World Environment Day: Reflecting on plastic pollution, climate change and the global waste burden

Since its inception in 1973, World Environment Day has been observed annually on 5 June to promote environmental stewardship and raise public awareness about the necessity of protecting the planet. 

The primary objective of this international observance is to inspire individuals and communities to actively contribute to reducing the escalating pressure on the natural environment, thereby ensuring a more sustainable and habitable Earth. 

Plastic pollution has emerged as a critical global environmental challenge in recent years. Notably, the widespread use of so-called biodegradable plastics in everyday life has been found to exert detrimental long-term effects on soil health, water quality, atmospheric conditions, biodiversity, wildlife, and human well-being. Initiatives are being implemented not only at the international level but also through national policies and actions to address this growing crisis. 

In alignment with these efforts, the theme for World Environment Day 2025 has been designated as Ending Plastic Pollution. This theme serves as a global call to action, urging individuals, governments, and institutions to intensify their efforts in mitigating plastic pollution and addressing its associated environmental impacts. Furthermore, the observance seeks to promote collective action in addressing plastic pollution by fostering inclusive engagement across all sectors of society and encouraging individuals, organizations, industries, and governments to implement sustainable practices that contribute to long-term, systemic transformation. The day thus represents an opportunity to accelerate collective action in pursuing a resilient and ecologically balanced future.

Plastic pollution and the growing burden on waste management systems

Since the invention of polyethene in 1933, global plastic production and consumption have expanded rapidly over the past nine decades. According to estimates, approximately 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic products have been manufactured since the 1950s, with nearly half produced in the past 15 years alone. 

The excessive and often indiscriminate use of plastic materials has led to a significant increase in waste generation, thereby contributing substantially to environmental degradation. Alarmingly, less than 10% of the plastic waste generated globally is recycled, while approximately 79% is either landfilled or discarded in natural environments, and around 12% is incinerated. 

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that nearly 400 million metric tons of plastic waste are generated annually, a figure that continues to rise due to inadequate waste management infrastructure and practices. In Bangladesh, the situation is particularly concerning; approximately 85% of plastic waste remains improperly managed. 

According to the World Bank, this inefficiency places Bangladesh among the top contributors to plastic pollution globally. 

In urban areas, the disparity in consumption is especially pronounced. For example, Dhaka's annual per capita plastic consumption is estimated at 22.25 kilograms, more than three times the national average, highlighting the urgent need for improved waste management systems and policies to reduce plastic dependency and enhance recycling efforts.

Aquatic ecosystems as critical hotspots of plastic pollution

Aquatic environments, particularly rivers and estuaries, have emerged as critical accumulation zones or hotspots of plastic waste. Environmental scientists emphasise that these water bodies serve as conduits for plastic pollution, with substantial quantities of waste accumulating in river systems before ultimately entering marine ecosystems. This process alters natural hydrological features, disrupts ecological functions, and leads to significant habitat loss for aquatic species.

In the context of Bangladesh, the situation is particularly alarming. Environment and Social Development Organization (ESDO) estimated that 2.6 million tonnes of single-use plastics are discharged annually into the Bay of Bengal through 18 transboundary rivers, posing a severe threat to riverine ecosystems, coastal waters, and aquatic biodiversity. 

Among these rivers, the Ganga-Padma traverses India and Bangladesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal, the second most polluted river globally regarding plastic waste accumulation. According to recent research, approximately 73,000 tonnes of plastic waste are carried daily into the Bay of Bengal by three major Bangladeshi rivers: the Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna.

Urban rivers are similarly affected. The Buriganga River, once vital to Dhaka's urban infrastructure, is now one of the most polluted rivers in the country, primarily due to the indiscriminate disposal of waste, including vast quantities of plastic. Similarly, the Karnaphuli River, which flows through the port city of Chattogram, has become heavily contaminated. Its riverbed is now layered with polythene and plastic waste to a depth of approximately 2 to 7 meters, significantly obstructing dredging operations and further degrading aquatic habitats.

Environmental consequences of plastic waste on terrestrial and marine ecosystems

Plastic pollution profoundly threatens terrestrial ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. On land, the accumulation of plastic waste disrupts natural landscapes and poses hazards to flora, fauna, and human populations. 

