Latest news with #BeatPlasticPollution
Deccan Herald
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Deccan Herald
Vidya Soudha students pledge to protect Earth
Vidya Soudha Public School, KIADB, Hassan, celebrated Environment Day with a special assembly and a series of awareness activities. Principal Mrs Mamatha Natesh inaugurated the event by planting a sapling and addressing the students on this year's theme Beat Plastic Pollution, urging everyone to rethink and reduce plastic use. Students performed a soulful skit dedicated to Mother Earth, highlighting issues such as excessive plastic use and environmental degradation. They also donated saplings for the school garden, pledging to care for them daily. The celebration concluded with cultural events and inspiring speeches promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship.
Zawya
11-06-2025
- General
- Zawya
Beni: Mission de l'Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO) Celebrates World Environment Day by Planting Trees in a School
In Beni, North Kivu Province, MONUSCO celebrated World Environment Day on Thursday, June 5, by organizing an awareness campaign and planting trees at a local school. ' It's a very important day ' said Adam Obatoki Salami, acting head of the UN mission's sub-office. Celebrated every year on June 5 since 1973, World Environment Day is the largest global platform for environmental public awareness, observed by millions of people around the world. According to Adam Obatoki Salami, this year's celebration was an opportunity to raise awareness about the harmful impact and dangers of plastic materials that pollute the environment. The theme chosen for this year is: ' Beat Plastic Pollution. '. ' It's a call for everyone to take responsibility so that we can collectively protect our environment and fight against the dangers of plastic pollution. Our message to the people of Beni is, first, that MONUSCO is committed to combating plastic pollution, working toward a better environment, and raising awareness so people consider environmental issues in their daily lives. We've planned several awareness activities throughout the city for this day. ' noted Adam Obatoki. Among these activities were tree planting events at MONUSCO's Mavivi base and at Matembo Primary School, along with public awareness meetings on environmental protection. Moïse Adirodu, Head of Administration and Finance at the environmental coordination office in Beni, believes MONUSCO is fulfilling its role in full cooperation with local authorities: ' MONUSCO plays an active role in environmental management. It implements waste management strategies and makes efforts to reduce its carbon footprint in its decision-making processes, in line with the objectives of the Rio de Janeiro Earth Summit. Through its actions in the city of Beni, MONUSCO has become a key partner for our environmental coordination. I'd like to recall that when the mayor of Beni launched the community cleanup initiatives—commonly known as Salongo—MONUSCO was leading from the front. We truly appreciate this kind of partnership ' he said. According to the United Nations, more than 400 million tons of plastic are produced every year, half of which is designed for single use. Less than 10% of this plastic is recycled. An estimated 11 million tons of plastic end up in lakes, rivers, and oceans annually—and Beni's rivers are no exception. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Mission de l'Organisation des Nations unies en République démocratique du Congo (MONUSCO).
Zawya
09-06-2025
- Business
- Zawya
#WorldEnvironmentDay: New recycling initiative to minimise South Africa's impact on Antarctica
In line with the 2025 World Environment Day theme - #BeatPlasticPollution - Polyco has announced a new initiative that will see the removal, transport, and recycling of waste from South Africa's research bases in Antarctica and Marion Island. The project is being run in partnership with the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) and Innocence and Sons Recycling, and will see this waste brought back aboard the SA Agulhas II, South Africa's polar supply and research vessel (see pictures here). All waste generated at the South African National Antarctic Programme (Sanap) research stations is carefully sorted at source into recyclables (plastics, glass, paper, cans), general waste, organic waste, hazardous materials, and sewage (treated separately). In line with the Madrid Protocol on Environmental Protection, no waste is dumped or discarded in these sensitive ecosystems. Once securely packaged, the waste is shipped back to Cape Town Harbour aboard the SA Agulhas II, where its journey continues into South Africa's recycling economy. Recycling without borders 'This project proves that even in the most remote and fragile environments, meaningful action to #BeatPlasticPollution is possible,' said Patricia Pillay, CEO of Polyco. 'It's a powerful demonstration of circularity in action showing that no place is too far, and no effort too small, when it comes to protecting our planet.' The project also includes a novel approach to food waste: frozen kitchen scraps from the polar stations are being repurposed as animal feed, further reducing landfill disposal and expanding the range of waste streams recovered. Polyco's project partner, Innocence and Sons Recycling, processes these materials using innovative mobile recycling tools like the Packa-Ching trailer. Once offloaded, recyclables are weighed, sorted, and fed back into the circular economy supporting job creation, reducing pollution, and enabling local environmental impact. 'This is recycling without borders,' added Innocence Smit, founder of Innocence and Sons. 'We're turning waste into worth and showing that even plastic from Antarctica can support livelihoods and drive sustainability here in South Africa.'
