Plastic Pollution

Every day, the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic are dumped into the world's oceans, rivers, and lakes.

Plastic pollution is a global problem. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into aquatic ecosystems, polluting lakes, rivers and seas.

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. 

UNEP’s body of work demonstrates that the problem of plastic pollution doesn’t exist in a vacuum. The environmental, social, economic and health risks of plastics need to be assessed alongside other environmental stressors, like climate change, ecosystem degradation and resource use.

Featured Events

GPML Webinar
29 May 2024 | Webinar GPML Webinar: Sea-based Sources of Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter

Time: 4:00 to 5:00 PM (GMT+3/Eastern Africa Time) Join the Global Partnership on Plastic Pollution and Marine Litter (GPML) webinar for a comprehensive overview of sea-based sources of plastic pollution and marine litter. This webinar will…

Desert landscape with mountains in the background
05 Jun 2024 | UN Day World Environment Day 2024

When: 5 June 2024 Theme: Land restoration, desertification and drought resilience Host: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Visit the official campaign website. World Environment Day is the biggest international day for the environment. Led by the…

CICG Geneva
17 Jun 2024 | Conference OEWG 3: Science-Policy Panel to contribute further to the sound management of chemicals and waste and to prevent pollution

Please see the advance English version of the meeting report below. UNEP/SPP-CWP/OEWG.3/5 - Report of the first part of the third session of the ad hoc open-ended working group on a science-policy panel to further contribute to the sound management…

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