Over time, macroplastics degrade into particles smaller than 5 millimetres that infiltrate soil systems, altering their physical structure and reducing water retention capacity. 

Such alterations impair root development and nutrient uptake in plants, negatively affecting agricultural productivity. Furthermore, microplastics in chemical fertilizers exacerbate soil contamination, accelerating the degradation of arable land and undermining long-term food security.

In addition to physical degradation, plastics release toxic chemicals into the environment. These substances may leach into groundwater or migrate into nearby aquatic ecosystems, generating substantial ecological harm. 

The persistence of non-biodegradable plastics intensifies environmental stress across multiple domains, including soil, air, and water, resulting in cumulative and long-term impacts on ecosystem services, wildlife habitats, and public health. The degradation of ecosystem integrity due to plastic waste particularly endangers the livelihoods of populations reliant on natural resources.

Marine ecosystems are similarly affected by plastic pollution. Much terrestrial plastic waste enters the ocean via riverine transport and surface runoff. UNEP estimates indicate that between 8 and 10 million metric tons of plastic debris are discharged into the oceans annually, comprising approximately 85% of total marine litter. This extensive accumulation poses significant risks to marine biodiversity, with around 800 marine species currently affected. 

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) reports that 17% of marine species are classified as endangered due to plastic contamination.

Moreover, plastic pollution threatens the stability of four critical coastal ecosystems: mangrove forests, seagrass beds, salt marshes, and coral reefs. These ecosystems are essential carbon sinks and function as natural barriers against coastal erosion, storm surges, and rising sea levels. Their degradation not only undermines biodiversity conservation but also diminishes the capacity of coastal systems to mitigate climate change and sustain livelihoods.

Plastic pollution and the challenges of combating climate change

Plastic pollution represents a critical and often underestimated challenge in the global effort to address climate change. Plastics are primarily derived from fossil fuels, with approximately 12% of global oil extraction and 8.5% of natural gas extraction allocated to producing an estimated 450 million tonnes of plastic annually. Consequently, as global plastic production continues to rise, so does the demand for fossil fuels, intensifying the climate crisis.

Furthermore, plastic products' life cycle, including their production, transportation, recycling, and incineration, generates significant greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Without intervention, it is projected that plastics could account for up to 19% of the total carbon emissions permitted under the Paris Agreement. In 2019 alone, plastics were responsible for 1.8 billion tonnes of GHG emissions, constituting approximately 3.4% of global emissions. By 2060, emissions from the plastic life cycle are expected to more than double, reaching 4.3 billion tonnes annually.

Recognising this urgency, the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) adopted Resolution 5/14 in March 2022, mandating the development of a legally binding international treaty to address plastic pollution across its entire life cycle, including design, production, and disposal. 

The Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) was tasked with finalizing this treaty by the end of 2024. However, the fifth session of the INC (INC-5), held in Busan, South Korea, failed to reach a consensus among the 175 participating nations. 

A central point of contention has been the opposition from major oil-producing countries such as Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Kuwait who reject calls for binding caps on plastic production, instead favouring improved recycling and waste management. Their position reflects the fossil fuel industry's strategic pivot toward plastics as global energy markets evolve.

Conversely, over 100 countries support legally binding global targets to reduce plastic production and eliminate hazardous plastics and chemicals. Developing nations, which bear a disproportionate burden of plastic pollution's adverse effects, have emphasised the need for substantial financial and technical assistance to meet treaty obligations. 

According to the International Finance Corporation, municipal governments in developing countries will require approximately $40 billion to establish effective plastic waste management systems. 

The upcoming negotiation session, INC-5.2, scheduled from August 5–14, 2025, in Geneva, Switzerland, aims to resolve these outstanding issues, including formulating global reduction targets, phase-out timelines for hazardous plastics, and mechanisms for international support.

