Plastic one of our biggest crises
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Participants from 175 countries are currently gathering in South Korea for a conference on plastic and the pollution it causes. The conference participants are divided on a key issue. This is whether to include cuts in the production of plastic as part of the conference. Those who do not want to include production cuts are producers of fossil fuels. Oil is a key component in the production of plastics.
Something has to be done
Most people agree that something needs to be done about plastic products ending up in nature. Countries along the coast and islands in particular believe that plastic production must be reduced. Wind and ocean currents mean that litter from remote areas pollutes their beaches. Without cuts in production, there will be an ongoing process of cleaning the beaches of plastic.
“I live near the sea in Norway and can see for myself how much comes here. The plastic is particularly bad because it does not decompose. This littering is one of the biggest problems of our time. It can only be solved with global agreements.
Also a health issue
The plastic eventually turns into small particles. These are eaten by animals and fish. We in turn eat animals and fish. This is called microplastic. Microplastics have been found in human lungs, among other places. Feel free to read my blog about this. Off the coast of Norway, a dead whale was found a few years ago. The whale was examined and found shocked. Its entire stomach was full of plastic.
It’s the combination of littering and microplastics ending up in the food chain that makes it one of the biggest crises of our time. Something must be done, action must be taken now. The oil-producing countries led by Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran are thinking about their own interests rather than global necessity.
Plastic measures that must come
A total ban on single-use plastic bags should come quickly. These can easily be replaced by degradable alternatives. The use of plastic for food packaging must also be reduced. Here, for example, it may be appropriate to phase out plastic packaging gradually. The food industry claims that this packaging is necessary for storage and for reasons of shelf life.
The use of plastic in clothing must be limited. This can be done, for example, by introducing an environmental tax on clothing with plastic fabrics. Of course, there are some products, including clothing, that we can hardly do without plastic. This applies, for example, to rainwear.
Such a conference is absolutely necessary. All experience tells us that nothing will come of it immediately. The hope is that this is the beginning of an international understanding and agreement on limiting the use of plastic.
Sources:
https://news.un.org/en/story/2024/11/1157426
https://www.hi.no/hi/nyheter/2024/november/ber-fn-ta-kraftige-plast-grep