Explained: What Happens To The Plastic We Buy?

Plastic pollution is a global problem with United Nations data showing that every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas. According to the UN, each day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's water bodies. 

The fifth session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment (INC-5), is scheduled to take place from 25 November to 1 December 2024 at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center in Busan, Republic of Korea. The session will be preceded by regional consultations on 24 November 2024.

Plastic pollution can alter habitats and natural processes, reducing ecosystems’ ability to adapt to climate change, directly affecting millions of people’s livelihoods, food production capabilities and social well-being, the UN says. The video here explains what happens to the plastic we buy. (With AFP inputs)