Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, Speech by Ambassador Peter Thomson, UNSG’s Special Envoy for the Ocean

a speech on plastic pollution

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Greetings to you all.

I’m Peter Thomson, the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Envoy for the Ocean. Firstly, may I thank you for this opportunity of speaking to you all, and secondly, I’d like to congratulate the Ocean Plastics Leadership Network for getting everyone together today in this virtual format.

I come from Fiji in the South Pacific and I clearly recall a world without plastic. I remember when I saw my first plastic pen and first plastic cigarette-lighter, and the sense of foreboding that something was amiss when these throw-away items began turning up in the flotsam along the tidelines of our previously pristine beaches.

Who can doubt that plastic is an ingenious product that has transformed everything from medicine to food supply systems, with its light-weight, waterproof, indestructibility? It is now present in everything from our clothing to our transport, from our computers to the homes in which we live.

But we have been eating too long on the lotus, if we imagine we can continue current practices of using and disposing plastic without dire consequence. We currently dump 11 million metric tons of plastic into the Ocean each year, and this figure is projected to double by 2030 and nearly triple by 2040. We have unleashed a plastic plague upon the planet. Plastic has entered the marine food chain from zooplankton up to the end consumer of seafood, namely Homo sapiens. We are consuming it and scientists are now finding evidence that nano-plastics are crossing our blood-brain and placental barriers.

In his address to the Climate COP in Madrid, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said we are, “knowingly destroying the life support systems of this planet”; and he followed up on this declaration when in his State of the Planet address at Columbia University last December, he said we have been waging a war against Nature and that the time has come to make peace. Surely, central to these peace talks must be an end to the plastic plague.

We have a clear path to the peace-table in the form of the proposed international treaty to stop marine plastic pollution. Last month at the first session of UNEA5, the call for such a treaty was articulated by many, with over seventy governments expressing their support.

Now is time when every voice that cares about the proper use and disposal of plastics must be heard. The United Nations does not exist in isolation. It is governed by Member States and that means your country and mine. So, your local voices need to be heard in your capitals; speak to your representatives, so that when the Member State delegates assemble at UNEA5’s second session, in February next year, they will have a clear mandate to get the job done.

The efficacy of international environmental treaties was demonstrated by the 1987 Montreal Protocol that phased out industrial production of chlorofluorocarbons. These chlorine-containing chemicals had been prevalent around the world in aerosols, foams and refrigerants, and prior to that international agreement in 1987, they were triggering the destruction of the planet’s stratospheric ozone, the gaseous layer that screens out cancer-causing ultraviolet light.  The ozone layer is now steadily healing, thanks to the Montreal Protocol and the science-based application of logic and universal action. Marine plastic pollution demands the same.

There could not be a better nor more important time for you to be having these conversations. We are operating in a new policy environment where rapid action in the face of crises is possible. The response to the coronavirus pandemic has shown us our potential to collaborate, innovate and overcome. But it has also shown us that we cannot have healthy economies without healthy humans. And we cannot have healthy humans on an unhealthy planet.

It is truly heartening that so many of you, from activists through to representatives of industry, have gathered in this space today. May you be co-creators of a collective might that drives us to the achievement of the proposed international treaty to stop marine plastic pollution .

There is a great responsibility upon us all to end our war on Nature, and face up to the difficult conversations, compromises, decisions and transformations that lie ahead. Opportunities for synergies and partnerships are many, but we must make haste, for time is not on our side.

Change is a constant, let us ensure it is change for the better. I look forward to hearing about all that emerges from the Dialogues.

Thank you for your attention. 

  • Get involved

The beginning of the end for plastics pollution?

February 6, 2024.

Plastic pollution on beach

The United Nations is expected to deliver a legally binding agreement on plastics pollution by the end of 2024.

a speech on plastic pollution

Principal Technical Advisor and Global Lead on Plastics Offer, UNDP

a speech on plastic pollution

Mirja Neumann

Policy and Technical Specialist, Plastics, UNDP

a speech on plastic pollution

Murat Okumah

Policy and Technical Specialist, UNDP

This is a monumental year for multilateralism to prevail in the fight against plastic pollution, as the United Nations has committed to deliver a legally binding agreement by the end of 2024. The agreement is expected to catalyze global action to transform the way we produce and dispose of plastics. Three rounds of negotiations have laid the groundwork, and two more meetings of the inter-governmental committee of negotiation will convene in Canada and South Korea in April and November. Here are four key issues to watch for in 2024.

Consensus is the challenge of plastic pollution

Following  heated discussions at the second meeting of negotiators in Paris, nations remain undecided on whether to exclusively adopt decisions by consensus or to consider a two-thirds majority vote.

Consensus is a fundamental principle in global diplomacy. It ensures that everyone is involved, it encourages ownership, and leads to decisions that all consider legitimate and fair. However, when it comes to a complex issue like plastic pollution, where some nations benefit from increased plastic production while others bear a disproportionate burden, consensus can be difficult.

Previous experiences with other global environmental agreements show that depending solely on consensus can slow down progress and result in compromises that reduce effectiveness. Judging from its most recent meeting, this could happen to the plastics treaty talks. While plastic production is expected to triple by 2060, recycling rates hover below 10 percent. Science tells us that downstream measures alone will not end plastic pollution.

All eyes are on the upcoming negotiations to see if a balance can be found between inclusivity and the need for prompt, effective action.

How will the climate negotiations affect plastics negotiations?

At the recent climate Conference of the Parties (COP 28), leaders agreed that the world needs to transition away from fossil fuels to achieve net zero by 2050. This could have significant implications for the fossil fuel industry, given that 99 percent of plastics are produced from fossil fuels.  Some experts predict that plastics will become the ‘Plan B’ for the fossil fuel industry. According to the International Energy Agency, plastics are set to drive nearly half of oil demand growth by midcentury.

UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen  warned at COP 28 that; “plastics are not a lifeboat for you as energy systems decarbonize. The world can’t afford the emissions. And besides, what are you going to do in a lifeboat, except bob around aimlessly while the world changes around you?”

Negotiators are therefore encouraged to consider the links between climate and plastics negotiations and the implications for plastics, because climate change and plastic pollution are two sides of the same coin. The private sector could also get ahead of the future treaty by starting to intensify their search for sustainable options. This new direction can increase the market share of businesses that adopt green energy options and sustainable ecological alternatives to plastics.

What role will the private sector play? 

The role of the private sector in plastic pollution cannot be ignored.  A recent study found just 20 companies were the source of more than half of single-use plastics. While producing   plastics may seem cheap, the price fails to account for environmental and socio-economic costs.  According to WWF , the societal cost of plastic pollution, emissions, and clean-up could be as high as US$3.7 trillion - more than India’s GDP - from plastic produced in 2019 alone. 

Besides the moral responsibility for producers, they also are best positioned to address the shift to environmentally sustainable products. Policy, economic and social incentives need to be developed to make producers more responsible for the environmental costs of their products. The plastics treaty is expected to establish extended producers’ responsibilities schemes that will tackle plastic pollution at its source.

How private companies, especially the fossil fuel companies and plastics producers, will act in the plastics treaty negotiation remains to be seen. An  analysis has also shown that the number of lobbyists from fossil fuel and chemical industries in the negotiations is increasing. Some of the member states have also included fossil fuel company lobbyists in their delegations. 

How will governments respond?

Some countries have already taken steps. Rwanda banned single use bags and cutlery as early as 2008. Thirty-four African countries have followed suit. As negotiations proceed and public awareness and scrutiny increases, more governments will be pressured by civil society, and are expected to introduce regulations.

Local governments have also picked up the fight. In November 2023,  New York State sued PepsiCo  accusing the beverage and snack food giant of polluting the environment and endangering public health through its single-use plastic bottles and wrappers. This lawsuit is among the first by a U.S. state to target a major plastics producer. In 2022 California announced an investigation into the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries' role in plastics pollution. These actions will set precedents for making producers and polluters pay for their negative environmental impact. 

Going forward with hope

As we work on a global plastic pollution agreement it's critical for everyone to commit to this important journey. It's not easy to balance the different views and priorities of countries, industries, and groups, but we encourage everyone to approach this challenge with optimism. It is a crucial step to the big changes needed to stop plastic pollution. 

Moving away from fossil fuels could have an impact on the plastics industry. So, it's important for negotiators to carefully think about what this means and how we can use this shift to reduce the production and use of plastics. This is a call to action to everyone – governments, businesses, schools, and communities – to join forces and address one of the most urgent challenges we face. Together, we can create a future that is more sustainable, resilient, and fair. Yes, it's possible!

Related content

Woman walks through corn field

The role of the private sector in climate-resilient food systems

If we are to avoid the worst of climate change, agriculture and land use must be radically transformed

a speech on plastic pollution

Unsung heroes: Four things policymakers can do to empower informal waste workers

Negotiations for a global plastics treaty must consider informal waste workers and ensure they are part of the just transition towards a circular economy free of ...

Indigenous activists march in streets carrying banner in Spanish

Combating corruption to address the triple planetary crisis

UNDP is jointly launching a new global initiative for measuring corruption

a speech on plastic pollution

10 ways forward to transform food systems for climate and nature

Heads of State and Government at the UN Climate Conference, COP28, committed to a Leaders’ Declaration on Food Systems, Agriculture and Climate Action. We explore...

Man stands next to monitor on riverbank

Chad accelerates its race to adapt to climate change. What’s next?

Early warning systems are a vital part of its response

An unexpected error occurred. Please try again.

Thank you for signing up

Charity Navigator

Green Cities

Don’t let the plastic get into the ocean.

  • Don’t Let the Plastic…

May 2, 2018

Guest post by Mark J. Spalding, President, The Ocean Foundation

23 April 2018

Do you use your reusable water bottle and coffee mug?

Do you use your reusable shopping bags?

Do you remember to say “no straw” when ordering a drink?

Good for you! You’re part of the solution.

Do you own a fleece vest or throw?

Do you own yoga wear or other synthetic clothing items?

Sorry. You’re part of the problem, too.

We all know that plastic waste is a problem. It is a particular problem for the ocean. Currently approximately 8 million metric tons of plastic waste enters the ocean every year! That’s enough to line every foot of our coast.

