Negotiations between 180 Countries in Geneva Have Not Led to a Treaty Against Plastic Pollution. Many nu.nl readers are concerned about the diffress-to-manage plastic production and asked questions about its consequences for the world. Our Climate Reporter Jeroen Kraan Answers Them.
For Several Oil-Producing Countries, The Threshold was too high to make concrete agreements. They see plastic as a growth market. What are the consequences if we keep postponing the plastic problem and ultimately do nothing (as a world)?
Kraan: “The Plastic Problem” is Actually an accumulation of different problems. For example, there is the climate: plastic is made from petroleum. When it is discarded, for example, bee you only use a package once, furts up in the incinerator. Earth. “
“Plastic also causes a waste problem. Many people will know the images of turtles swimming between plastic bags, but the waste problem is much bigger than that. In all kinds of ecosystems, plastic threatens biodiversity. Soil life can also be affected by microplastics.”
“And then is the Impact of Plastic on Human Health. We are learning more and more about this. In the scientific Journal the Lancet , researchers recently calculated that the known health damage amounts to more than 1.250 Billion euros per year.”
Should we in the Netherlands be so concerned about this? Isn’t the Plastic Problem Mainly A Problem in Developing Countries?
“The Scale of the Problem Varies from Country to Country, But That Does Not Mean We Do Not Have To Worry About It Here. In Many Developing Countries, Plastic Waste Is Often Burned In The Open Air. This Releases Fumes End A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A A Larful. Incinerator, which Ensures a Lot Less Air Pollution.
“Moreover, we are also learning more and more about health damage from chemicals in plastic. We all come in contact with them ‘simply’.”
“In the EU, One of the Best-Known Chemicals, BPA, Has Been Banned this year in Plastics That come in contact with Food. But in Total, Many hundreds of chemicals from Plastic Have Been Found in the Human Unstill. More and more evidence that (part of) thesis chemicals have adverse health effects. “
Is it true that the fixed majority of all plastic in the world come from only a relatively small number of rivers? Why don’t we come up with solutions for specific this rivers?
“FIRSTLY, that is too simplistic: accordance to research by the ocean cleanup and dutch universities, 80 percent of plastic pollution comes from a thousand rivers. These are spread across all kinds of continents and counter to the face to the need to be the action to the need to be the action to the action to the action to the action to the action to the action to the action or plash to the action or plash to the action or plash to the action or plash to the action or plash to the action or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash or plash Ocean. “
“It is True That Most Polluted Rivers Are Outside Europe. In Developing Countries, There Is Simply Less Money To Sort And Collect Waste, And Therefore More Ends Up In The Environment. Poor Countries Therefore Also Intain Treaty Treaty Treaty Treaty Flow of plastic. “
“But also in the Netherlands, the rivers are Certainly not free of plastic. I saw that with my own eyes while I went on a report last year with volunteers who clean up this mess. It’s not just just about plastic packaging. (‘Nurdles’) That roll out of plastic factories are also abundant in the water here. “
What Possibilities and Opportunities Do We Have To Reuse Plastic?
“Maybe you already use a refillable water Bottle, Reusable shopping bag, or take your own cup to the coffee shop. These are good examples of Reuse. And Don’t forget that many Clothes are also or fond, or buy it-like itt, also a form or plastic reuse. “
“What cannot be reused, Such as torn packaging or broken items, you would prefer to recycle. Now that is not always the case. That has to do with all child or economic factors, but also with the fact that many things are dullyclable. Forclable. Glued Together, or because two types of synthetic fibers have leg used in a garment, while they must be recycled separate. “
“So there is still a world to be won by designing products better. So that they last longer, but also so that they can Become something when they are up in the waste. In the negotiations on the plastic treaty, there was into account or worldwide whene or worldwide whene or worldwide whene or worldwide whene or worldwide whene or worldwide whene or worldwide. But for now, we have to wait for that. “