The plastic pollution in waterways all over the world often ends up in the oceans.
The UN Environmental Assembly is meeting in Nairobi to discuss the problem of plastic waste.
Delegates representing member countries have made proposals for a binding international treaty to reduce plastic pollution.
Peru and Rwanda came up with a proposal calling for a multi-faceted approach to plastic pollution.
The proposal calls for an international legally binding agreement that covers all stages of the plastic lifecycle and adopts a circular economy approach to plastics.
It covers plastic disposal, extraction of raw material and plastic production.
13 countries and the European Union are co-sponsoring this proposal.
Wanjira Mathai is an environmentalist and vice president of the World Resources Institute’s Africa region.
“We need to celebrate the efforts of Rwanda because we know that they continue to lead with respect. They were first to ban single-use plastic. We followed them later, keeping the environment clean. It is a country that has earned credibility for its commitment to this agenda. I really hope they get all the support they need. We can’t be those people today with the information that we have and what we know about the impact of plastics in our oceans and on our environment. Mathai says that we have to find alternatives and that they should get the support they deserve.”
A recent report from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), projects that plastic pollution could quadruple in the world’s oceans by 2050.
The research was carried out by the Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research based in Germany.
It analyzed more than 2,500 studies about plastic pollution to compile all relevant data and generate estimates.
The report also warns against the possibility that marine areas larger than Greenland’s size by 2100 could surpass ecologically harmful thresholds for microplastic concentrations.
According to the study, the amount of marine microplastics could rise by 50-fold by the end of this century.
This is exactly the problem with plastic: it breaks down in the ocean and becomes tiny pieces of microplastics.
A local company recycles plastic waste in Kigali, Rwanda’s capital.
Claude Bucyensenge a manager at Rwanda Agroplastic factory, says people must also take responsibility for what they do and not throw away any litter.
Plastic waste is being thrown out in the fields, and in other parts of nature. This causes problems. We must change the behavior and habits of these people to ensure that they don’t scatter plastic waste all over the place. This will reduce the potential for environmental damage and make it easier to collect them in order to recycle plastic waste.
He is optimistic that his country’s proposal will make a difference if it is adopted by UNEP.
“The requests of Peru and Rwanda can have positive outcomes, as they are in line with a complete life-cycle approach for managing plastic pollution. It will not take long to win this war against plastic waste if manufacturers and retailers are held responsible for reducing and recycling plastic packaging.
The WWF published a report in February showing that plastic had adversely affected 88% of the marine species they studied.
According to the researchers, plastic is consumed by up to 90% and 52% respectively of all seabirds.