Ocean plastics can loosely be categorized in the following ways:

Marine Debris— This includes everything from construction materials to beer coolers, but when we’re talking about ocean plastics, we generally mean the bigger pieces that are easily seen and can readily be picked up. Part of this is debris from marine sources such as fishing gear.

Microplastics— These are the tiny pieces that plastic breaks into over time—not disintegrating, but simply fragmenting, making it ever more accessible to marine life. Microplastics are found in every part of our global ocean.

Microfibers— These are the very tiny fibers from your fleece, athletic, or other synthetic clothing that shed every time you wash them in a machine. They are everywhere in the ocean as well as in lakes, rivers, streams, and even your drinking water.

So, what does plastic in the ocean do? Some effects are not fully understood—such as the degree to which microfibers themselves or the toxins they carry cause harm in humans and other animals and at what scale. Others we know all too well.

Plastic poisons and injures marine life as shellfish, corals, and other marine life eat microplastics and fibers as they filter for real food. Whales, fish, and other animals get entangled in derelict fishing gear and other debris and die a slow painful death from asphyxiation or starvation. When animals—sea birds and corals for example—take in plastics, it leaves no room for real food—and they suffer starvation as a result.

Plastic is capable of emitting and absorbing or carrying all types of toxins, including flame-retardants and pesticides (DDT). Small pieces of plastics e.g. microplastics (microbeads, microfibers) can serve as vector for chemicals to get into the bodies of marine animals, where they can accumulate in fat cells. These can damage tissues and organ function. They can be absorbed into the brains of fish, altering behavior. Plastic is also a vector for bacteria and viruses.

These properties of plastic, especially microplastics, have implications for human health as we consume fish and shellfish. Two Belgian researchers, looking at the amount of microplastics in some shellfish, concluded in 2014 that the average European seafood consumer could be eating 11,000 pieces of microplastic every year. And that’s just in shellfish (mussels in particular in this case).

Plastic litters our beaches and landscapes which in turn affects tourism revenue. It’s no surprise that people like to visit clean beaches more than dirty ones. It also affects community health not only for the reasons above, but because plastic waste can collect water, allowing disease-bearing mosquitoes to breed, and poorly managed debris can clog the outflows of rivers and streams, causing flooding.

So, what is it about single-use plastics? They represent somewhere between a third and a half of all global plastics production, which reached about 335 million metric tons in 2016. Some single use plastics should stay that way—especially for hypodermics and other medical uses. Others should be used only when and where they meet a unique or emergency need—think plastic straws, bottled water, bottled sodas, and plastic packaging—and that’s probably not in the EU or the US. Finland is one leader on plastics management, the European Union is doing quite well over all.

The scale of use is overwhelming. We buy about 1 million plastic bottles every minute of every day! Where sanitation is a huge problem (e.g. hurricanes, floods, etc.) bottled water is a public health good and delivery in plastic is cheaper. But for daily use, it’s the more expensive choice, has a huge climate footprint, and is a big part of the plastic waste mismanagement problem. Only 1 percent of the 4 trillion plastic bags used annually is recycled. We use half a BILLION plastic straws a day in the U.S. alone—almost two for every man woman and child!

So where is the plastic coming from besides littering? More than two billion people live without any waste collection. In China, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines ― which were identified in a 2015 Ocean Conservancy report as the top five plastic-polluting nations in the world ― the amount of mismanaged waste was close to 75 percent or more of the total waste generated. Getting a handle on that source at scale is a slow process because of the nature of governance in those countries and the ways in which waste disposal is managed.

Landfills can leak harmful pollutants into the watershed and plastics on top of a landfill can be carried away by the wind and rainwater. Out of 50 largest uncontrolled dumpsites around the world, 38 of these are on the coast and spill directly into the sea. Thanks to sea level rise and storms, coastal landfills are eroding everywhere creating challenges for waste managers even in places where waste management has been reasonably well-addressed. The United States is one of the world’s top five waste-generating developed countries.

Plastic waste to enter the ocean from land is expected to increase tenfold within 7 years. Can you even visualize 80 million metric tons?

More on the Danger to fish and humans:

What are the Trends? New uses for plastic are being discovered all the time—and the demand for lightweight, flexible, sterile, and inexpensive packaging and other materials grows as the population grows. Plastic production is growing exponentially and is expected to double again in 20 years. Thus, plastic waste is too.And, we’re not doing a great job of managing it. As of 2015, 6,300 million metric tons of plastic waste has been generated since the end of World War 2. Only about 9 percent of that has been recycled—the rest was burned, is sitting in landfills, or is slowly breaking into smaller pieces on land or in the water.

Perhaps the most famous example of the scale of the plastic problem in the ocean is the ever-expanding “Great Pacific Garbage Patch,” a gyre in the Pacific Ocean where currents and winds have fostered the movement of plastic waste into a defined area. The Patch is a mixture of marine debris, microplastics, and ocean life including microscopic crabs hitching a ride—and now covers an area three times the size of France! And it is just one of the five ocean gyres where plastic has collected.

But as famous as the Patch is, the sad truth is that plastic waste—at every scale—is found throughout the global ocean, in bays and estuaries, in the deepest crevasses, and the coastal marshes, mangrove forests, and seagrass meadows. It is everywhere.

So, how do we end plastic pollution?

We’re human. We’d like to engineer away the problem- like a magic pill to lose weight or live forever.

What removal system is being tested? It is likely you have heard of the young Dutchman Boyan Slat and his ocean boom system. The idea is that the booms will be towed out to the Pacific from San Francisco to begin operating next July. The system involves hanging nets from booms (made, of course from plastic pipe) and using drifting anchors positioned almost 2000 feet down to tap into where the ocean currents are slower than they are at the surface.

The idea is that the floating plastic debris will move faster than the booms, and thus be concentrated into a central area held by the booms. Fish and other sea life are expected to swim under the nets. Ships are to collect the gathered trash once a month to convert it to pellets or other purposes. Slat raised $2.2 million in crowdfunding from 40 countries, and millions more in California to test the prototype and begin the process of moving it thousands of miles out to sea for deployment.

The challenges include the potential for “corralling” of ocean life; addressing the incredible amount of energy (and expense) to go out to collect the trash and transport it back; as well as unintended consequences. And, of course, this collects plastic of a certain size at the surface and not the debris that has sunk nor the microplastics found everywhere. Booms have proven to be one good way to capture debris in streams and rivers to prevent their migration to the sea.

Prevention is key. The plastic already in the ocean is nearly impossible to collect, especially at scale, without harm to sea life.

It’s very simple really: Don’t let the plastic get into the ocean.

What you can do with your friends, colleagues, and family: Collectively, we are addressing many of the key problems, beginning with promoting personal action. None of what we recommend is new, and we hope repetition helps. Bad habits are hard to break—especially when it’s easier to just go with the plastic flow! The people who make the biggest difference are the ones who do the little things consistently.

  • Water: If you use a reusable water bottle, you personally could avoid an average of 156 plastic bottles annually—this sounds like a small thing but it’s doing your part and multiply it by everyone in your office, home, or school, and it really starts to add up. Likewise, bring your coffee mug with you—the go-cup might be paper, but the lid is probably not.
  • Carriers: Bringing your own bag to shop (and carrying one with you just in case) can help make a dent in those 4 trillion plastic bags used each year. Bag fees and bag bans do work to reduce waste—with immediate effect on cleanup statistics as to what is collected following their implementation.
  • Straws: Remembering to ask for no straw can become a habit. Straws only by request is a huge first step—and a great thing to ask of your favorite restaurant. Paper and reusable straws are an option too—and the movement is slowly growing.
  • Clothing: Limit how often you wash synthetic clothing, including fleece. Seek out natural fibers (bamboo, cotton, wool, etc.).
  • Entertainment: Remember our roots—we can use glasses, cloth napkins, and real cutlery at events as much as we can. We can use compostable tableware, napkins, and other products (and compost them).
  • Prevention: Beach, stream, and river clean ups actually help, even though they seem like a drop in the bucket. Many organizations host regular clean ups and we need everyone to pitch in and pick up in their own neighborhood.

Personal Action is a big start— but real change has to be regional, national, and even global in scale.

We are positioning plastic pollution as a major environmental and transnational problem—

  • multiple movies, events, and other outreach seems to have drastically increased ocean plastics awareness,
  • educated/mobilized citizens demand less plastic, and

choose to reject plastic where we can identify safer alternatives

  • increased public awareness of the role of NGOs in working towards change, especially where NGOs are working with governments at every level in Southeast Asian countries, and
  • increasing the public expectation that solutions will be implemented.

I should note that we all can be part of the outreach. A good starting point is Earth Day Network’s toolkits and web-based content to educate and support behavior change and action for different audiences.

Existing studies have shown us the sources and some of the pathways towards cost-effective solutions, but waste management and pollution prevention is a government scale challenge. Countries and corporations have to do their part—the public truly understands and expects them to fulfill this role.

And there is an inherent financial incentive to do so even beyond the obvious benefits. For example, governments and tourism businesses know that a clean beach makes money, and a dirty beach turns visitors away. The same sort of argument can be made for better waste management everywhere. Likewise, good waste management has a positive impact on public health which also reduces costs and increases productivity.

Corporations are working on a variety of solutions, some that monetize ocean plastics, and others that address a challenge. Patagonia and other outdoor clothing manufacturers are striving to figure out how to address the microfiber problem especially since synthetics have their own advantages. Adidas is producing the first shoe made from recycled ocean plastic. Bureo has its skateboard decks made from recycled fishing gear. Norton Point has its “Tide” line, featuring sunglasses made from recycled ocean plastic.

We need national government policies that mimic the European Union’s guidelines for waste and to promote the adoption of a global framework to regulate plastic pollution. Such polices:

  • aim to PREVENT the generation of waste
  • contribute to the REUSE of waste
  • REDUCE the adverse effects of  waste management

Governments need to respond to, and work with, NGOs organizing on the ground to promote waste management practices that improve public health and water quality. Some NGOs are working with small island communities to identify ways to substitute fuel or use alternative methods to burning plastic trash for cooking fuel—a practice that is harmful to humans and marine life alike.

To address packaging, we can all support policies in our communities that charge fees for plastic bags that in turn pay for cleanup and restoration and promote circular economy solutions to excess packaging waste. When local efforts to address plastic pollution are stymied by state governments, we can work to educate our legislators about the costs of dealing with plastic waste and the need for local and state action to reduce the amount we use it in the first place.

