[ad_1]
Poorly managed waste causes hundreds of thousands of people in the developing world who die from preventable causes each year, and plastic waste adds a new and dangerous threat to the problem, a report said.
Municipal waste is often not collected in the poorest countries and its accumulation promotes the spread of disease. According to the charity Tearfund, 400,000 to 1 million people are dying as a result of this poorly managed waste.
Although poorly managed waste has been a problem for decades, the growth of plastic pollution, which does not break down in the environment, adds a new set of problems to an already catastrophic situation. Plastic waste blocks waterways and causes floods, which in turn spread water-borne diseases. When people burn garbage to get rid of it, they release harmful toxins and pollute the air.
The report reveals that every second, a double-decker bus loaded with plastic waste is burned or dumped in developing countries. When some plastics deteriorate, they can release harmful chemicals into the environment and turn into microplastics, with effects still poorly understood and largely undocumented in the poorest countries.
Sir David Attenborough, whose Blue Planet II series has brought world attention to the problem of plastic waste, called for urgent action by the companies responsible for the production of plastics transformed into waste, as well as support to help countries fighting the tide of pollution.
"It is time to focus fully on one of today's most pressing issues: to avoid the plastic pollution crisis – not only for the health of our planet, but also for the well-being of the planet. world population, "he said. "This report is one of the first to highlight the impacts of plastic pollution, not only on wildlife, but also on the world's poorest people."
Other detrimental effects of plastic pollution in the poorest countries include loss of fishing, marine animals absorbing plastic; damage to agriculture, as up to one-third of cattle and half of goats in developing countries have consumed considerable amounts of plastic, thus harming their health, as they cause bloating potentially fatal; and large quantities of plastic waste from shorelines and coral reefs that deter tourists, which are home to many poor countries.
Although the focus has been on the effects of marine plastic pollution in the natural world, its effects on populations are also problematic. According to the UN, about 8 million tons of plastic waste is dumped into the sea each year, and there are few ways to recover it.
Last week, countries around the world – but without the United States – signed up, through a United Nations organization, to a plan to reduce the flow of plastic waste into countries in development. Although some companies have attempted to tackle this problem, activists have described these initiatives as a drop of water in the ocean.
"We need the leadership of those who are responsible for introducing plastic to countries where it is impossible to manage it properly, and we need international action to support the most communities and governments. hard hit by this crisis, "said Attenborough, vice president of the conservation charity Fauna & Flora International, who collaborated on the report.
At least 2 billion people in the world have not picked up their garbage and batteries can accumulate in the waterways, causing pollution or rot in areas close to the population. According to the report, living near garbage doubles the risk of getting diarrhea, which is a leading cause of death in developing countries.
Hundreds of thousands of people around the world live off garbage collection, in some cases by collecting cans or bottles that can be recycled or returned, or, more dangerously, as "garbage collectors" who live in landfills and recover what they can.
This is dangerous work, not only because of the pollution to which people are exposed, but also because of the risk of physical injury, in particular because poorly managed landfills are often affected by landslides and even by explosions due to gas accumulation.
Ruth Valerio, global director of advocacy and influence of Tearfund, said the organization was appealing to four multinationals producing huge amounts of plastic packaging – Coca-Cola, Nestle , PepsiCo and Unilever – to take responsibility for their products throughout the supply chain. provide means for waste management.
[ad_2]
Source link