Eritrea Ranks Worst in Plastic Waste Mismanagement as UN Treaty Negotiations Loom

Eritrea mismanages a staggering 97% of its plastic waste, ranking as the worst country globally in plastic pollution, according to the Plastic Overshoot Day report by Earth Action. The report, released ahead of the upcoming UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, calls for urgent action and investment in waste management infrastructure to tackle the growing plastic crisis.

While India has shown some improvement, it still struggles with mismanaging 68.62% of its plastic waste. The report projects that in 2024, Plastic Overshoot Day will occur on September 5th, with 220 million tonnes of plastic waste created and nearly 70 million tonnes ending up in nature. It establishes six country archetypes to enable targeted solutions and recommendations.

The report also highlights the disparity in plastic waste generation, with people living in Belgium producing 147.7 kg per person in 2024, which is 16 times higher than in Bangladesh. India is expected to contribute 7.4 million tons of mismanaged plastic waste in 2024, releasing 391,879 tons of microplastics into the environment and 31,483 tons of chemical additives into waterways.

Why this matters: The plastic pollution crisis has far-reaching consequences for the environment and human health. As countries prepare for the UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, the Plastic Overshoot Day report serves as a sobering reminder of the pressing need for global cooperation and action to address this growing problem.

The upcoming UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, set to take place in Ottawa from April 21-29, aim to create a legally binding global agreement to mitigate the production and consumption of high-risk plastic. The EU is calling for a comprehensive lifecycle approach to plastics, with bans on certain products and enhanced product design. The treaty seeks to transform the way plastic products are designed, produced, used, and recycled, to address the serious negative effects of plastic pollution on the environment and human health.

Virginia Janssens, the Managing Director of Plastics Europe AISBL, emphasizes the need to transition from a linear to a circular plastic system, where all plastic applications are reused, recycled, and responsibly managed. She urges negotiators to focus on policy measures that will increase the value of plastic waste as a circular feedstock, such as mandatory recycled content targets and sustainable financing mechanisms like Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) schemes.

The Plastic Overshoot Day report underscores that while improvements in waste management are crucial, they alone are insufficient to tackle the plastic crisis, and substantial reductions in plastic production at the source are necessary. As the world awaits the outcome of the UN Plastic Treaty negotiations, it is clear that urgent action and global cooperation are essential to address the growing threat of plastic pollution and its impact on the planet.

Key Takeaways

• Eritrea mismanages 97% of its plastic waste, ranking worst globally in plastic pollution.
• India still struggles with mismanaging 68.62% of its plastic waste.
• Plastic Overshoot Day in 2024 is projected to occur on Sept 5, with 220M tons of plastic waste.
• The upcoming UN Plastic Treaty aims to create a global agreement to mitigate plastic production.
• Urgent action and global cooperation are essential to address the growing plastic pollution crisis.