Planet vs. Plastics: 5 ways you can help phase out plastic pollution
This Earth Day and every day, let’s say no to plastic.
Pakistan has one of the highest rates of improperly managed plastic in South Asia.[1]
According to a 2021 report from UNDP, Rethinking Pakistan’s Relationship with Plastics, more than 3 million tons of plastic is wasted each year in Pakistan. If dumped all at once, the plastic waste is 16,500 meters, or the height of two K2 mountains, the second-highest mountain in the world! Most of it ends up in landfills, unmanaged dumps or scattered across the country’s land and water bodies. Unlike other materials, plastic does not biodegrade. It can take up to 1,000 years to decompose, and even then, it never fully disappears.
The tidal wave of plastic not only chokes our oceans, our land, our wildlife, but also poses risks to our own health. They arise from the release of a variety of toxic chemicals by open burning of plastic waste. And the toxins in foamed plastic containers, benzene and styrene, can transfer to food and drinks.[2] Furthermore, an analysis, published in the medical journal Annals of Global Health, found communities near plastic manufacturing facilities and waste disposal locations have higher incidences of low birth weight, asthma, childhood leukaemia, and lung cancer in addition to other conditions.[3]
There are also increasing concerns over microplastics - plastic particles up to 5mm in diameter - which find their way into everything we consume and breathe, through air, water, food, or even fibers shed by our clothes. They have been found in various human organs, and even in the placenta of newborn babies.[4]
Every child deserves a healthy and sustainable planet, free from plastic pollution. This Earth Day, young climate advocates across Pakistan are joining the global campaign ‘Planet vs. Plastics’ by offering tips on how to reduce single-use plastics in our everyday life.
- Recycling is key
“Remember to recycle plastic bottles, containers, and packaging whenever possible. Every bottle recycled is a step towards a cleaner environment.”
- Raees Ur Rehman, 24, Green Entrepreneur and Climate Advocate
According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) 2022 report Global Plastics Outlook, globally only 9 per cent of plastic waste is recycled. Learn what can be recycled – plastic bottles are generally recyclable, while plastic bags and bubble wraps are often not accepted. Try to repurpose them first as containers or planters. You can place designated recycling bins at school and home to encourage recycling. Cleaning and drying the recyclables before putting them in the bins will help their chances of being recycled. You can also call a professional recycling team in your city to come to your home, school, or workplace to help out.
2. Choose reusables
“When I get new clothes stitched, I use the left-over fabric to make tote bags that not only complement each of my outfits but become a sustainable and fashionable alternative to plastic bags that also reduce textile waste.”
- Zainab Waheed, 18, Climate Activist
It is estimated that 5 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year.[1] On average, plastic bags only have a short life span of 12 minutes before they get dumped.[2] Next time, you’re out shopping, switch from a disposable bag to a reusable one, and opt for products with no plastic packaging.
3. Join clean-up programmes
“Supporting outdoor clean-up programmes can be a seed for change, and it can stop plastics flowing into local waterways or oceans. In coastal Sindh, the clean-up programmes in the delta and the mangrove forests are extremely imperative. Up north, they help reduce residual waste and those from tourism that clog up our freshwater channels and wildlife reserves.”
- Fatemah Sultan, 20, Student and Climate Activist
Start from your own area, look up and join local clean-ups inland or along the waterways. Or take your family or friends along on a walk and start your own clean-up.
4. Make a splash on social media
“We can share short videos on fighting plastic pollution, cleaning up communities, and adapting to climate change. A video challenge on social media will create a fun and competitive atmosphere for good. This could inspire millions, spread awareness, and build a powerful community working towards a sustainable future.”
- Inkasar Aziz, 22, Disaster Management Student and COP28 Youth Delegate
Don’t know how to get started? Join our social media community to get ideas on reducing plastic pollution, and on other ways to support the climate.
5. Be an advocate for change
“Although avoiding plastics is always encouraged, individuals’ behaviours are not the root cause for plastic pollution. Companies producing or importing plastics, such as soft drink producers, should be held accountable. Young people must come together and unite to advocate against the production of more plastics. We can do this through joining local youth-led organizations and starting climate action and environmental societies in schools and universities.”
- Hania Imran, 20, Climate Justice Activist
Ask your local supermarkets, restaurants and local suppliers to ditch plastic packaging, refuse plastic cutlery and straws, and tell them why. Call on your local authorities to improve how they manage waste.
What is UNICEF doing to help reduce plastic?
UNICEF is addressing environment and climate-related challenges through various strategies in collaboration with government and development partners in Pakistan. These strategies include solid and liquid waste management initiatives, and implementing environmentally sustainable waste management practices.
UNICEF also promotes environmental education and advocacy to raise awareness about environmental issues, empower children and youth as agents of change, and mobilize action to address climate change, pollution, and other environmental challenges.
In Bahawalpur, Punjab, UNICEF is contributing to plastic waste reduction by developing educational programmes and awareness campaigns tailored to the young population, with the aim to instill sustainable practices early in life. These initiatives emphasize the importance of waste segregation and environmental protection.
Remember, every small change counts. You can also be a changemaker to help our planet win the battle against single use plastics.
[1] UNDP, Rethinking Pakistan’s Relationship with Plastics, October 2021
[2] UNEP, Single-use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability, 2018
[3]https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/mar/29/plastics-cause-wide-ranging-health-issues-from-cancer-to-birth-defects-landmark-study-finds
[4]UNEP, From Pollution to Solution: A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution, October 2021
[5] UNEP, Single-use Plastics: A Roadmap for Sustainability, 2018
[6] https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/ban-the-bag-used-for-12-minutes-a-plastic-bag-takes-1000-years-to-break-down-20170420-gvp1qn.html
