Plastic Pollution: A Looming Crisis for Our Waterways and Oceans*
PARIS, Sept 20 — Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic waste—ranging from bottles and tyres to packaging and piping—are discarded into waterways, with many ending up in the oceans. The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) warns that, without significant action, this amount could nearly double by 2060.
Since mass production began in the 1950s, approximately 140 million tonnes of plastic have accumulated in rivers, lakes, and oceans, according to a 2023 OECD report. Of this, 22 percent contributes to a "plastic soup" in the oceans, while 78 percent is found in freshwater ecosystems.
*Key Sources of Pollution*
Poor waste management practices, including the burning of plastic in open pits and the dumping of waste in unauthorized sites, are the primary contributors to aquatic pollution. Most of this plastic ends up in freshwater bodies, with items like bottles and construction materials sinking, while food packaging and sealed bottles can float for years or even decades before reaching the ocean. Shipping activities, including discarded nets and fishing gear, contribute to the plastic problem, alongside microplastics—pieces measuring less than five millimeters.
*The Lifespan of Plastic*
Macroplastic, which is larger than five millimeters, has an average lifespan of six months to 35 years, gradually breaking down into microplastics that pose a greater risk to aquatic species through ingestion.
*Asia's Rivers: Major Contributors*
The transition of plastic from land to waterways varies by region. A study from the NGO Ocean Cleanup indicates that out of around 100,000 waterways, just 1,000 are responsible for four-fifths of the macroplastic waste in oceans. Notably, 44 of the 50 major rivers transporting plastic to the seas are in Asia, largely due to high population density and poor waste management practices. The Philippines, with its extensive network of islands, leads in plastic dumping, with the Pasig River being identified as the most polluted in the world.
Other significant contributors include the Tullahan and Meycauayan Rivers in the Philippines, the Ulhas River in India, and the Klang River in Malaysia.
*A Gloomy Future*
The OECD predicts that global plastic use could nearly triple from 2019 to 2060, reaching 1,231 million tonnes annually, resulting in 493 million tonnes of plastic accumulating in aquatic environments—over half of which would come from sub-Saharan Africa, China, India, and other developing Asian nations. In contrast, improvements in waste management in Europe and the United States are expected to reduce industrial plastic waste in their aquatic environments.
