, alongside setting emission limits for microplastics.

4. Lifecycle Emission Controls: The treaty should mandate measures to prevent plastic emissions throughout their lifecycle, including transport and storage, and establish clear monitoring and reporting requirements.

5. Mandatory Corporate Disclosure: The treaty should require corporations to disclose their plastic use, ensuring transparency for policymakers and stakeholders.

The Pew Trust emphasized that the treaty must encompass the entire plastic lifecycle, addressing not just pollution and consumption, but also design and emissions, with a robust framework for implementation to avoid loopholes.

Fiji, an island nation with over 330 islands, is at the forefront of the global battle against plastic pollution. Due to its geography, Fiji is particularly vulnerable to climate change and plastic pollution. A significant portion of plastic waste on its shores originates from other regions, exacerbating the local impact. Fiji has been a strong advocate for a global plastic treaty to reduce unnecessary plastic production, minimize chemical pollutants, and enforce producer responsibility.

Fiji faces challenges in managing plastic waste, with many residents resorting to burning or improper disposal due to limited waste management infrastructure. Although Fiji has banned single-use plastics since 2020, exceptions remain for items like water bottles, crucial for both local consumption and export.

Fiji Water, a major economic player, uses PET bottles, which are less carbon-intensive but still contribute to plastic waste. Efforts like the voluntary deposit-bottle scheme have shown some success but are limited by logistical challenges in island regions.

Global efforts, particularly from plastic-producing nations, are essential to address the root causes of plastic pollution that Fiji and similar nations face. The High Ambition Coalition, which includes Fiji, advocates for stringent international measures, including restrictions on harmful chemicals in plastics and a strong emphasis on human health.