By Kimani Wiseman
Plastic pollution can be classified in the top three environmental problems countries are experiencing. The catastrophe of plastics have reached every country and continent across the globe. Some Countries across the globe would have experienced the effects of plastics on marine animals. For example, in some countries, dead whales have washed ashore on beaches with plastics in their stomach. Sea turtles have also been found with plastics in their stomach and plastic straws in their nostrils. Sea birds and fishes have not been left out, they would have also been found with plastics in their stomach. Micro plastics have also been found in Antarctica.
In St. Vincent and the Grenadines, we would have witnessed on many occasions, the effects of plastics. During heavy rainfall, rivers and gutters are blocked with plastic products which can be a habitat for mosquitoes. When rivers and gutters are blocked, it causes flooding in various communities. The litter of plastics on some of our beaches are very “unsightly” and it can affect the tourism industry. Tourists would not want to use a dirty beach. There are some Vincentians who are “litter bugs”. They would throw their garbage out of vehicles, dump their garbage on private and government lands, sometimes even in the forest they would leave their garbage which can affect the wildlife and birds. Wildlife and birds would mistake these plastics for food, when consumed, it blocks their digestive system causing them to die. Not disposing our garbage properly would cause an infestation of rats, flies, and cockroaches in our environment. We must always remember, almost every product that we used are made from plastics and plastics are non-biodegradable. Could the amount of plastics found in the world’s ocean have a global effect on fishermen livelihood in the future?
Scientists have revealed that plastics are also found in human stools. According to a CNN news article published on October 23rd 2018, the article states that micro plastics have been found in human stools for the first time, suggesting they maybe widespread in our food chain. The article further states that Austrian Scientists monitored and tested stool samples from eight study participants from different countries and all of them tested positive for at least one form of micoplastic, with nine different types discovered ranging in size from 50 to 500 micrometers. (https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/23/health/microplastics-human-stool-pollution-intl/index.html)
All these problems that countries are facing with plastic pollution, the United Nations in March 2022 and 175 nations agreed on a mandate to create a first of its kind international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. However, like climate change, this treaty is proving to be a failure. According to a BBC news article published on December 1st 2024, the article states that countries have failed to reach a land mark agreement on tackling plastic pollution after more than two years of negotiations. Deep divisions remained between a group of nearly 100 high ambition countries calling for plastic to be phased out and oil- producing nations who warned this would affect the world’s development. The article further states that plastic is produced from fossil fuels and is currently responsible for 5% of global emissions. (https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c785l1nrpd1o) Why are countries pussy footing with plastic pollution although the world is facing a plastic crisis?