Rethink the way we produce, use plastics, urges WHO
On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2025 today (June 5), a call has gone out to rethink how we design, produce, and utilise plastics. Products should be designed with multiple uses in mind and recycling, said a statement from WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this year's campaign focuses on tackling plastic pollution, urging countries, organisations, and individuals to act together to protect the planet.
While plastics have benefits, including energy savings and resource conservation, the rising plastic pollution poses a significant threat to our planet and health.
Around the globe, plastic pollution is contaminating water supplies, food sources, and the air we breathe. As plastics break down, they enter the food chain. Microplastics have been detected in human arteries, lungs, brains, and breast milk.
Global plastic consumption is projected to reach 516 million tonnes this year, and if current consumption patterns continue, it will rise to over 1.2 billion tonnes annually by 2060.
Environmental factors contribute to the deaths of about 13 million people worldwide each year. Almost half of these fatalities are attributed to air pollution. The health and economic costs of unhealthy air pollution currently amount to $2.9 trillion.
"On World Environment Day, we urge communities to advocate for lasting solutions to combat plastic pollution. Historically, recycling has been a key strategy for mitigating plastic waste. However, only 9% of plastics produced globally are recycled, and it is estimated that just 21% of plastic today is economically recyclable, meaning the value of recycled materials covers the costs of collection, sorting, and processing," said the statement from WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region.
"The benefits of addressing plastic pollution include cleaner oceans and landscapes, healthier individuals and ecosystems, improved climate resilience, and stronger economies. Transitioning to a circular economy for plastics is essential for a sustainable future. We must rethink how we design, produce, and utilise plastics. Products should be designed with multiple uses in mind and recycling," it said.
This transformation requires the engagement of stakeholders across the plastics value chain. A just transition is necessary to protect the livelihoods of waste pickers and affected communities, leaving no one behind.
Solutions exist. In 2022, at the UN Environment Assembly, Member States agreed to initiate negotiations on a legally binding international instrument to address plastic pollution, including its impact on marine environments. Since then, countries have convened 5 sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution to work towards a comprehensive agreement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
a day ago
- Daily Tribune
General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions calls for action: Clean the planet, protect the poor
' Plastic waste is killing us, and the poor are hit hardest.' That was the message from Bahrain's main trade union body on World Environment Day, as it called for action on pollution and job security in the face of environmental decline. The General Federation of Bahrain Trade Unions said working-class areas face the worst of plastic pollution while being left out of decisions on how to deal with it. In a statement marking 5 June, it urged both the government and employers to take greater responsibility for workplace safety and environmental protection. 'Working-class communities and densely populated neighbourhoods are often the most exposed to pollution, amid weak environmental oversight and inadequate infrastructure,' it said. Warning The union drew a direct link between environmental degradation and social inequality, warning that any move towards greener industries must also provide secure jobs and proper training. 'The environmental challenges facing humanity cannot be tackled without a holistic approach that balances ecological security with social rights.' Plastic, it added, has become a danger to public health. Figures The statement cited figures from the United Nations Environment Programme estimating that more than 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced each year, half of it intended for single use. At least 11 million tonnes are dumped into the seas annually. Microplastic particles have been found in human blood, the air, drinking water and foetal tissue. The union said the move to cleaner sectors must not come at the expense of workers. It called for support in the form of retraining, job security and stricter rules around plastic use and disposal. Policies 'We reject environmental policies that are imposed at the expense of the working class, or that are used to justify austerity or privatisation of public services,' the statement read. It called for national legislation to combat plastic pollution and protect health and safety at work. 'We call on employers and the government to shoulder their environmental and social responsibilities, develop strict national legislation to combat plastic pollution and ensure safe and healthy working environments.' Coordination The statement closed with a call for coordination among labour organisations across the region and beyond. 'We urge all unions and labour federations in the Arab region and beyond to act jointly to build a united front for climate action and decent work, and to defend our shared right to live in a clean environment, work in healthy conditions and help shape a sustainable future.' It ended with a line that summed up the call: 'For a healthy environment, social justice and a dignified future for every worker.'
Trade Arabia
2 days ago
- Trade Arabia
Rethink the way we produce, use plastics, urges WHO
On the occasion of the World Environment Day 2025 today (June 5), a call has gone out to rethink how we design, produce, and utilise plastics. Products should be designed with multiple uses in mind and recycling, said a statement from WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this year's campaign focuses on tackling plastic pollution, urging countries, organisations, and individuals to act together to protect the planet. While plastics have benefits, including energy savings and resource conservation, the rising plastic pollution poses a significant threat to our planet and health. Around the globe, plastic pollution is contaminating water supplies, food sources, and the air we breathe. As plastics break down, they enter the food chain. Microplastics have been detected in human arteries, lungs, brains, and breast milk. Global plastic consumption is projected to reach 516 million tonnes this year, and if current consumption patterns continue, it will rise to over 1.2 billion tonnes annually by 2060. Environmental factors contribute to the deaths of about 13 million people worldwide each year. Almost half of these fatalities are attributed to air pollution. The health and economic costs of unhealthy air pollution currently amount to $2.9 trillion. "On World Environment Day, we urge communities to advocate for lasting solutions to combat plastic pollution. Historically, recycling has been a key strategy for mitigating plastic waste. However, only 9% of plastics produced globally are recycled, and it is estimated that just 21% of plastic today is economically recyclable, meaning the value of recycled materials covers the costs of collection, sorting, and processing," said the statement from WHO Eastern Mediterranean Region. "The benefits of addressing plastic pollution include cleaner oceans and landscapes, healthier individuals and ecosystems, improved climate resilience, and stronger economies. Transitioning to a circular economy for plastics is essential for a sustainable future. We must rethink how we design, produce, and utilise plastics. Products should be designed with multiple uses in mind and recycling," it said. This transformation requires the engagement of stakeholders across the plastics value chain. A just transition is necessary to protect the livelihoods of waste pickers and affected communities, leaving no one behind. Solutions exist. In 2022, at the UN Environment Assembly, Member States agreed to initiate negotiations on a legally binding international instrument to address plastic pollution, including its impact on marine environments. Since then, countries have convened 5 sessions of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution to work towards a comprehensive agreement.
