For the millions of people whose lives are threatened by the destruction of ecosystems, the collapse of biodiversity and extreme climate events, as well as those lucky enough to regularly experience the beauty of nature and its many gifts, the protection of our communities and our environment is the only way to go. 

However, the reality we are living in presents a gloomy picture: It is being destroyed by throwaway plastic packaging that fuels the same climate crisis that is shattering so many lives in every region of the world today, particularly in the Global South. Plastic pollution has flooded our planet and is harming people’s health. 

Communities on the front lines of plastic production and waste are disproportionately affected by plastic pollution, social injustice and the climate crisis – a trifecta of injustice. And just like any other case of inequality, some are affected more than others – often those who contributed the least to the crisis. People living in developing economies, such as in Asia, Latin America and Africa, suffer the effects of waste colonialism. 

Plastic waste has significant health implications for Africans. Many rely on water sources that are contaminated with plastic, while burning plastic waste in cities also leads to air pollution, which has been linked to respiratory illnesses, with waste pickers and other front-line workers disproportionately at risk.

Additionally, the overproduction and use of plastics leads to additional costs for waste collection and management in many African countries. The Dandora landfill in Nairobi, Kenya, for instance, is one of the largest in Africa, covering about 12 hectares and containing more than 800 tonnes of solid waste.

In 2020, industry lobby groups pushed for Kenya to be a dumping ground for plastic from the US and for more plastic to be pumped to the rest of Africa. This was under a proposed trade deal that would undermine international agreements that were meant to restrict plastic waste export to low- and middle-income countries. 

We must not make dumping grounds out of our paradise – it’s time to pull the plug on relentless plastic production and end waste colonialism altogether.

Science is only beginning to understand the long-term effects of plastic on human health, yet microplastics have been found in the air we breathe, the food we eat and even in our organs and blood. They are even found in places we once thought were unreachable and pristine. 

Not to be forgotten are plastic’s ill effects on our wildlife. It has even been found in the excrement of protected species. It seems there is no place and space that is safe and free from the scourge of plastic pollution.

It is estimated that of all the plastic waste produced only 9% is recycled, and with production projected to increase in the years to come, we will never be able to solve this crisis with waste management and clean-ups.

Still hope

We may wonder how we got here, but the most important question is: How do we move forward, as humanity, for our planet? 

Governments around the world are now negotiating a Global Plastics Treaty, which could solve the health, social and planetary crisis brought on by rampant plastic production.

The third round of negotiations took place in Nairobi right before the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which makes it even more meaningful for us – governments need to forge an agreement that will truly deliver solutions for our climate, our biodiversity and our people. 

A strong Global Plastics Treaty must match the scale of the plastic pollution crisis. We need an agreement that will honour and dignify our coexistence with nature. And we need a treaty that will empower waste pickers and other workers to have a voice in the transition. The treaty must deliver major reductions in plastic production and use to solve the crisis. 

Read more in Daily Maverick: Plastic, plastic everywhere – decades of talking moves closer to global action

The treaty must be based on human rights. It must reduce inequalities, prioritise human health and centre justice for our communities. We cannot let the interests of a few undermine our collective desire for a better future. We need an ambitious, legally binding treaty that will ultimately end single-use plastic.

A strong plastics treaty delivers a cleaner, safer planet. We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to make things right for our climate and our communities. We call on the negotiators at the forthcoming intergovernmental negotiating committee meeting for the Global Plastics Treaty to set things in motion towards the healing of nature and the only planet we have. 

There is still hope. We have a window of time to change this planet’s course, but it’s rapidly closing. If governments put humanity, nature and our planet first, we still have a chance to end the age of plastic. DM