World Environment Day, 5th June 2023 is again celebrated to encourage awareness and action for the protection of the environment. Today, the world is facing many environmental concerns, several of them grave, and they require urgent addressing. Every year, a different theme is chosen for World Environment Day to draw attention to different aspects of environmental problems.

This year, the focus is on beating plastic pollution, as a theme of 2023 WED. This year World Environment Day will once again focus on the plastic pollution crisis. World Environment Day 2023 is hosted by Côte d’Ivoire ( Ivory Coast, in West Africa ) in partnership with the Netherlands.

Biotimes is advocating its Vision NURTURE THE NATURE TO SAVE FUTURE for the last 30 years.

1.0 – Plastic Suffocating Earth

Plastic consumption has become one of the major focus points of the environmental movement in recent years, and for a good reason – it is probably one of the single most damaging products humans have ever produced, and its legacy will last much longer than any of our lifetimes. 

Once created, plastic will stay around for hundreds – or even thousands –  of years, in which time it can pollute and poison environments and the animals that inhabit them. And yes, that includes people as it filters through the food chain or enters our waterways from landfill and poor waste management.

Plastics break down, but not in the way that organic materials do. They instead slowly degrade into smaller and smaller pieces of plastic – known as microplastics and nano-plastics. Despite their small stature, these tiny plastic particles can be hazardous and have found their way into every step of the food chain, from marine life to human beings. 

Microplastics, and the damage they cause, are particularly present in marine ecosystems, which have taken the brunt of plastic pollution over the decades.

This article will look at how climate change and plastics are linked, how plastic production is changing to increase sustainability, how plastics are affecting marine life, some new facts and figures about plastic pollution problems in the ocean, and what exactly is being done to combat microplastic.  

1.1 – How Much Plastic Is in The Ocean Now?

There is an estimated 75 to 199 million tons of plastic waste currently in our oceans, with a further 33 billion pounds of plastic entering the marine environment every single year. This constant flow of plastic production is simply too much for existing waste management and recycling infrastructure.

Plastic pollution permeates every inch of the ocean – from microplastics in the food chain to plastic water bottles floating on the surface. However, one of the most famous examples is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. This monolith of ocean pollution is made up of all kinds of marine debris and contains 1.8 trillion pieces of plastic, covering an area twice the size of Texas. 

1.2 – How Much Plastic Do We Produce Each Year?

Plastic is only a relatively new invention in the early 20th century. However, since its inception, the production of plastic has grown exponentially from 2 million tonnes per year in 1950 to 460 million metric tons in 2019. 

That’s a combined 9.5 billion metric tons of plastic from 1950 to 2019, of which approximately 7 billion metric tons have already become waste. It’s not so surprising considering up to 50% of all plastics produced each year are made as single-use products.

1.3 – How Many Marine Animals Are Killed by Plastic Every Year?

It’s hard to know exactly how many marine animals are killed yearly due to plastic pollution – many will go completely unrecorded. That said, some estimate that over 1 million marine animals, including many sea turtles,  die each year due to plastic pollution in the ocean. The majority of animals that die are seabirds, with mammals often being more visible in the media but only accounting for about 100,000 deaths.  

What’s more, these are just the marine animals that die as a direct result of plastic debris in the ocean. The toll would likely be much higher if other factors such as emissions from plastic production or transport were taken into account.

1.4 –  New Facts About Plastic Pollution in The Ocean

Plastic pollution in our oceans has long been an issue, but it is constantly changing. Here are some of the latest facts about ocean plastic pollution to get you up to speed. 

1.4.a. Business Pledges on Plastic Pollution are Likely to be Broken

A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation and UN Environment Programme has found that a pledge made in 2018 – the New Plastics Global Economy Commitment – which saw corporations promise 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging by 2025 will likely be missed.

1.4.b. Plastic Pollution Set to Cost $100 Billion as People Start Suing 

A report estimated that liabilities related to plastic pollution are going to cost the industry $100 billion as people sue for damages. Around $20 billion of this is forecast to be in the United States.

1.4.c. Whales are the Largest Consumers of Plastic Waste

Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales, is banning a range of single-use plastics, such as straws, cutlery, and drink stirrers, in an attempt to curb plastic pollution. This follows a ban on lightweight plastic bags in June 2022. Victoria and Queensland are set to implement similar bans in February and September 2023, respectively. 

1.4.d. The Majority of Plastic Pollution in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch Originates in Five Nations

Lost fishing gear, also known as ghost gear, accounts for about 20% of all marine plastic. New research has found that in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the majority of floating plastics can be traced back to five industrialized fishing nations: the US, Japan, South Korea, China, and Taiwan.

1.4.e. California is Leading the Charge on Producer Responsibility

California has introduced a new law that seeks to make the producers and vendors of plastic packaging responsible for waste, attempting to curb the amount that ends up polluting the oceans. Many environmental groups have supported this law; however, others have raised concerns about giving the plastic industry control over how it deals with waste.

1.4.f. Many Home-compostable Plastics Don’t Fully Break Down

A new study in the United Kingdom by University College London found that 60% of “home-compostable plastics” didn’t fully break down in home compost bins, leading to them ending up in the soil, and potentially the waterways. This is often due to a lack of real-world testing and many claims by producers are little more than greenwashing.