The R&D costs for alternatives to plastics, for better, cost-effective, and energy-efficient recycling methods, and to define cost-effective clean up solutions is way beyond more non-government organizations’ capacity. It’s a role for countries and corporations, and some exciting projects are under way.

For example, in 2016, Japanese scientists reported the discovery of bacteria that is able to digest polyethylene terephthalate (PET)—the plastic primarily used for making plastic bottles—in less than six weeks. More recently, scientists from the University of Portsmouth in the U.K. and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the U.S say they have engineered a plastic eating enzyme from that bacteria that breaks down PET even faster. It is going to now be tested on an industrial scale to see if it improves the management of plastics—better broken down into its constituent parts and reused than sitting in a landfill or blowing into the ocean. It is also to be hoped that any large-scale production of bacteria and enzymes is monitored carefully and managed for unintended consequences.

It is also possible that these processes will prove to be a cost-effective way to turn plastics back into constituent parts as fuel that can be used to generate electricity. Waste to energy also includes burning plastics for fuel, but we have to do it cleanly to avoid air pollution problems.

Personal action, corporate programs, and government strategies offer opportunities to address the global challenge of plastic pollution and the harm it inflicts on our ocean.

There is hope. All we have to do is to stop putting bad stuff into the ocean! And, this is why we get up each morning.

The content of this article reflects the Keynote speech given by Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation, at the Embassy of the Republic of Finland on April 23rd, 2018, during the Dialogue on Ending Plastic Pollution: Opportunities for the Public and Private Sectors. The event was co-hosted by Earth Day Network, DC Greening Embassies Forum, and the Embassy of Finland.

Mark is a member of the Ocean Studies Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. He is serving on the Sargasso Sea Commission. Mark is a Senior Fellow at the Center for the Blue Economy, at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. In addition, he serves as the CEO and President of SeaWeb, is the advisor to the Rockefeller Ocean Strategy (an unprecedented ocean-centric investment fund) and designed the first-ever blue carbon offset program, SeaGrass Grow. 

  • #endplasticpollution
  • Dialogue on Ending Plastic Pollution
  • Earth Day Network
  • mark spalding
  • ocean foundation

EDN Staff

Related Stories

Amsterdam: the green standard of city governance, what’s stopping green cities, what is a circular economy.

Hi, It seems you are visiting us from India, would you like to visit our India pages?

Yes please No thank you

a speech on plastic pollution

Tough truths about plastic pollution

  • global issues
  • sustainability
  • consumerism
  • Mission Blue
  • Anthropocene

Talk details

About the speaker.

Dianna Cohen

Official websites use .gov

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

a speech on plastic pollution

U.S. Actions to Address Plastic Pollution

Office of the Spokesperson

February 28, 2022

The United States welcomes the historic opportunity at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), February-March 2022, to start a process with other nations and stakeholders to fight plastic pollution.  The United States is already acting both domestically and internationally to address this global challenge.

Key U.S. programs are highlighted below.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 

  • National Recycling Strategy: EPA published the National Recycling Strategy November 2021 and reaffirmed the goal to increase the U.S. recycling rate to 50 percent by 2030.  The Strategy identifies strategic objectives and actions needed to create a stronger, more resilient, and cost-effective U.S. municipal solid waste recycling system.  Recycling has been an important component of the EPA’s decades-long efforts to implement the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) and more recent efforts to pursue a Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) approach, which aims to reduce the environmental impacts of materials across their lifecycle.
  • Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) program: EPA releases an annual report, Advancing Sustainable Materials Management:  Facts and Figures , to provide information on Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) generation, recycling, composting, combustion with energy recovery and landfilling.  The report analyzes MSW trends in generation and management, materials and products, and economic indicators affecting MSW.
  • WasteWise Program: EPA works with businesses, governments, and nonprofit organizations to promote the use and reuse of materials more productively over their entire life cycles. Partners demonstrate how they reduce waste, practice environmental stewardship and incorporate sustainable materials management into their business model, including their waste-handling processes.
  • The Trash Free Waters International Implementation Guide   – a tool that provides step-by-step guidance for including all stakeholders, either at the national, state, or community level in decision-making to address land-based sources of marine litter.
  • Best Practices for Solid Waste Management: A Guide for Decision-Makers in Developing Countries   – The Guide covers a diverse set of important topics for city-level decision-makers around the world , including stakeholder engagement, waste management planning and economics, waste collection and transportation, prevention, minimization, and recycling, landfill design and operation, and energy recovery.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

  • DOE launched the Plastics Innovation Challenge in 2018 to coordinate the many initiatives across the department on plastic recycling, degradation, upcycling, and design for circularity. The goals of this program are to develop solutions that deliver greater than 50 percent energy savings, address greater than 90 percent of plastics, reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than50 percent, and achieve at least 75 percent carbon utilization.  The work includes solving fundamental science challenges through research projects and Energy Frontier Research Centers, forging public-private partnerships such as the BOTTLE Consortia ( bottle.org ) and the REMADE Institute, and working with industry partners to reduce plastic waste through the Better Plants Program .

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

  • USDA offers support and programs to increase the research, development and buyer/consumer awareness of bioplastics. Agricultural Research Service scientists developed a way for crop residues from cornstalks, straw, and sugarcane bagasse, combined with sustainable enzymes, to convert crop-derived sugars into compounds used in the sustainable manufacture of nylon plastics.  USDA’s BioPreferred Program works to increase the purchase and use of biobased products through federal procurement and a certification and labeling initiative.  The program’s USDA Certified Biobased Product label is a market development initiative to increase consumer and buyer recognition, and the purchase of bioproducts.

U.S. Department of Interior (DOI)

  • Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE): The BSEE Marine Trash and Debris Prevention standards require offshore energy companies to conduct annual training for all Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) employees and to adopt best practices to reduce marine debris.
  • National Park Service (NPS): NPS cooperates with partners to extend the benefits of natural and cultural resource conservation and outdoor recreation throughout this country and the world.  The NPS actively works with local, state, and other federal partners on beach clean-ups and educational products and programs to help make visitors aware of environmental impacts of plastics pollution and marine debris, and how individual choices and actions can make a difference.  Ocean Plastics – Oceans, Coasts & Seashores (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)  
  • S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS): USFWS manages more than 180 coastal national wildlife refuges and five marine national monuments across the United States.  USFWS, partners, and numerous volunteers, work to perform cleanups of plastic pollution on the reefs and beaches.  The USFWS also collaborates with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA ) and others to remove fishing nets and plastic debris (more than 950 metric tons, since 1996) from the Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

  • Recycled Plastics for Food Packaging: FDA assists manufacturers in safely using recycled plastics for food contact articles.  The program helps divert plastic food contact articles from ending up in landfills or polluting the marine environment, while ensuring that the high-quality plastics previously used for food contact articles are safely used to produce new food contact articles.

National Aeronautical and Space Agency (NASA)

  • NASA funded a project to investigate the capability of using satellite remote sensing to detect microplastics in our oceans using hyperspectral remote sensing, an important capability of NASA’s upcoming PACE mission. Microplastics form when plastic trash in the ocean breaks down from the sun’s rays and the motion of ocean waves and can be carried hundreds or thousands of miles away from the source by ocean currents, making it difficult to track and remove them.  Researchers are also using current NASA satellite data to track the movement of microplastics in the ocean, using data from NASA’s Cyclone Global Navigation Satellite System (CYGNSS).

National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST)

  • NIST supports U.S. work on documentary standards, reference materials, and reference data and serves as a diverse stakeholder-convenor on manufacturing and technology innovation needs in the U.S. economy and conducts work on the thermal and mechanical properties of polymers at different stages in the recycling process, including studying depolymerization and degradation of polymers in both manufacturing and natural environments.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA) Marine Debris Program

  • The NOAA Marine Debris Program   was established in 2006 to address the adverse impacts of marine debris on the U.S. economy, the marine environment, and navigation safety. To prevent marine debris, the Program forms partnerships across the United States and internationally through outreach and education initiatives and supports locally driven, community-based marine debris removal projects   .

National Science Foundation (NSF)

  • NSF supports basic research that develops fundamental knowledge and engineering advances pertaining to recycling, polymer chemistry and physics, alternative materials, sustainable and circular processes, the fate and impact of plastic materials lost to the environment, and pollution mitigation, control systems, and remediation.

International

U.S. Department of State

  • CAFTA-DR and Panama Environmental Cooperation: The State Department’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is working to strengthen solid waste management capacity, including addressing land-based sources of ocean plastic pollution with Central American Countries and the Dominican Republic under the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) and the U.S.-Panama Trade Promotion Agreement.
  • Building Capacity for Environmentally Sound Management of Plastic Waste in West Africa: The OES Office of Environmental Quality has a grant with the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to reduce plastic waste leakage into the marine environment through waste management capacity building initiatives in Senegal.
  • The S.-Singapore Third Country Training Program 2021 included a workshop focused on ASEAN’s plastic pollution challenge and the importance of promoting integrated solid waste management strategies for creating sustainable local and regional solutions.
  • Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI): The State Department awarded more than $1.5 million in grants to the Ocean Conservancy and its affiliated organization, GGGI, in 2017 to support work in combating marine debris, including ghost gear in the Caribbean region.  The State Department also awarded the Ocean Conservancy a nearly $1 million grant to assist Vietnam in its effort to address marine debris. The United States formally joined GGGI in 2020.
  • The United States led the process to establish the APEC Marine Debris Management and Innovation (MDMI) Sub-Fund in 2018. Through an initial U.S. contribution of $800,000 the State Department was able to generate additional contributions and replenishments from other APEC members.  Countries can apply annually for MDMI project funds to address marine plastic pollution.
  • Other recent State Department programs include: The 5-Gyres Asia Pacific Action Against Plastic Pollution; All Hands on Deck:  A Community-Based Marine Litter Reduction Program; Social Mobilization for Marine Waste Management in Vietnam; and Accelerating Efforts to Reduce Ocean Plastic in Vietnam.  These efforts focus on three key areas to address the broader issue of marine debris:  data, local and innovative solutions, and outreach.