Scoop
07-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
World Environment Day: UN Sounds Alarm On Plastic Pollution Crisis
4 June 2025 Between 19 and 23 million tonnes of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, and without urgent action, this figure is expected to rise by 50 per cent by 2040. Plastic pollution is contaminating every corner of the planet, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, and human health. Microplastics are found in food, water and air, with the average person estimated to ingest over 50,000 plastic particles each year, and far more when inhalation is included. If the climate crisis goes unaddressed, with plastic pollution as a major driver, air pollution levels exceeding safe thresholds could rise by 50 per cent within a decade. Meanwhile, plastic pollution in marine and freshwater environments may triple by 2040. Global action day To rally momentum, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) is leading the 52nd annual World Environment Day on 5 June, the world's largest platform for environmental outreach. This year's commemoration is hosted by Jeju, Republic of Korea, under the theme #BeatPlasticPollution. Since launching in 2018, the UNEP-led campaign has advocated for a just and inclusive transition away from plastic dependency. The day brings together governments, businesses, communities, and individuals in a shared mission to protect and restore the planet, while advancing progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially those linked to climate action and sustainable consumption. Towards a treaty A major focus of the day is the ongoing push for a global treaty to end plastic pollution. Countries are currently negotiating an international, legally binding agreement, with the next round of talks scheduled for August. UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for an 'ambitious, credible and just agreement' that addresses the full lifecycle of plastics, reflects community needs, aligns with the SDGs and is implemented quickly and fully. UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen echoed the call, urging nations to unite behind innovative solutions and alternatives to plastic use. World Environment Day serves as a catalyst for action, driving attention toward the UN Environment Assembly later this year – where hopes are high that nations will finalise concrete steps to curb plastic pollution and address the broader climate emergency.
Indian Express
06-06-2025
- General
- Indian Express
Knowledge Nugget: Plastic Pollution and Global Plastic Treaty — What you need to know for UPSC
Take a look at the essential concepts, terms, quotes, or phenomena every day and brush up your knowledge. Here's your knowledge nugget for today. (Relevance: Plastic pollution has been an important topic for your UPSC exam. In the 2025 prelims, a question was asked on plastic; a similar question was asked in the 2024 prelims as well. Do check them in the post-read questions. With increased focus on environmental pollution in recent years, the data provided in the article can be used across Mains papers to add value to your answer.) World Environment Day is observed annually on June 5. This year, the Republic of Korea is hosting the event with the focus on the theme #BeatPlasticPollution. The theme aims to educate people about how plastics are made, used, and disposed of, and the effects they have. The initiative seeks to engage communities globally in advocating for and implementing effective solutions. In 2022, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) initiated a process to develop a legally binding treaty on plastics pollution by the end of 2024. The fifth and final round of discussion on a legally binding treating for curbing plastic pollution ended without any agreement. Although the treaty was not finalised, discussions on the draft text of the treaty will continue next year. In today's Knowledge Nugget, let's get to know about the negotiation around the Global Plastic Treaty and why curbing plastic pollution is the need of the hour. 1. Over 170 nations were in Busan, South Korea, at the fifth and final meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC-5) of the United Nations to finalise the most important environmental treaty since the 2015 Paris agreement. It was in 2022 in Nairobi at the United Nations Environment Assembly that a resolution was adopted to develop global rules for curbing plastic pollution and do so by the end of 2024. 2. The draft text provided clear definitions of plastic and plastic products, but it did not reflect definitions of contentious issues such as microplastics, nanoplastics, primary plastic polymers, and recycling. The three most crucial issues that prevented the signing of the agreement included putting a global cap on polymer production, eliminating harmful chemicals from plastic production, and phasing out harmful plastic products. A significant divide emerged between the two main coalitions- the High Ambition Coalition (HAC) and the like-minded group, mainly comprising oil-producing countries. 