1.4.g. Mechanical Plastic Pollution Filters are Killing Marine Animals

Mechanical filters, like the Sea bin, which was a promising solution to collect and recycle ocean plastics, have been found to catch marine animals as well as the intended garbage. Sea bins work by sucking water from the surface, filtering it, and returning clean water to the ocean. However, a study has found that for every 3.6 pieces of trash a Seabin catches, one marine animal is also trapped, half of which were dead when retrieved.

1.4.h. Which Country Produces the Most Plastic Waste?

Measuring which country produces the most plastic waste is not as easy as it sounds, but 2010 data on per capita waste placed Kuwait at the top, with 0.69 kg per person, per day. This was followed by Antigua and Barbuda (0.66 kg), Saint Kitts and Nevis (0.65 kg), and Guyana (0.59 kg). The United States ranked 15th at 0.34 kg per person, per day. 

However, when it comes to total plastic waste generated, it’s a different picture, with China standing out with 59,079,741 metric tons, followed by the United States (37,825,550 t), Germany (14,476,561 t), Brazil (11,852,055 t), and Japan (7,993,489 t). 

However, the largest amount of plastic waste does not necessarily translate to the biggest producer of plastic pollution. Data from 2019 on countries’ shares of global plastic waste in the oceans put The Philippines in the top spot, with more than 36% of global input, followed by India (12.92%), Malaysia (7.46%), China (7.22%), and Indonesia (5.75%). At the same time, that doesn’t necessarily mean that the plastic waste originated in those countries – until 2017, China was importing millions of tons of plastic every year from Western nations

2.0 HISTORY OF WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Starting from 1973 to 2023, five decades have passed while creating awareness about world environmental protection. This UN international day has become the largest global platform for environmental outreach, with millions of people from across the world engaging to protect the planet.

2.1. No Realization even after 1st & 2nd World War

Even after two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I (1914–1918) and World War II (1939–1945), No country has come forward to establish a platform for the protection of Earth.

2.2. Beginning of Earth Day, 22nd of April 1970

A series of environmental disasters in the 1960s –from drought and mine collapses to pollution and mass fish poisoning– raised awareness of the fragility of the environment.

Earth Day (22nd April every year since 1970, when the first pic of Earth called Earthrise, captured by Apollo 8 in 1968 ) is an annual celebration that honours the achievements of the environmental movement and raises awareness of the need to protect Earth’s natural resources for future generations. 19-May-2022 by National Geographic society

“Oh my God, look at that picture over there! There’s the Earth comin’ up. Wow, is that pretty!”

Those are the words, courtesy of a NASA recording, of astronaut Bill Anders, a crew member of the Apollo 8 mission and the first human to ever witness the Earth peeking over the moon’s horizon.

The photo of that sight, titled “Earthrise,” went on to become one of the most iconic images of the 20th century and is often credited for propelling the environmental movement that led to the first Earth Day in 1970.

2.3. Foundation of World Environment Day, 5th June 1973

World Environment Day came into being during a time of growing concern about humanity’s impact on the planet. That fragility was illustrated by the iconic ‘Earthrise 1972 photo of the Earth taken by the Apollo 8 mission – the first colour photo of our planet from space, as seen in the pic given above.

Following the discussions on the integration of human interactions and the environment, World Environment Day was established in 1972 by the United Nations at the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. At the conference, it was discussed how international measures to address alarming environmental issues can be introduced. It was in 1973 that this day was celebrated for the first time.

3.0. INDIA’S STAND THIS YEAR ON W.E.D

Although Environmental protection campaigns are organized in several parts of the county, I appreciate the way Kerala Govt. has preparations. Kerala Government will organize Haritha Sabha (green assembly) in all local bodies

Across the State on World Environment Day on June 5, in continuation of the rapid action plan launched to keep Kerala clean and litter-free. The sabhas are aimed at evaluating the outcome of the zero waste State campaign launched in March, as well as laying down the road map for taking the plan forward.

The Haritha Sabha will also set the platform for educating citizens about the importance of waste management in society. The action plan, planned to be implemented in three phases, was aimed at making all the local self-government institutions (LSGIs) in the State garbage-free by 2024. The Haritha Karma Sena set up in all LSGIs in the first phase of the campaign could extend their doorstep collection service to more than 50% of houses. Gradually, it targets 100% achievement through the second and third phase campaigns.

4.0. CONCLUSIONS & SIGNIFICANCE OF WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

Some of the major environmental challenges the world is facing today include climate change, deforestation, pollution (including plastic pollution), biodiversity loss, and sustainable development. The significance of World Environment Day lies in the fact that it gives people from all walks of life – be it governments, businesses, non-governmental organizations, or the general public – an opportunity to take concrete steps to protect the environment. People are encouraged to live more sustainably by reducing waste, conserving energy, implementing eco-friendly practices, and supporting environmental causes. This is also a global forum where policy debates take place, knowledge is shared, and initiatives for environmental issues are discussed and their implementation processes charted.

What is planned each year, from local to global, should be implemented, & monitored properly. Biotimes has been raising this alarm for Ethical Marketing ( Encouraging Research & Development, and promotion of Eco-friendly products & Services ) since 1993. It will be the biggest challenge to maintain the balance between growth & environmental protection during the 21st century.