U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID)

  • Clean Cities, Blue Ocean: Clean Cities, Blue Ocean   is USAID’s global, flagship program for implementing the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act and reducing the estimated 11 million tons of plastic that flow into the ocean each year.
  • Municipal Waste Recycling Program: USAID’s recently completed Municipal Waste Recycling Program   , which ran from 2016-2021, worked to reduce land-based sources of ocean plastic pollution in four key countries—Indonesia, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.  Through grants and technical assistance, the program introduced a variety of innovative and scalable approaches to reduce ocean plastic pollution, many of which are now being scaled by Clean Cities, Blue Ocean, local governments , or other actors.
  • Private Sector Partnerships: In 2019, USAID launched an agreement leveraging more than $100 million in a private-sector  investment strategy managed by Circulate Capital   and funded by multinational companies. USAID provides a $35 million, 50 percent loan-portfolio guarantee through the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which is used to incentivize private capital investment in the recycling value chain in South and Southeast Asia.

For more information on U.S. engagement at UNEA 5.2, please visit the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs .

The Lessons of 1989: Freedom and Our Future

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

  • Speech on Plastic Pollution

ffImage

Long and Short Speech on Plastic Pollution

Plastic waste makes its way from our homes and workplaces to landfills and bodies of water, resulting in plastic contamination. There is an immediate need to correctly dispose of such plastic waste and to reduce its widespread usage in the interests of health and the environment. Here we have provided both long and short speeches on plastic pollution for students of Class 5 to 12 along with 10 lines for a speech on plastic for students of Class 1 to 4. 

Long Speech on Pollution by Plastic Bags

Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic pollution. Plastic has very seriously impacted the health and life of human beings in the last decade. Several events have drawn the attention of the whole world and placed a question mark on the use of plastic in everyday life.

Plastic, the wonder material we use for anything that pollutes our atmosphere, is probably the most destructive waste deposited in the sea by sailors and sea-goers because it does not break down easily. The plastic that goes in the river today might still be around to ruin the fishing gear, ship propellers, and beaches for future generations.

Plastic is non-degradable material, it does not completely mix up with the natural elements unlike degradable materials like food, clothes, paper etc Hence, it persists in nature for a longer time than other materials. India generates around 9 million tons of plastic waste annually. It is so sad to know that 40% of the total waste generated is not even collected from the source. Most of the plastic waste generated is single-use plastic which is discarded by people with minimal use of it. 

Plastics can be broadly divided into microplastics and macroplastics. Microplastics are smaller in particle size with less than five millimeters. They include microbeads that are used in making cosmetics, personal hygiene products, industries, and microfibers which are used for sanitation. On the other hand, macroplastics are particles with more than five millimeters. Comparatively, microplastics cause more damage as they are easily transferred from one trophic level to another trophic level.

According to the Central Pollution Control Board in India, we generate around 26,000 tons of all types of plastics every day and half of it is not even collected from the source. They choke the drains, get eaten by animals, enter the water resources and pollute the environment. On average, every Indian consumes 11 kgs of plastic every year. Though it is 10 times less than the USA, as India has more population, we seem to generate a lot of waste comparatively.

Careless plastic handling can have dire repercussions. For an indiscriminate feeder like the sea turtle, a plastic bag seems like a delicious jellyfish, but plastic is indigestible. It can choke, block the intestines of those animals that eat it or cause infection.

A plastic bag can clog the cooling system of an outboard engine as well. Monofilament fishing lines lost or discarded may foul propellers, break oil seals and lower engine units, or may become an enveloping web for fish, seabirds, and marine mammals.

More and more plastic is collected in our oceans every day. Recreational boaters are not the only party to dispose of plastic refuse at sea improperly. Through waste outfalls, merchant shipping, commercial fishing activities, and beachgoers, plastics are also entering the marine environment.

It is very flexible in the middle stage and, depending on temperature and pressure, any shape can be provided. In the practice of plastic waste preparation, urea, formaldehyde, polyethene, polystyrene, polycythylcholide, phenolic compounds and other substances are used.

The most widespread plastic contamination nowadays is caused by polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.). The soluble chemical is eventually dissolved in them when any food substance or blood is deposited in the aforementioned plastic containers, causing death due to cancer and other skin diseases.

The fertility of animals and their respiratory systems have also been found to be destroyed by polyvinyl chloride. It causes paralysis when combined with water and also affects bones and causes skin irritation.

Here are several steps we should take to reverse the tide of harmful, non-biodegradable waste so that our world will not be overtaken by it.

Use of paper, canvas, and other healthy-fiber containers, placed produce.

Using bags of wax paper, cloth napkins, or reusable sandwich boxes (e.g., tiffins, described below).

Using bottles or cans of glass only.

We need to acknowledge that we only have one planet, which we are supposed to pass down to our future generations. It is our responsibility to keep it safe and clean.

Short Speech on Plastic Waste Management

Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic waste management. The influx of plastics into our environment has reached crisis levels, and it is evident through the pollution of our oceans. Up to 12 million metric tons of plastic are expected to flood our ocean each year.

Our oceans are increasingly becoming plastic broth, and the effect on the survival of the oceans is chilling. Discarded plastic fishing lines entangle turtles and seabirds, and bits of plastic of all sizes choke and clog the stomachs of animals, from small zooplankton to whales, which confuse it for food. Plastic is now entering all layers of the food chain and is even showing up on our plates with seafood.

Our world can no longer accept throw-away plastics as a society. Our landfills are being filled up with single-use plastics, choking our waterways, and contaminating our oceans. Corporations have been blaming us all for far too long to deal with their own failed design problem. We have been advised that citizens should simply recycle the billions of tons of output from plastic companies and that it will make the required difference to sustain our world.

We were told a lie.

There is no recycling of over 90 percent of plastics. Recycling alone will simply never solve this problem. A radical change in how they deliver goods to people must be faced with the size of the problem companies have developed. It is up to all of us to demand more, to tell these industrial companies that the plastics they impose on us will no longer be accepted. Our planet deserves better and if they fail to adapt, we don't need their goods.

For a lifetime, nothing that is used for a few minutes should end up polluting our oceans. It's time for us to denounce the old corporate story that we are content with a throw-away lifestyle and build a better future. 

10 Lines for Speech on Plastic

Plastic is a synthetic substance that is non-bio-degradable.

We use it indiscriminately in almost all day-to-day products.

Environmental contamination comes from plastic accumulation.

Land, rivers and oceans are plagued by its accumulation.

It releases poisonous gases such as nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide upon burning.

It also contributes to the loss of marine life and wildlife.

We ought to use biodegradable materials instead of plastic.

It is compulsory to use advanced incinerators for successful waste disposal.

In the soil, chlorinated plastics emit harmful chemicals that seep into the groundwater and damage us.

If we want to preserve Mother Earth, we should stop using plastic and use only natural biodegradable materials.

arrow-right

FAQs on Speech on Plastic Pollution

1. What are the sources of Plastic Waste?

One major invention that changed the entire manufacturing sector and industries is “Plastic”. It helped in increasing the concept of consumerism as plastic is cheap and has many advantages to use in industries compared to its alternatives. Following are the major sources of plastic:

Most of the plastic debris is found in ocean and land base

They enter the ocean or wastelands from the urban and stormwater runoff from the towns and cities.

Inadequate waste management plans, improper disposal of waste materials also contribute to this issue

Main sources for ocean-based plastic pollution are the fishing industry, aquaculture, naval activity, letting the wastewater from nearby places into the water bodies

When the UV rays, wind and other agents act on the plastics, they remove the plastics and turn them into microplastics which are comparatively much more harmful.

2. What are the impacts of Plastic Waste?

Plastic is a non-biodegradable substance. They either take a lot of time to get degraded or they never get degraded completely. Hence they lead to persistent ill effects on the environment including biotic and abiotic components. Following are some of the effects:

Plastics that persist on the shoreline will ruin the scenery of the beach and damage the revenue obtained from the tourism sector of a place

When plastic is ingested by aquatic animals, they get stuck in the digestive tract and leading to their death or starvation.

Animals can get trapped in the plastic materials like bottles and covers. They can not come out by themselves and thus die due to suffocation and starvation

Plastics can have toxic elements and thus they damage the vital organs of the animals. Sometimes plastics have carcinogenic agents leading to the death of the living being

Chemicals and toxins that are leached from the plastics might contain anti-androgen and other hormones that affect the human reproductive system badly. 

The toxins leached from the plastic enter the land, water and other natural resources and pollute them. They turn unfit for human consumption.

3. What are the measures taken to reduce the Pollution caused by Plastic?

Plastic pollution affects not only the finite natural resources but also animals, plants and humans directly. Following are the measures to reduce plastic pollution:

Most of the plastic items we use in our daily life are single-use plastics. Try to trace such items and replace them with reusable alternatives.

20 billion plastic bottles are generated every year and simply tossed after using them. Try to replace them and carry your bottle when you go out

Microbeads are a type of microplastics, they are used in scrubs, cosmetics and many personal hygiene products. They are very minute and cause enormous damage to the animals, especially to the aquatic animals when they are consumed. Try buying products that do not have microbeads.

4. What is the International Agreements made to control Plastic Pollution?

Plastic pollution is a much wider issue and requires a global solution. Any effect of pollution is felt across the geographical area. Hence international cooperation is needed to control plastic pollution. Following are some of the measures and targets taken up to control plastic pollution:

170 countries have decided to reduce plastic usage by 2030. This was done after the UN assembly held at Nairobi. 

Initially, an attempt was made to ban single-use plastic by 2025 but this was discarded by many members

Plastic wastes are considered harmful under the Basel Convention and measures were taken to stop dumping them into water resources and targets were fixed accordingly.

5. How are Plastics made?

The use of plastic has changed the entire production process. It has reduced our dependence on paper to some extent and we need to cut down the trees. But excessive dependence and improper waste management mechanisms led to plastic pollution. Plastic is made from oil, natural gas and plants which are processed into ethane and propane. These elements are further treated by applying enormous heat energy to convert them into ethylene and propylene. Several ethylene and other materials are combined to form “polymers”. It is sent into an extruder and then into a pipe after melting. They're made into tubes, cubes after settling them down.

Logo

Speech on Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a big problem for our planet. It harms animals, people, and the environment. You might see it in your neighborhood or even in your own backyard.

It’s important to understand how it happens and what we can do about it. Let’s learn more about plastic pollution together.

