Plastic pollution: No end in sight to growing problem

Plastic, an amazingly versatile material, is indispensable in construction and packaging. But it's also a global scourge. In this photo, tons of waste, including plastic bottles, used tires and various non-organic materials, can be seen clogging the Drina River, forming a floating landfill near Visegrad, Bosnia and Herzegovina.

On this beach in the Philippines, children jump barefoot over plastic waste — left behind by typhoons. The garbage, once carelessly discarded, has traveled through rivers before ending up in the sea and finally washing up on the beach. But it's not just water swallowing this debris. Animals are also at risk.

Nina Gomes fishes a discarded plastic bag out of the sea near the famous Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Every year, the country produces an estimated 11.3 million tons of plastic waste, of which only around 1.2% is recycled. Much of that plastic waste ends up in the oceans, endangering the marine environment.

In the South African township of Alexandra, a net forms a plastic barrier in the Jukskei River. These volunteers are working to carefully remove the accumulated waste from the net. But such measures alleviate the symptoms, not the causes. Waste remains a challenge — not only here, but worldwide.

Plastic waste covers the sand at Badhwar Park beach on the Arabian Sea coast in Mumbai, India. With a population of over 1.4 billion, India is one of the largest consumers of plastic in the world. According to estimates, the country produces around 3.5 million tons of plastic waste every year, of which only a small proportion is recycled.

In a shanty town in the Indian capital, New Delhi, where every inch of the landscape is littered with plastic waste, bags of garbage wait to be sorted by collectors hoping to sell them on.

On Earth Day 2024, these environmental activists in Seoul held up posters calling on the world to "stop plastic pollution!" Talks to negotiate a global treaty to curb plastic waste failed to reach a deal in South Korea in early December, with some oil-producing countries rejecting restrictions and targets for decreasing plastic production. The negotiations are due to resume next year.

In Indonesia, mountains of plastic waste pile up on the roadsides and obstruct traffic. With a population of over 11 million people in its capital alone, Indonesia produces around 6.8 million tons of plastic waste every year, a significant proportion of which is not disposed of properly. Around 620,000 tons of this ends up in the ocean.

A priest sits among the garbage left behind by worshippers during the Kuse Aunsi festival at the Gokarneshwor temple in Kathmandu, Nepal. One thing is clear: the plastic crisis requires bold political decisions and a global rethink. Without action, plastic will continue to pollute rivers and oceans, threatening life and preventing a sustainable future.