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By Mark DaCosta- On April 10, Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN) Antonio Guterres said “Every minute the equivalent of 1 garbage truck of plastic is dumped into the ocean. To Beat Plastic Pollution and mitigate its impacts, we must reduce the production of plastic. Change starts with each of us.” The Secretary-General was, at that time, making reference to a global problem that affects everyone including Guyanese.
This article is being written in recognition and response to the UN head’s call to action. It is intended to inform Guyanese about the issue, and suggest ways to mitigate the problem.
First, though, one must answer the question, why is plastic pollution a problem? The answer lies in the nature of plastics. Once plastic is manufactured, it does not degrade easily; it just stays there. This is compounded by the fact that humans are producing some 400 million tonnes of plastic every year. This works out to about 50 kilograms (more than 100 pounds) for every person on Earth. Further, experts say that of all the plastic ever produced, only 24 percent has either been burnt or recycled; all the rest of it – three quarters of the total amount – is still somewhere in the environment.
Facts about plastics
Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that can be moulded into solid objects of various shapes. This adaptability, plus a wide range of other properties, such as being lightweight, durable, flexible, and inexpensive to produce, has led to the widespread use of such materials.
Plastics typically are made through human industry; they are not usually products of nature. Most modern plastics are made from fossil fuel-based chemicals like natural gas or petroleum; however, recent industrial methods use variants made from renewable materials, such as corn or cotton.
Synthetic plastic was first made in New York in 1907. Since then, scores of different types of plastics have been synthesised and produced commercially for a variety of applications. Most plastics have complicated names that have been shortened to their initials. Guyanese may know of PVC that is used to manufacture pipes, and PET used to make water tanks.
Facts about plastic pollution
While pipes and water tanks may not be a source of much environmental pollution, other plastic items are responsible for much environmental harm and hazards to the health and lives of humans and wildlife. In Guyana, the biggest culprits are single-use plastic products.
Single-use products are those that we use only once, or for a short time before we throw them away. Such items are known to seriously harm the environment and the health of living things.
In Guyana, at the top of the list of single-use polluters may be items such as styrofoam food boxes, plastic cups, and cutlery, plastic grocery bags, packets and wrappers in which we buy plantain chips and so on, styrofoam trays covered by plastic wrap in which supermarkets sell chicken etc, soft drink and water bottles, and sanitary products such as diapers. Of course, the list goes on.
In Guyana, there is no recycling, so, whenever such items are thrown away, they just stay there for almost forever. If they are disposed of properly, they will probably end up in a landfill where they will take up space for eternity. Otherwise, such items may become litter in our streets and waterways. Such ugly litter can be breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other disease vectors. Or, plastic litter may find itself blocking canals and drains, so that every time it rains, our streets and homes are flooded. And floods bring diseases such as leptospirosis.
The point is, no matter what we do, because plastics are not easily destroyed, the only way to address the plastic pollution crisis is to not use plastics in the first place. To do that, alternatives must be found.
By now, the average Guyanese would probably have thought of at least one action we can take to reduce the use of plastics. For example, we can acquire reusable grocery bags instead of using disposable “black bags,” or we may choose to patronise restaurants that deliver take-away meals in cardboard containers instead of styrofoam. We could also purchase water in reusable big bottles instead of small disposable ones. The point is to reduce the amount of plastic that we use and throw away. If we keep that objective in mind, it is possible to think of numerous ways in which we can contribute to mitigating the plastic pollution problem.
Government also has a role to play. It is up to elected officials to formulate policies, make laws, and enforce regulations. It is the responsibility of national and local governments to recognise that there is a crisis, and respond appropriately. It is up to leaders to lead.