1-minute Speech on Plastic Pollution

Good day, everyone! Let’s talk about something important – plastic pollution. It’s a big problem, even though it’s simple to understand.

Plastic is everywhere. We use it daily – from water bottles to food wrappers. But, do we ever wonder where it goes after we throw it away? It usually ends up in our oceans, forests, and cities. This is what we call plastic pollution.

Plastic takes hundreds of years to break down. Imagine a plastic bottle lying on a beach for more than your lifetime. That’s a long time, isn’t it? This is why plastic pollution keeps growing.

Animals are suffering because of our plastic waste. They can eat it or get tangled in it, and that can hurt them a lot or even cause death. We all love animals, right? So, we don’t want to harm them because of our plastic trash.

But, it’s not only animals who suffer. We do too. Tiny bits of plastic, called microplastics, can end up in our food and water. We don’t want to eat plastic, do we?

So, what can we do to fight plastic pollution? The answer is simple – we need to use less plastic. We can carry reusable bags, use metal straws, or drink from reusable water bottles. Little changes can make a big difference.

Remember, it’s our duty to keep our world clean. Let’s work together to fight plastic pollution. Let’s make our world a better place for us and for generations to come!

Also check:

  • Essay on Plastic Pollution

2-minute Speech on Plastic Pollution

Hello everyone,

Let’s talk about something we all deal with every day: plastic. From the water bottles we drink from to the toys our children play with, plastic is everywhere. But there’s a problem. This plastic, it doesn’t just go away when we’re done with it. It sticks around, and it’s causing a big problem we call plastic pollution.

Plastic pollution is when plastic pieces pile up in our world, hurting our environment and wildlife. Picture this, a beautiful beach, but instead of sand, it’s covered in plastic bottles, bags, and wrappers. That’s plastic pollution. It doesn’t just make our world look dirty; it’s harmful too. It can hurt or even kill animals who think it’s food.

We all throw away plastic, right? But where does it go? A lot of it ends up in our oceans. Every year, we dump around 8 million tons of plastic in our oceans. That’s like taking a garbage truck full of plastic and dumping it into the ocean every minute of every day for a whole year. That’s a lot of plastic! And it’s not good for our fishy friends. They can get trapped in it or eat it by mistake, and that can make them sick or even cause them to die.

But it’s not just about the animals. Plastic pollution affects us too. Have you ever wondered why we’re told to recycle plastic? It’s because it takes a very long time to break down. When plastic finally does break down, it doesn’t completely disappear. It turns into tiny pieces called microplastics. These microplastics are so small that they can get into our water and our food. And when we drink or eat these, it’s not healthy for us.

So, what can we do about it? We can start by using less plastic. Instead of a plastic water bottle, we could use a reusable one. Instead of plastic bags at the store, we could bring our own cloth bags. We can also recycle the plastic we do use, so it doesn’t end up in our oceans or landfills. And we can pick up plastic litter when we see it.

In the end, it’s up to us. We’re the ones who can make a difference. We need to care about plastic pollution because it’s our world, and we need to keep it clean and safe for the animals, the environment, and us.

Remember, every piece of plastic we don’t throw away, every bottle we recycle, every bag we reuse, it all adds up. Together, we can fight against plastic pollution and make our world a better place for everyone. Let’s take steps today for a cleaner, healthier tomorrow. Thank you!

  • Speech on Pink Colour Day
  • Speech on Pilot In Plane
  • Speech on Pets

We also have speeches on more interesting topics that you may want to explore.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Speech about Plastic Pollution [1,2,3,5 Minutes]

1 minute speech about plastic pollution.

Plastic is a threat to the environment and it’s not going away anytime soon. The amount of plastic that is being produced is increasing and there are no signs that it will slow down.

While the use of plastics has increased, so has our awareness of the damage they do to our planet. There are many ways to reduce your plastic use, such as recycling and reusing plastic bottles, using cloth bags instead of plastic bags, and avoiding single-use plastics like straws or coffee cups.

Disadvantages of Plastic Pollution are many. It takes a long time for the plastic to decompose and can harm wildlife.

Plastic is used in many different industries, including packaging, manufacturing, construction, transportation, and more. The use of plastic has increased exponentially over the past few decades. This has led to an increase in plastic pollution in our oceans and landfills.

The production of plastics uses large amounts of oil that can harm our environment by increasing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution.

2 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

As the use of plastic has increased, so has the amount of waste it produces. The world is now faced with a huge problem of plastic pollution.

Plastic Pollution is an environmental issue that has been increasing in recent years. It can be seen in oceans, rivers and even the air we breathe. With this problem, many people are looking for ways to reduce their plastic consumption and help reduce this pollution.

There are many ways to reduce your plastic consumption such as recycling and reusing plastics, reducing the use of single-use plastics, or simply buying products that are not made of plastic.

Plastic pollution is a global issue that has the potential to harm almost every living thing in the world. It can cause a variety of health problems, such as cancer and heart disease.

Plastic pollution is a growing problem in the world that has many adverse effects on human health and the environment. The most common type of plastic pollution is packaging, which makes up about 60% of all plastic waste.

There are many disadvantages associated with plastic pollution. There are also many ways to reduce it from happening or lessen its impact on our environment.

Plastic pollution is a growing issue in our society. It has been found that around 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year.

Plastic pollution has many disadvantages, such as:

– The pollution causes harm to marine life and the environment

– It takes up to 500 years for plastic to degrade

– Ingesting or swallowing plastic can cause health problems for humans and animals

3 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a global issue that is worsening every day. It has been estimated that the amount of plastic in the world’s oceans will outweigh fish by 2050.

With this in mind, it is more important than ever to reduce the amount of plastic waste we generate. One way to do this is to use reusable bags and bottles when going out shopping or travelling so you can avoid buying unnecessary items that contribute to the problem.

Plastic pollution is a global issue that is affecting the environment and human health. It’s estimated that there are up to 300 million tons of plastic waste produced every year.

Plastic pollution is not just an issue in the ocean; it can also be found in rivers, lakes, and even our own backyards. There are many disadvantages of plastic pollution, including:

– Plastic doesn’t decompose easily and can take up to 1000 years to break down completely

– Plastic breaks down into smaller pieces which then become microplastics and enter the food chain through animals eating them or getting caught in their gills

5 Minutes Speech about Plastic Pollution

Plastic pollution is a major issue that affects the Earth’s ecosystem. It can get in the food chain and cause harm to animals, humans, and even plants.

Plastic pollution is one of the most pressing environmental problems today. The use of plastic has increased exponentially over the last few decades, but it has also become a global crisis as its production has not been curbed by other means.

Plastic pollution is a growing global problem. It has been estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

It is estimated that there are over 300 million tons of plastic waste in the world, and it is expected to double by 2025. This means that by 2050, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean.

Plastic pollution can be seen as a threat to our planet’s ecosystem and biodiversity due to its detrimental effects on marine life.

Plastics are a big part of our lives, from the food we eat to the clothes we wear. The problem is that it is not always easy to dispose of them. We have to find ways to reduce the amount of plastic pollution and find alternatives for our products.

Plastic pollution has become a global problem with no end in sight. It has even been called “the world’s most pressing environmental issue.” The amount of plastic waste in the ocean is increasing by 8% every year, and there are millions of tons of it floating on top of water bodies around the world.

Disadvantages: Plastic pollution can be harmful for humans because it can contain toxic chemicals that may cause cancer or other diseases if ingested or inhaled by humans or animals. It also harms animals as they consume or get tangled in plastics, which can lead to death as well as other health problems such as intestinal blockage and tissue damage

The disadvantages of plastic pollution are endless. One major problem is that it takes up a lot of space and can cause environmental damage. The other is that it lasts for a long time, even if we dispose it properly, which means we will have to deal with its effects for a long time to come.

Plastic pollution can also be hazardous to our health and the environment as pieces of plastic can break off and get into food chain or water sources, which could cause serious harm in the future.

Examples of sentences that can be used in starting of this speech

Examples of sentences that can be used in closing of this speech, speeches in english.

  • Speech on women’s empowerment
  • Speech on social media
  • Speech on environment
  • Speech on gender equality
  • Speech on poverty
  • Speech on Global Warming
  • Speech on Environmental Pollution
  • Speech on Earth Day
  • Speech on Discipline
  • Speech on Human Rights
  • Speech on Education
  • Motivational speech for students
  • 2-minute Self-introduction speech examples
  • Speech on Mahatma Gandhi
  • Speech on freedom fighters
  • Speech on APJ Abdul Kalam
  • Speech about friendship
  • Speech about Technology
  • Speech on Parents
  • Speech on Health
  • Speech on Health and Fitness
  • Speech on Health and Hygiene
  • Speech on Mental health
  • Speech on Yoga
  • Speech on Doctor
  • Speech about Life
  • Speech on sports
  • Speech on Racism
  • Speech on Population or overpopulation
  • Speech on Overcoming Fear
  • Speech about Family
  • Speech on Mobile Phones
  • Speech on water conservation
  • Speech on Honesty
  • Speech on Culture
  • Speech on Unity in diversity
  • Speech on Peace
  • Speech on Time
  • Speech on Success
  • Speech on Leadership
  • Speech on Nature
  • Speech on Career
  • Speech about Music
  • Speech on Democracy
  • Speech on Noise Pollution
  • Speech on Air Pollution
  • Speech on Gratitude
  • Speech on Time management
  • Speech on Dance
  • Speech on Climate Change
  • Speech on Artificial Intelligence
  • Speech on Cyber security
  • Speech on Teamwork
  • Speech on Goal Setting
  • Speech on Plastic Waste Management
  • Speech on Feminism
  • Speech on Bhagat Singh
  • Speech on Books
  • Speech on Laughter is the Best Medicine
  • Speech on Swami Vivekananda
  • Speech on Road Safety
  • Speech on Cyber Crime
  • Speech on Energy Conservation
  • Speech on Online Education
  • Speech on Quaid-e-Azam
  • Speech on Allama Iqbal
  • Speech about Rainy Day
  • Speech about Teachers’ day
  • Speech about Graduation
  • Speech about Love
  • Speech about Football
  • Speech about Money
  • Speech about Anxiety
  • Speech about Politics
  • Speech about Nelson Mandela
  • Speech about Kindness
  • Speech about Cleanliness
  • Speech about Deforestation
  • Speech about Agriculture
  • speech about Cricket
  • Speech about Unemployment
  • Speech about Birthday
  • Speech about Patience
  • Speech about the Value of Time
  • Speech about Positive Thinking
  • Speech about Knowledge is Power
  • Speech about Games
  • Speech about Indian Culture
  • Speech about Appreciation
  • Speech about Farming
  • Speech about Debut
  • Speech about Purpose
  • Speech about Hardwork
  • Speech about Thank you / Thankfulness / being thankful
  • Speeches about Communication
  • Speech about Dreams and ambitions 
  • Speech about Confidence
  • Speech about traveling and Tourism
  • Speech about Corruption
  • Speech about the millennial generation
  • Speech about Success and Failure
  • Speech about Environmental Awareness
  • Speech about Life Goals
  • Speech about Stress
  • Speech about the Life of a Student
  • Speech about Social Issues
  • Speech about Mom
  • Speech about God
  • Speech about Plants
  • Speech about Fashion
  • Speech about Basketball
  • Speech about Business
  • Speech about Smile
  • Speech about Animals
  • Speech about Passion
  • Speech about Youth Empowerment
  • Speech about Youth Leadership
  • Speech about Responsibility
  • Speech about Plastic Pollution
  • Speech about Courage
  • Speech about Homework
  • Short Speech about Engineering
  • Speech about Positive Attitude
  • Speech about Dad
  • Speech about my Favourite Teacher
  • Speech about Electricity
  • Speech about pen
  • Speech about Family Problems

