Choking on plastic: the planet's invisible epidemic

As we welcome another World Environment Day, we are once again reminded of our fragile connection to the planet we call home. It’s a moment to take stock – not just of vanishing forests or warming seas – but of the quieter, less visible crises unfolding all around us. This year’s theme, focused on land restoration and drought resilience, rightly urges us to restore what we’ve degraded. But what happens when the degradation isn’t just visible on the land, but woven into our food, our water, and even our bodies?

One of the most insidious threats to environmental and human health today is plastic pollution. From the depths of the oceans to the peaks of the Himalayas, from human DNA to fish in our rivers, microplastics have become a part of the global bloodstream. We have reached a point where the miracle material of the 20th century has turned into one of the defining environmental challenges of the 21st.

Each year, the world produces over 430 million tons of plastic. This staggering figure is not just a statistic; it’s a ticking environmental time bomb. Over two-thirds of this plastic becomes waste after a single use. Only a fraction is recycled.

The rest clogs our waterways, floats in our oceans, burns into our skies, and breaks down into particles so small they enter the food we eat and the air we breathe (UNEP Global Plastics Treaty).

The global plastic pollution crisis is no longer a distant environmental issue. It’s a public health emergency, an ecological catastrophe, and a socioeconomic injustice rolled into one. We are living in the Age of Plastic, and unless we act decisively, future generations will inherit a planet wrapped in it.

The Ubiquity of Plastic: Plastic is everywhere – packaging, electronics, clothes, vehicles, cleaning products. Its popularity is a testament to its affordability and durability. But that same durability – its resistance to degradation – is what makes it so destructive.

Since 1950, the world has produced over 9 billion tons of plastic. Only 9 per cent has ever been recycled. Nearly 80 per cent has accumulated in landfills, rivers, and oceans (Our World in Data). Microplastics – tiny fragments less than 5mm long –have been detected in human blood, lungs, breast milk, and in the fish we consume (UNEP INC-3).

We are only beginning to understand the long-term health impacts of chronic microplastic exposure. But early findings are worrying – these particles can disrupt hormonal systems, carry carcinogenic chemicals, and potentially cross the blood-brain barrier.

How Did We Get Here: This crisis didn’t explode overnight. It was fuelled by a global economy built on a disposable culture. Major petrochemical companies have aggressively expanded plastic production, with projections indicating a 40 per cent increase by 2040 (WWF & Systemiq, 2023). Industries, especially in the Global North, have driven mass consumption of single-use plastics under the guise of convenience.

Ironically, the burden of waste management falls largely on the Global South. Countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Kenya receive enormous volumes of plastic waste – often labelled “recyclable” but too contaminated to process – resulting in open burning or uncontrolled dumping (Human Rights Watch, 2022; UNEP 2021).

In many regions, plastic pollution disproportionately affects low-income communities, women, children, and informal waste pickers. When plastics are burned in open environments – common in low-resource settings – they release toxic chemicals like dioxins, furans, and heavy metals, linked to respiratory diseases, cancer, and developmental disorders (UNEP 2021).

The Social and Economic Cost: Plastic pollution is not just environmental – it’s deeply social. People living near plastic production or incineration sites face disproportionate health risks. Waste pickers, who perform the essential task of collecting and sorting recyclables in many developing countries, often work without protection, exposing themselves to physical and chemical hazards (Global Alliance of Waste Pickers; GAIA Zero Waste Cities).

Globally, plastic pollution is costing us billions. Tourism, fisheries, and agriculture – all reliant on clean environments – suffer massive losses due to plastic-contaminated landscapes and waters. The United Nations estimates plastic pollution could cost the global economy over $300 billion per year by 2040 (WWF & Systemiq, 2023).

What Can Be Done: The solutions must be as bold as the crisis. Internationally, the United Nations Environment Programme is leading negotiations for a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty, with a final agreement due by the end of 2025 (UNEP INC-4). The treaty aims to reduce plastic production, phase out single-use plastics, and improve waste management.

But laws alone won’t suffice. Governments must act decisively by banning unnecessary plastics – such as sachets, bags, straws, and non-essential packaging. Bangladesh, for instance, was the first country to ban plastic bags in 2002, yet enforcement has been uneven (UNEP 2021). Robust policy enforcement and public education must go hand in hand.

Corporations must be held accountable. Major plastic producers and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies must reduce plastic use and invest in sustainable packaging. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes – where producers are legally required to fund collection and recycling – should become global standards (WWF Global Treaty Call).

We also need massive investment in waste infrastructure, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Philanthropic and multilateral funding should support community-based circular solutions that improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and create green jobs (GAIA).

Informal workers must be recognised as central players in plastic solutions. Models like those supported by the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers show that when waste pickers are formalised, paid fairly, and protected, recycling systems become far more efficient and equitable (GlobalRec).

Technology has a role but is no silver bullet. Bioplastics and chemical recycling show promise but must be rigorously vetted for sustainability, scalability, and unintended consequences.

Ultimately, behaviour change at the individual level also matters. Consumers can reduce plastic use, demand zero-waste alternatives, and hold corporations and governments accountable.

Time Is Running Out: Plastic, once hailed as a miracle material, has become one of the defining environmental challenges of our time. Its impact transcends borders, social classes, and ecosystems. But while the crisis is global, the solutions are within reach.

If we fail to act, by 2050 there could be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight (World Economic Forum, 2016).

Microplastics could contaminate every corner of the Earth, from Arctic ice to the deepest ocean trenches. We risk locking ourselves into a toxic legacy that future generations will struggle to undo.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

This is our moment to choose a different path – a path of sustainability, justice, and common sense. Tackling the plastic pollution crisis is not just about cleaning up our planet. It’s about protecting our health, restoring our dignity, and reclaiming the right to a liveable future.

The plastic epidemic is no longer invisible. The only question is: will we do something about it before it’s too late?

Babui Salsabil is an international development practitioner currently working at the World Bank Group headquarters in Washington, D.C. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of the organisation. babuis2013@gmail.com