A Global Issue

Plastic pollution is a global issue. Countries around the world are responsible for the growing issue of 19 billion pounds of plastic entering the world’s ocean each year. The U.S alone is responsible for 33.6 million tons of plastic, only 9.5% of which was recycled. However, the U.S does not seem to be the largest contributor to plastic pollution.

According to a 2017 report by Ocean Conservancy, China, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are dumping more plastic into oceans than the rest of the world combined. In all of these Asian countries, the amount of mismanaged waste was found to be close to 75 percent or more. For many Countries, this number is found to be around 50 percent. It is projected that by 2025, plastic consumption in Asia will increase by an astonishing 80 percent to surpass 200 million tons.

Indonesia’s Citarum River­ has been dubbed the most polluted river in the world. The problem has gone so out of hand the army was recently called in to remove the plastic waste and prevent further dumping in the waterway. Now that’s a river that I definitely wouldn’t want to take a swim in.

But why are all of these Asian countries using so much plastic?

Well, as studies suggest, these emerging countries are experiencing rapid economic growth, reduced poverty, and improved quality of life. There is nothing wrong with that at all. If anything, that’s amazing. However, as these economies grow, so does the consumer use of plastic and plastic-intensive goods. Thus explaining why these Asian countries are leading the world in plastic pollution.

The situation, however, is beginning to improve a bit. Several countries have recently committed to reducing the amount of plastic they send into the oceans. At the Economist World Ocean Summit, 10 nations ― including Uruguay, Costa Rica, France and Indonesia ― vowed to reduce plastic marine litter as part of U.N. Environment’s new Clean Seas initiative.

To join in on the campaign, Indonesia, one of world’s top plastic polluters, committed to slashing its marine litter by 70 percent by 2025. Indonesia’s government has set itself the ambitious target of making water from the Citarum River drinkable within seven years. It will be interesting to see whether or not they are able to achieve this goal.

Plastic pollution isn’t just a problem here in the U.S. It’s a global issue. Although 5 countries are responsible for a majority of this pollution, they are not entirely responsible for this growing issue. In order for plastics to be greatly reduced, campaigns like the Clean Seas initiative should be created for the world to follow. Additionally, we as humans living on this planet must act collectively to combat this growing phenomenon and protect the earth we live on. So that there will remain an earth to sustainably live on for years to come.