Related Posts:

  • Plastic production | Plastic Recycling
  • Speech on Plastic Waste Management [1, 2, 3, 5 Minutes]
  • MCQs on Water Pollution and Noise Pollution
  • Types Of Plastic Surgery
  • Types of plastic
  • Which of the following is the first man-made plastic that is a bad conductor of heat?

Speech on Plastic Pollution

Good morning everyone,

Today, I am here to talk about plastic pollution, a vast and complicated environmental issue that we need to address as a society.

In the past decade, plastic has become extensively prevalent in our everyday lives. You can find plastic in everything from grocery bags, water bottles, food packaging, and even in our clothes, which in many cases contains synthetic fibers. I am not saying that we need to get rid of plastics altogether. However, we must acknowledge that plastic pollution has a pervasive effect on our environment, and we need to take this problem seriously.

The effects of plastic pollution

Plastic pollution has a detrimental impact on our planet; it affects everything from our oceans to the air we breathe. Plastic pollution is one of the leading causes of environmental degradation. It has been reported that over 300 million tons of plastic are produced globally every year, and this figure is just increasing.

Several studies have reported that wildlife is directly affected by plastic pollution. Birds, fish, and marine animals often ingest plastic, mistaking it for food, which in itself could be enough to kill them. Plastic also affects the feeding behavior and reproductive system of many species.

Plastic pollution also affects human health. Plastics contain harmful chemicals that can seep into the environment and poison the water and air that we need to survive. Several carcinogenic chemicals pose a risk to human health, which causes serious diseases such as cancer, asthma, and various respiratory problems.

The current state of plastic pollution

The current state of plastic pollution it quite alarming. According to a report by the United Nations, there are over five trillion pieces of plastic in our world’s oceans alone. This is equivalent to the weight of 20,000 blue whales! It is also projected that by 2050, there will be more plastic in our oceans than fish.

India, currently being the second-most populous country in the world, generates about 9.46 million tons of plastic. Out of this, over 50% is either not collected or improperly disposed of, which means it end up in our oceans and landfills, causing severe environmental hazards.

What can we do to help?

As individuals, we can take several small steps in our daily lives to reduce plastic pollution:

  • Avoid using single-use plastics such as straws, water bottles and plastic bags.
  • Recycle plastic waste and donate plastic to recycling centers.
  • Use eco-friendly alternatives such as cloth shopping bags or glass water bottles.
  • Spread awareness about plastic pollution among your friends, family, and community.

We can also influence and create change at a larger level, such as:

  • Encouraging plastic product manufacturers to switch to biodegradable materials or materials made from recycled plastics.
  • Pressuring businesses and governments to regulate and reduce the use of single-use plastic items.
  • Funding research, development, and innovation of new recycling techniques for plastic waste disposal.

To conclude, plastic pollution poses a severe threat to our planet’s health and should be taken seriously by every individual, institution and government. Let us act from today onwards to reduce our plastic consumption and be a conscious consumer of products. By doing so, we as individuals can make a significant difference in the world today and pave the way for a sustainable future.

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak about this pressing issue. Let’s work together to make our world plastic-free!

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

InfinityLearn logo

Speech on Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

February Offer

Table of Contents

Plastic pollution is a great source of pollution both for land and water. Even worse, it is even threatening to various life forms living on land and water, for instance when plastic is consumed by animals it chokes their intestine and leads to their death. It is a much talked about topic these days and the government is putting concerted efforts to completely ban its use. You can also give your contribution towards the same by enlightening people about its harmful effects on our environment. This you can do by preparing a speech on plastic pollution and delivering it amongst the gatherings and on public platforms.

Fill Out the Form for Expert Academic Guidance!

Please indicate your interest Live Classes Books Test Series Self Learning

Verify OTP Code (required)

I agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy .

Fill complete details

Target Exam ---

This exercise can greatly help in changing the mindset of the people and bringing a change in their lifestyle. But if you don’t know how to prepare a speech, then we are here to help you.

Long and Short speech on Plastic Pollution in English

You can study our comprehensive speeches and understand the topic well. We have both short speech on plastic pollution as well as long speech on plastic pollution to help you understand the subject matter well. So what are you waiting for? Just browse through our website and get started with these Plastic Pollution Speeches:

Plastic Pollution Speech 1

Dear Society Members and all the loving children – Warm Good Evening to all of you!

First of all, welcome to the society club house and a huge thank you for making it here on such a short notice. The reason behind calling this society meeting is to inform you about the visit of the municipality authorities today in our society, who carefully inspected our surroundings. The authorities are likely to pay such surprise visits in other neighboring societies as well. Essentially, they are urging people to maintain their surroundings as well as keep them clean and green. There is also a strong cry to completely ban the use of plastic because plastic pollution is yet another worse form of pollution which severely affects our environment.

In fact, this year’s theme for the World Environment Day is “Beat Plastic Pollution”. It calls for action from each one of us and urges us to tactically handle this grave environmental challenge which is posed before us. Our country was the host for this year’s World Environment Day and the theme was chosen by us so as to send out a strong message to everyone how favorable changes can be made in our day to day lives where the excessive burden of plastic pollution could be removed from our immediate surroundings, natural sights, our wildlife and from our very own daily activities.

I am not denying the usefulness of plastic, but we have become too much dependent on the use of plastic which has some really serious consequences to follow. Globally, about one million drinking bottles of plastic are being bought every minute and every year up to five trillion disposable plastic bags are used up. If we look at it as a whole, then about 50 percent of the plastic which is in circulation offers only one time use.

Approximately one third of the packaging in plastic tends to escape collection system which implies that it ends up choking our city roads thereby polluting our natural surroundings. It is witnessed that every year nearly 13 million tons of plastic is dumped into the oceans where it chokes coral reefs and poses a grave threat to the vulnerable aquatic wildlife. The plastic which is found in the oceans can surround our planet earth 4 times in one year and it can last for about 1,000 years before breaking down completely.

Plastic also tends to contaminate our water supply and thus our water bodies. It causes a serious harm because plastic is made up of different chemicals many of which are toxic and disrupt hormonal balance. Plastics also act as a magnet for other contaminants, such as metals, dioxins and pesticides.

Friends, it is therefore highly advisable to completely shun the use of plastic and save our environment from pollution. Also, encourage others, especially your children and people in your immediate surroundings to switch to environment-friendly products and absolutely say ‘no’ to plastics.

This is all I have to say, thank you!

Plastic Pollution Speech 2

Hon’ble Principal, Vice Principal, Teachers and My Dear Friends – Good Morning to all of you!

I, Akanksha Gaur from Class-IX (C), would be your host for today’s Clean Delhi, Green Delhi program. As you all know that our school has taken the responsibility to be a part of this cleanliness drive and is trying to raise the consciousness of people so that we all can come forward for this campaign and make it a huge success. However, this is not enough because I feel that there still exists one major source of pollution in our surroundings and unless we do away with it, our mission will remain unaccomplished. And, that is plastic pollution!

From over 50 years, both manufacture and consumption of plastics are on a constant rise globally despite our government putting a ban on their use and more so because the world’s population is relentlessly growing; the amount of garbage too is growing. Even though in our day to day lives, we preferably use disposable products like water bottles and soda cans; the buildup of such products has resulted in the increase of plastic pollution across the planet. Plastic is made up of severe toxic pollutants and it can cause much harm to our environment in various ways, such as water, air and land pollution.

To put it in simple terms, plastic pollution is caused when it is strewn everywhere on the roads, lanes, dumped into the rivers, etc. It then affects our living surrounding in a negative way and cause great harm to our wildlife, plants and even human populace. Plastic is undoubtedly quite a useful material, but we shouldn’t forget that it is made up of such toxic compounds which are not biodegradable in nature and spread illness in our environment causing an irreversible harm to the living beings.

So I earnestly request everyone to completely shun the use of plastic bags and switch to paper or cloth bags even while going on a shopping. Other than this, please also avoid bringing home plastic bags and encourage everyone around to do the same while also avoiding such products that come with a lot of packaging. Even such efforts as these will greatly favor our environment by keeping a check on plastic pollution which once is done cannot be undone, i.e. its harmful effects are irreversible.

Since plastic is non-biodegradable in nature, breaking it down into fine particles is just not possible. Even burning of plastic can become too much toxic by creating lethal atmospheric conditions which can even cause death. Even worse, if plastics are dumped in landfills, it will continue to release toxins in that particular area.

So let’s come together and pledge to protect our natural environment at all costs because if we don’t then no one else will and our next generation will have to bear the brunt. The sooner the better and in case of shunning the use of plastic; there should be no further ado.

This is all from my side, everyone. Thank You!

