Plastic waste: What can be done to reduce it?
Plastic is cheap and lightweight. It's also placing an increasingly severe strain on the environment.
Loud protest
These climate activists gathered days before the conference to demand a reduction in global plastic production. Talks began in Kenya's capital, Nairobi, on November 13. It's the third of five negotiation rounds. Over the past year, 175 nations agreed to reach a binding UN agreement and sign it by 2025.
Recycling is an important step
The United Nations' goal is to drastically reduce plastic pollution by 2040. This would include countries such as Kenya. The East African nation took a leading role in 2017 and banned plastic bags entirely, but it continues to struggle with waste. Other adopted measures include plastic sorting systems, such as this one installed in the Gitathuru River.
Overflowing with plastic
These plastic bottles were collected from the Gitathuru River. According to the European association of plastics producers, around 400 million tons of plastic were created around the world last year. That's about twice the amount as in 2002. Once plastics find their way into nature, they pose a serious risk to plants and animals.
Getting it out of the water
Water pollution is a problem in Germany, too. In 2021, some 41,700 kilograms (91,933 pounds) of plastic were estimated to have seeped into the sea through the Elbe River alone. Environmental organizations are trying to reduce the waste. The NGO GreenKayak, for example, offers free kayaks to users who paddle out to collect trash.
No quick fix
Plastics have a long life cycle, and this poses a large problem. They can take centuries to degrade. Now, binding regulations are to be put in place. They could apply anywhere from restricting the amount in which certain materials can be produced, to the design of plastic products, to the disposal and recycling of plastic waste.
Necessity is the mother of invention
In Kenya, locals have been finding creative ways to tackle the never-ending flood of plastic waste. This boat builder is constructing a FlipFlopi, a traditional sailboat made from plastic waste. His work is part of an initiative that aims to show the innovative possibilities offered by recycling.
Hope for the oceans
This mural of a seal, found in Camara de Lobos, Portugal, was made from plastic waste. Many researchers hope this week's talks in Kenya will lead to a global shift in how plastics are handled. Negotiators have been stressing that the aim is not to condemn the use of or ban plastics, but to determine how much the production of various plastics can be limited.