In parallel, several international frameworks and conventions contribute to the global governance of plastic waste and climate-related issues. These include the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (particularly SDG 13 on climate action and SDG 14 on life below water), the Global Partnership on Marine Litter, the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Basel, Stockholm, and Rotterdam Conventions also provide frameworks for regulating, using, and disposing of hazardous wastes and chemicals. Despite these multilateral initiatives, substantial progress in reducing global plastic use remains limited. In particular, the continued export of plastic waste from developed to developing countries, often in contravention of the Basel Convention, undermines international environmental agreements and exacerbates environmental degradation and climate-related risks in the Global South.

Plastic pollution and policy responses in Bangladesh

Bangladesh was the first country globally to implement a ban on polythene bags in 2002. However, due to inadequate enforcement mechanisms, plastic-related environmental pollution has persisted and escalated in recent years. While Section 6(a) of the Bangladesh Environment Protection Act of 1995 prohibits using polythene shopping bags, the legislation does not explicitly ban single-use or laminated plastics. As a result, certain forms of polythene continue to be legally used, undermining the effectiveness of the existing regulatory framework.

Bangladesh's environmental outlook is concerning, particularly in relation to marine and terrestrial plastic pollution. The country is responsible for approximately 2.47% of global plastic pollution, and only 36% of the plastic consumed is recycled. The proportion of plastic waste in Dhaka's municipal solid waste has grown substantially in recent years. 

According to the Environmental Performance Index (EPI) 2024, Bangladesh ranks sixth among countries with the weakest performance in mitigating environmental pollution. Although the Department of Environment (DoE) is the principal agency tasked with regulating environmental quality and pollution control, it has been criticised for failing to fulfil its mandate effectively.

The Government of Bangladesh, in partnership with the World Bank, has adopted a comprehensive national action plan aimed at addressing plastic pollution through sustainable management practices grounded in the 3R principle: reduce, reuse, and recycle. In 2021, the Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change (MoEFCC) formally endorsed the Action Plan for Sustainable Plastic Waste Management, establishing ambitious targets: recycling 50% of plastic waste by 2025 and 80% by 2030, eliminating 90% of single-use plastics by 2026, and reducing overall annual plastic waste generation by 30% by 2030. Despite these commitments, the implementation status remains ambiguous, hindered by limited participation from critical private sector stakeholders, particularly manufacturers and recyclers. 

In 2025, the government introduced Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) guidelines, which place post-consumer waste management obligations on producers. However, the success of these initiatives depends on enhanced transparency and data-sharing mechanisms across both public and private sectors, which are currently inadequate. 

Additionally, the Cabinet Division mandated all government institutions to adopt sustainable alternatives to curb environmental pollution from single-use plastics. Complementing this effort, MoEFCC issued a directive identifying 17 categories of single-use plastic items and instituted a ban on their usage within the ministry and its affiliated entities, urging strict compliance at both institutional and individual levels. 

Despite various initiatives undertaken by both governmental and private sectors, existing efforts remain inadequate to address the magnitude and complexity of plastic pollution in Bangladesh. Effective mitigation requires an integrated and coordinated response grounded in robust policy implementation, institutional accountability, and the proactive engagement of all relevant stakeholders, including civil society. 

The theme of Ending Plastic Pollution and promoting the slogan Beat Plastic Pollution for World Environment Day 2025 highlights the urgent need to reconceptualise plastic pollution not merely as an environmental concern but as a multifaceted crisis intersecting with public health, economic resilience, climate governance, and social equity. Addressing this challenge demands transformative actions at multiple levels, from developing legally binding international instruments to strengthening local waste governance frameworks. 

For Bangladesh, which bears a disproportionately high burden of plastic waste, this moment constitutes a critical inflexion point. By enhancing regulatory mechanisms, fostering inclusive and participatory stakeholder collaboration, and promoting circular economy principles, Bangladesh is well-positioned to lead regional efforts in sustainable plastic governance. Ultimately, the long-term success of such efforts hinges on sustained, collective responsibility across state institutions, industry actors, civil society organizations, and individuals. Achieving a more just, ecologically resilient, and sustainable future will require cross-sectoral collaboration and an unwavering commitment to systemic change. 

Newazul Moula is a development professional specialising in environment, climate, and energy governance at a non-governmental organisation.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions and views of The Business Standard