Plastic Pollution Speech 3

Greetings of the day everyone! Please allow me to first warmly welcome our hon’ble chief guest Shri …………., the renowned spiritual guru who is in the news currently for being an active part of Swachh Bharat Abhiyan . But we also request our great guru to kindly facilitate our Clean City, Green City campaign wherein our chief aim is to urge people give up the use of plastic and switch to environment friendly carry bags made of paper and jute.

We are constantly seeing how plastic is affecting our environment in many ways possible by accumulating in water bodies, such as oceans, rivers, lakes and canals. Plus, we can also see them being dumped on the road side and the sight appears really filthy. Instead of shunning their use, people’s dependency is rather growing. Whether we go on a shopping or buy a small thing from the store, we carry everything in plastic bags, which is extremely disappointing. Needless to say, its use is increasing on a big scale across the globe.

Plastics are made up of synthetic polymer containing several organic as well as inorganic compounds and are usually obtained from petrochemicals such as olefins. Plastic materials are chiefly categorized as thermoplastics (polyvinyl chloride and polystyrene) and thermosetting polymers (polyisoprene). In addition to these, they can also be categorized into engineering, biodegradable and elastomeric plastics. Even though plastics are quite useful in so many ways and are quite an integral part of the large scale polymer industry, their manufacture and disposal pose a massive threat to all the living forms on our planet Earth.

It is not really known in what manner plastic disintegrates; however it is believed that it requires hundreds and thousands of years. It is not merely the buildup of plastics which affects our environment, but the toxins and fragments which are emitted at the time of photo-decomposition severely pollute both our water channels and quality of soil.

There are still some forms of plastic which decompose quickly like we have Oxo-Degradables; but whereas they tend to become less perceptible, they still hover in the environment. For instance, in ocean environments, the fragments of plastic get consumed by filter-feeding organisms. When small plankton swallows down plastic, animals in the food chain can bio-accumulate really large quantities. Floating wastes in the form of plastic which can continue to exist in water for thousands of years tend to act as a transportation apparatus for invasive species which upset the growth of the habitats.

Even drinking water quality is fast deteriorating because of the release of toxic chemicals (such as Bisphenol A, Styrene Trimer, etc) through plastics into the water bodies. These substances affect the water quality making it unfit for drinking and when consumed prove dangerous to the life forms.

It is therefore high time that we say ‘No’ to the use of plastic bags and preserve not only life forms on our planet, but our very natural living environment which makes our existence worth it.

Thank you so much everyone!

Plastic Pollution Speech 4

Hon’ble Principal, Vice Principal, Respected Teachers and My Dear Friends – Warm Greetings to one and all!

I, Sarthak Sharma from Standard-XII (C), stand in front of you all to address a very important topic which is making a lot of news these days, i.e. the adverse effect of plastic pollution. In the decade gone by, plastic is been seeing to be severely affecting our lives and health quite badly. There have been a few incidents which drew the attention of the whole world and caused a great stir about the use of plastic in our day to day lives.

So friends through the medium of my speech, I would like to draw your attention yet again to this grave concern so much so that we start taking our environment really seriously and do our every bit in preserving it. Plastic is no doubt a wonder material which is being daily used for a lot of things, but it also ends up greatly polluting our environment. Needless to say, plastic is the most toxic waste being dumped by the sea-goers and mariners into the sea. Plastic is toxic for nature because it refuses to break down. The plastic materials which are dumped along the road side or near the water bodies make the sight appear foul and filthy.

Careless throwing away of plastic can yield adverse results. Even though a plastic bag appears like a tempting jellyfish to an indiscriminate feeder such as the sea turtle, but plastic as we all know is not indigestible. It can stifle, cause obstruction in the intestines or even spread infection in those animals who feed on it.

Then a plastic bag can also choke the cooling system of an outboard engine. Discarded or lost monofilament fishing line can pollute propellers, lower engine units, destroy oil seals or it can even be reduced to an entangled web for seabirds, fish as well as marine mammals. These days the most prevalent type of plastic pollution is polyvinyl chloride (P.V.C.). When blood or any food material is preserved in the above mentioned plastic container then slowly and gradually the soluble chemical gets decomposed in them leading to death because of cancer and also causing other skin ailments.

It is also said that polyvinyl chloride destroys the respiratory system of the animals, including their fertility. When mixed with water, it can even cause paralysis, cause skin irritation and damage bones.

Plastic is unceasingly used because these are easily available and affordable as well which can last for a long period of time. Unfortunately these very characteristics of plastics make us hugely dependent on them and cause a big pollution problem. Since the plastic is cheap, it is more and more used and frequently dumped, the persistence of which causes a great harm to our environment. Urbanization has also caused an increase in the plastic pollution in concentrated form in big cities.

In the end all I want to say is that plastic is not a problem, but its excessive use can cause a great problem and therefore we should stop ourselves while also encouraging others to keep a check on their use and not throw it carelessly here and there.

This is all from my side and with this I conclude my speech. Thank you everyone!

More Informative Resources on Pollution

Related content

Call Infinity Learn

Talk to our academic expert!

Language --- English Hindi Marathi Tamil Telugu Malayalam

Get access to free Mock Test and Master Class

Register to Get Free Mock Test and Study Material

Offer Ends in 5:00

Short Speech

Short Speech

Long And Short Speech For Everyone

Speech on Plastic Pollution

Good Morning Everyone,

You know every year, over 4 million tons of plastic waste are produced in our country India? Depending on the source, between 40% and 70% of this is not recycled. Most of this trash is made up of single-use plastics. It accumulates in landfills like Okhla, on the sides of roads, in rivers and oceans, and clogs drains.

One of the most common materials is now plastic. Nowadays, from supermarkets to everyday houses, it can be seen everywhere.

Why is that so? Why is there a growth rather than a decline in plastic usage? Plastic’s low cost is the key justification. Compared to alternatives like paper and fabric, it is less expensive. It is very prevalent because of this.

Second, it is quite simple to use. Plastic may be used to create practically anything, whether it be liquid or solid. Additionally, it comes in a variety of shapes that we can readily mold. We can also see that plastic is a non-biodegradable substance. It remains on the planet’s surface. Plastic cannot be removed from the environment, either through land or water. As a result, more plastic will be produced that won’t degrade when it is utilized more and more. Plastic pollution as a result is growing really quickly.

Global plastic pollution is a problem that is getting worse. By 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. In light of this, it is more crucial than ever to cut down on the amount of plastic waste we produce.

Utilizing reusable bags and bottles when shopping or traveling is one way to accomplish this and stop yourself from making unnecessary purchases that add to the issue. Plastic pollution affects the environment and people’s health on a global scale. Up to 300 million tons of plastic garbage are thought to be created annually. There is a problem with plastic pollution not just in the ocean, but also in rivers, lakes, and even on land.

Millions of people could be directly impacted by plastic pollution, which can modify habitats and natural processes and reduce ecosystems’ capacity to adapt to climate change. The status quo is not an option given the plastic crisis the world is currently experiencing. Plastic pollution is a significant problem that affects the entire world and necessitates an immediate, global response involving all pertinent actors at various levels.

Plastics are part of extensive, worldwide value chains. The implications of each stage of the life cycle affect both individuals and the environment. Even if actions to stop the leaking of microplastics and chemicals into the environment as a result of improper disposal have received the majority of public attention, Dealing with the end-of-life of plastic products won’t be enough to stop this global calamity.

Throughout extraction, manufacturing, usage, and disposal, plastics and chemical additives have numerous negative effects that need to be addressed. Plastic pollution includes all of the chemicals that are added to plastics, many of which are known to be detrimental to both people and the environment. It also refers to the plastic particles themselves.

Plastics have cross-sectoral effects throughout their life cycles that have a variety of negative effects on both people and the environment. As a result, it also serves as a prime example of how the SDGs are interconnected, as tackling the plastic crisis might have positive effects on the environment, society, and the economy.

Numerous efforts, projects, governance solutions, and options have been established to address this serious environmental issue since plastics have significant negative effects on the environment and human health.

The idea of a “circular economy” as it relates to plastics is frequently seen as the only way to solve the plastics challenge. The idea needs to be revised, according to the Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL), which takes into account the composition, use, and disposal of plastics.

Environmental human rights should take precedence over harmful chemicals and toxic disposal methods because they are incompatible with circular economy ideologies. In addition, a fully circular model for plastic should take into account its alternatives and set a production limit to make the recycle-reuse equation more than just a substitute for virgin plastics.

In addition to the 4Rs—recycle, reduce, reuse, and refuse —we should also educate those around us. Public awareness campaigns concerning plastic pollution and its detrimental impacts should be organized. Instead of utilizing and tossing things, we ought to start reusing them. We will be able to control plastic pollution after everyone makes a commitment to use plastic less.

Similar Posts

Speech on air pollution [easy and detailed].

Why the topic ‘Air Pollution’ is chosen for speech? Take a deep breath, because the air we breathe is not as clean as we think. Air pollution, the silent killer lurking around us, has become a serious global issue that needs our immediate attention. Understanding air pollution is important to our health, the environment, and…

Speech On Human Rights

In a world where the pursuit of equality is at the forefront of social justice movements, the significance of human rights cannot be understated. Human rights serve as the foundation for a just society, ensuring that every individual is treated with dignity, respect, and fairness. But it’s not just about achieving equality; it’s about empowering…

Speech On Poverty

India’s fight against poverty is not over yet, but there is hope on the horizon. In a motivational and inspiring speech, a prominent leader addresses the serious issue of poverty and proposes bold strategies to break this cycle forever. This powerful speech titled “Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in India: A Speech That Will Inspire…

Speech on Mother’s Day For Students

[14 May of every year celebrated as Mother’s Day] Respected teachers, and my dear schoolmates Namaste! Have you ever realized that your mother suffered so much pain when you were in her womb and she is the reason that you are living a life today? Then why do we only celebrate her greatness for one…

Speech On Cleanliness

Good morning Respected principal teachers and my dear fellows Most kids have probably heard the adage, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.” But do they understand what these phrases really mean? This proverb emphasizes the value of having a good moral foundation and maintaining personal hygiene. It implies that everyone has a moral obligation to maintain…

Speech On Education

Let’s see how education can become the driving force behind the achievements of individuals and how it can become a catalyst for positive change in society. Education equips people with the knowledge, skills, and values that empower them to shape their own destinies and bring about change in the world around them. Flow Of Speech…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

share this!