3. According to the website of the HAC advocates for binding agreements to phase out harmful plastics and chemicals, while the like-minded group prefers a focus solely on waste management and recycling. This became one of the points of disagreement. 4. India outlines its stance that any legally binding treaty must recognise the need for support to developing countries through finance and technology transfer. At the outset, it made clear it did not support any articles on 'supply', referring to the discussions surrounding curbing production. India also said production of primary polymers was not directly linked to plastic pollution, and there should be no targets concerning polymer or plastic production. Instead, it asked to focus on reducing plastic pollution. Why the world needs a global plastic treaty 1. Owing to its adaptable properties and versatile use, plastic has become almost indispensable for humans. As a result, plastic production has skyrocketed across the world in recent decades. Since the 1950s, plastic production across the world has skyrocketed. It increased from just 2 million tonnes in 1950 to more than 450 million tonnes in 2019. If left unchecked, the production is slated to double by 2050, and triple by 2060. 2. This has led to a crisis as plastic takes anywhere from 20 to 500 years to decompose, and less than 10% has been recycled till now, according to a 2023 study published by The Lancet. Much of the plastic waste leaks into the environment, especially into rivers and oceans, where it breaks down into smaller particles (microplastic or nanoplastic). 3. The exposure to chemicals in plastic can also cause endocrine disruption and a range of human diseases, including cancer, diabetes, reproductive disorders, and neurodevelopmental impairment. Plastic also harms species inhabiting marine, freshwater, and land ecosystems. 4. Plastic production and disposal are also contributing to climate change. According to a report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), in 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion tonnes of GHG emissions — 3.4% of global emissions. Roughly 90% of these emissions come from plastic production, which uses fossil fuels as raw material. 5. According to a study published in the journal Nature last year, India contributes to a fifth of global plastic pollution. India burns roughly 5.8 million tonnes (mt) of plastic each year, and releases another 3.5 mt of plastics into the environment (land, air, water) as debris. Cumulatively, India contributes to 9.3 mt of plastic pollution in the world annually, significantly more than the countries next in this list — Nigeria (3.5 mt), Indonesia (3.4 mt) and China (2.8 mt) — and exceeding previous estimates. 1. The Plastic Waste Management Rule 2021 banned the use of single-use plastics covering 19 categories in 2022. Single-use plastic refers to plastic items that are used once and discarded. Single-use plastic has among the highest shares of plastic manufactured and used — from packaging of items, to bottles (shampoo, detergents, cosmetics), polythene bags, face masks, coffee cups, cling film, trash bags, food packaging etc. 2. According to the Plastic Waste Management Rules, 2016, there are 7 categories of plastics on the basis of their recyclability. (1) Consider the following: (UPSC CSE 2025) I. Cigarette butts II. Eyeglass lenses III. Car tyres How many of them contain plastic? (a) Only one (b) Only two (c) All the three (d) None (2) Consider the following statements: (UPSC CSE 2024) Statement-I: Many chewing gums found in the market are considered a source of environmental pollution. Statement-II: Many chewing gums contain plastic as gum base. Which pone of the following is correct in respect of the above statements? (a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I (b) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I (c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect (d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct (Source: Why the world needs a global plastic treaty, Why global plastic treaty talks collapsed, India generates highest plastic pollution in world: what a new study found) Subscribe to our UPSC newsletter. Stay updated with the latest UPSC articles by joining our Telegram channel – IndianExpress UPSC Hub, and follow us on Instagram and X. 🚨 Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for May 2025. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at Khushboo Kumari is a Deputy Copy Editor with The Indian Express. She has done her graduation and post-graduation in History from the University of Delhi. At The Indian Express, she writes for the UPSC section. She holds experience in UPSC-related content development. You can contact her via email: ... Read More