Gulf Insider
6 days ago
- Gulf Insider
New COVID Variant NB.1.8.1 Starting To Spread Worldwide
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said that the COVID-19 variant NB.1.8.1 is causing more infections worldwide, as China's health agency said it's the dominant variant. The new strain was named as a 'variant under monitoring' by the UN health body last week, while the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) confirmed a small number of cases were circulating in the United States. WHO said in an update on May 28 that the variant is driving up cases in parts of the world and is currently spreading in Southeast Asia, the western Pacific regions, and the Mediterranean. 'The recent increases have been observed in four countries and areas to date: Cambodia, China, Hong Kong … and Singapore,' the UN group said. The variant LP.8.1 is currently the dominant version worldwide, according to WHO. But both LP.8.1. and NB.1.8.1 have not shown signs that they would cause an 'increased public health risk' when 'compared to other circulating variants,' the U.N. health body stated. In a recent update, the Chinese CDC said that NB.1.8.1 makes up the majority of cases in China, while some Chinese doctors have gone on record in state-run media to say that one symptom that is being reported is a sharply painful sore throat. The Chinese CDC has been criticized over the years for not being transparent with its case and death figures throughout the pandemic. The Trump administration and some U.S. intelligence officials have said that the virus appeared to have emerged from a top-level laboratory in Wuhan, China, in late 2019 before the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attempted to cover it up and downplay its significance. Some outside experts have questioned the actual death toll and case numbers reported by the regime since the pandemic's start in early 2020. Dr. Jonathan Liu, professor at the Canadian College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, director of the Kang Mei TCM Clinic, and skeptic of data Chinese CDC figures on COVID-19, said official data for March reported that seven people died from COVID-19 that month. He suggested in an interview with The Epoch Times that such a number is unreal. 'With normal epidemic rates, such a low figure is implausible. Canada, with a sparse population and good sanitation, reported 1,915 COVID deaths from August last year to May this year—over 200 per month. How could China, with its dense population, have only seven deaths monthly?' Liu told The Epoch Times last week. The Chinese CDC also 'has not reported the rate of severe cases, hospitalization rate, or mortality rate,' said Sean Lin, assistant professor at the Biomedical Science Department of Fei Tian College, former U.S. Army microbiologist, and Epoch Times contributor. Other countries 'cannot know the actual situation' in China because of the CCP's attempts to downplay the true state of COVID-19 domestically, he added. WHO's recent update noted that new variant cases have increased in the western Pacific region, which includes China. Officials in South Korea on Friday said its government is closely monitoring COVID-19 cases in China and Hong Kong, while the country's Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters conducted a meeting that morning on the situation. 'COVID-19 cases are increasing in some neighboring countries, including Hong Kong, China and Thailand, which is concerning,' Second Deputy Director General Lee Han-kyung of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety told JoongAng Daily. 'People aged 65 and older, as well as residents of high-risk facilities, should get vaccinated now to prevent severe illness and death.' The Korean Medical Association also said it has 'concerns' due to large fluctuations in the daily weather temperatures and 'increased population movement due to domestic and international travel.' 'There is considerable concern about a COVID-19 resurgence, and with more indoor activities likely due to the hot weather, the risk of respiratory infections spreading may increase,' the association told the JoongAng Daily. In India, Delhi Health Minister Pankaj Singh told the PTI news service on May 26 that there is no need to panic over the strain. 'We have advised hospitals to be ready with beds, oxygen, essential medicines, and equipment, just in case. This is a part of standard preparedness,' he told the newswire service. 'There is no need to worry. COVID caused by the new variant is similar to a normal viral illness. The patients who have come in so far are experiencing mild symptoms like fever, cough, and cold.' This week, officials in Taiwan sent an alert about COVID-19 and stated that people in the country should wear a mask and wash their hands. Taiwanese officials earlier this month had reported a rise in cases. U.S. officials appeared to downplay the significance of the new variant, suggesting that it's not worse than any of the ones that are currently in circulation. In a statement to The Epoch Times on Sunday night, a CDC spokesperson said that the health agency 'is aware of reported cases of COVID-19 NB.1.8.1 in China and is in regular contact with international partners.' 'It has not met the threshold for inclusion in the COVID Data Tracker dashboard. We monitor all SARS-CoV-2 sequences, and if it increases in proportion, it will appear on the Data Tracker dashboard,' the spokesperson added, noting that fewer than 20 sequences of the variant have been found so far. Also read: 'It's Good Science' – CDC Stops Recommending COVID Vaccines For Healthy Kids & Pregnant Women