February 5, 2024

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

fact-checked

reputable news agency

Artists and environmentalists seek creative ways to keep plastics out of landfills

by Adriana Pérez, Chicago Tribune

plastic trash

In high school, Jordan Parker wrote a paper on plastic pollution titled: "Is our country doomed to be buried beneath its own garbage?" Decades later, that question continues to galvanize Parker.

In 2017 Parker founded the Triveni Institute, an environmental nonprofit that recently hosted a fashion show in which local designers created looks and outfits exclusively using single-use plastic , thrifted clothes and "found objects."

"The intention of these designs is to create beautiful art out of plastic pollution and help people lean into this issue in a way that doesn't seem so scary," they said. "So it's not about, 'Look at all these amazing things that we can create with this plastic waste!' That's not the message. The message is: We are drowning in single-use plastic pollution, and we have to turn the spigot off. There's no way we can recycle our way out of this. There's no way we can create our way out of this."

Between 150 million and 190 million tons of single-use plastic products were produced globally in 2021, according to international research. That number is expected to triple by 2060, with half ending up in landfills.

"I've been involved in this work for a long time," Parker said. "It is depressing, and it's so easy to fall into deep grief."

But Parker and other Chicago-area environmentalists and artists refuse to give up.

"Trash is just a failure of imagination," said Barbara Koenen, founder and executive director of the nonprofit Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange, which redistributes surplus donations of materials, supplies and equipment to local teachers, artists and community groups .

A group of volunteers spent a Saturday morning at the organization's headquarters in an Auburn Gresham warehouse, making hundreds of notebooks from old spirals and composition books that the nonprofit will give to young Chicago authors in an upcoming festival.

Almost 20 miles from the city, a lifelong Elmhurst resident gives old items a second life and a new purpose through her art, which she creates in her basement studio. Though Donna Castellanos works with just about any materials, lately she keeps coming back to outdated encyclopedias and leather-bound books sourced from estate sales.

Their end goals might be somewhat different: to beautify the world, offer resources to others or create a space to share an urgent message. But they also share the desire to find new approaches to the overabundance of objects humans are quick to discard.

"We need complex thinkers, we need people who are going to nurture a deep sense of empathy for themselves and others and all the creatures that we're sharing this planet with," Parker said

'Rescuer of once-loved things'

Castellanos calls herself a "rescuer of once-loved things," which she often finds at estate sales after owners have died, things they didn't want to get rid of until they had to.

"I've always felt like there's something there; they kept it for a reason," she said. "And I use it in a different way."

Her fascination with pre-owned objects began after she got married and took maternity leave, which gave her time to search garage and yard sales for furniture she could repaint and bring home. She started going to estate sales with a group of friends, armed with paper maps to find their destinations, $40 and a truck.

She brought home all the bizarre items she came across.

"Things will sometimes sit for years, decades, before they tell me what they want to be," she said.

Her home is brimming with artwork, all of which begs a closer look. The coat rack by the front door is made of carpenter rulers. Displayed on a wall in the dining area is a massive tree, its rugged trunk and branches made from ripped book pages.

Behind the living room couch hangs a triptych, gilded wood framing scenes that were assembled with vibrant leather from book covers and spines. Resembling a Christian altarpiece, it is a tribute to and portrayal of her mother: "Saint" Joan.

"She's embarrassed about it, but she helps everyone who needs the most help at the time," Castellanos whispered with a low chuckle, her muse in the next room.

She was inspired by the "Virgin and Child with Saints" painting in the Art Institute.

That project follows a portrait she made in 2020 of her grandmother Bertha, part of a traveling National Portrait Gallery exhibition. It was a finalist in the Smithsonian's 2022 triennial Outwin Boochever Portrait Competition, which selected 42 out of more than 2,700 entries from across the country.

For that portrait, she stitched zippers, pins, buttons, knitting needles and other sewing tools onto fabric, honoring her grandmother who in her youth installed zippers at a small-town factory in Missouri.

Castellanos now often finds herself on the receiving end of random gifts. When a neighbor who repaired stringed instruments died, his partner gave her a set of violins and a guitar which became part of two of her shows at the Elmhurst Museum and the Illinois State Museum.

When a friend bought a house that was filled floor to ceiling with pipe organ pieces, she transformed some the pieces he gave her into limbs and a torso for a sculpture called "organ donor" and cut out anatomical illustrations from old medicine textbooks.

Somewhere in her house, she also has a box full of cicada wings.

'Finding a new purpose'

Inside the Creative Chicago Reuse Exchange warehouse, a few dozen University of Chicago students and other young volunteers sat at some tables making new composition notebooks.

"I feel like I'm on an assembly line. Also, that I was born for this," laughed Megan Parker, 29, who was there with her friend Rachel Durbin for their first experience with Volunteering Untapped, which matches Chicagoans with local organizations. "It feels nice. It's gratifying to create something that someone else is going to use."

Kathy Trumbull Fimreite, the organization's development director and a self-professed teaching artist, had walked them through the necessary steps and was looking over their work.

"We take in all sorts of surplus and redistribute it, but we also reimagine it," she said. "And that's something that's really, really fun to do because you're finding a new purpose for something that doesn't have life in its original purpose."

The warehouse is full of shelves upon shelves of objects. There's school and crafting supplies, electronics and fabrics. Then there are more unusual items such as quail eggshells and a World War II-era viewing device known as a stereoscope.

One volunteer said the place was as equipped as an apocalypse bunker, "in the best way."

The microscopes and lab instruments piqued Durbin's attention as a medical student at Rosalind Franklin University.

"That's so cool," the 31-year-old said. "Because that can be so expensive to buy yourself new. It'd be really nice to be able to find something like that in a place like this."

The nonprofit accepts donations of just about anything—as long as it's clean and safe. Local teachers, artists and community groups are welcome to source from their collections by heading to the exchange's website at creativechirx.org to make in-person appointments or shop at their online store.

According to Koenen, the exchange fills a vacuum for things thrift stores such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army won't or can't accept.

"All this stuff is great, and it would all be thrown away," she said. But as landfills fill up, she is concerned about what happens next. "The good news is, we do this, and it's fun and it's rewarding. And we're making a difference."

'Something that we don't talk about'

On a Saturday evening, the seventh floor of the Macy's on State Street became a runway.

Brimming with sequins, studs, bling and feathers, punctuated by a few top hats and even a cape and scepter, the hundreds of event attendees looked like they might be part of the show.

A closer inspection of the runway models, revealed their peculiar assemblages: from run-of-the-mill single-use bags to cigarette butts to a fishing net.

Designer Sophia Fargo of the brand Sisumoira created a dress with plastic film and old cables, and another model showed off a skirt that artist Eileen Ryan had made entirely out of disposable coffee cup lids all collected from the lakefront.

In May, the Triveni Institute held its first fashion show featuring 36 local designers and 50 runway looks, most made from upcycled single-use plastic products. Parker called the outfits "plastic pollution couture."

"When we started to advertise for it, to call for designers and casting calls for models, all of these people came out of the woodwork who were really invested in the cause," they said. "They wanted to do something to address plastic pollution and our environmental crisis, using their creativity and their vision. And the end result was just stunning. The works of art that people created for the show were just incredible."

That first show was dubbed "Trashion Revolution," Parker said, to hammer on the need for a revolution in thinking "because clearly our leaders are not taking action." Building on its success, the opening segment of the institute's more recent Shadow Ball was an abridged version of the "trashion" line with 25 looks from 17 returning designers.

Phoebe Whalen of the brand Patched by Phoebe modeled their own creation, a Rococo-style dress, its lower half bouncing with red solo cups, the look's finishing touch a tall white wig made from plastic bags.

The last three looks, created by Luz Maria Díaz of LuDia Couture Designs, included a dress made of intertwined black plastic zip ties, a hooded, floor-length patchwork dress from upcycled denim and a dress made of tightly woven plastic bags topped with a zip tie shawl—the latter won first prize at the May event.

The models reached the end and posed under a spotlight, in front of a trash can that had been purposely tipped over. Plastic takeout containers, coffee cups and bags—all single use—spilled from within.

The philosophy behind these events, Parker said, is to provide "fun and sexy environments" for people to feel relaxed and open to having difficult discussions that bring plastic and greenhouse gas pollution into broader societal conversations like race and economics.

People need to first resolve their personal issues, Parker said. Once they can do that then they can be open to healing environmental problems such as pollution and waste.

"Because our trash … is something that we don't talk about. We just get rid of it," Parker said. "Everything goes to landfills.

"We push it away just like we do our own personal stuff," they said. "That inner pain eats us from within if you don't face it, and our pollution and our trash is eating at us because we're not facing that either."

2024 Chicago Tribune. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Explore further

Feedback to editors

a speech on plastic pollution

Researchers demonstrate multi-photon state transfer between remote superconducting nodes

29 minutes ago

a speech on plastic pollution

Ocean system that moves heat gets closer to collapse, which could cause weather chaos, study says

3 hours ago

a speech on plastic pollution

Researchers use satellites to analyze global reef biodiversity

a speech on plastic pollution

A new study makes the case for asteroid strikes setting in motion global glaciation in the distant past

18 hours ago

a speech on plastic pollution

Surprising behavior in one of the least studied mammals in the world

a speech on plastic pollution

Research reveals the key to an irresistible online dating profile

a speech on plastic pollution

New AI tool discovers realistic 'metamaterials' with unusual properties

a speech on plastic pollution

Sensors made from 'frozen smoke' can detect toxic formaldehyde in homes and offices

a speech on plastic pollution

Unlocking quantum precision: Expanded superconducting strips for enhanced photon-counting accuracy

20 hours ago

a speech on plastic pollution

From growing roots, clues to how stem cells decide their fate

Relevant physicsforums posts, 90,000-year-old human footprints found on moroccan beach.

Feb 8, 2024

Iceland warming up again - quakes swarming

Unlocking the secrets of prof. verschure's rosetta stones.

Feb 1, 2024

Evidence of large submarine volcanic eruption 520 kyrs ago in Aegean

Jan 16, 2024

What happens to the IR radiation that the Greenhouse gases don't absorb?

Jan 14, 2024

M7.5 Earthquake, near Anamizu, W Japan

Jan 5, 2024

More from Earth Sciences

Related Stories

a speech on plastic pollution

Canada bids farewell to plastic straws, cutlery and checkout bags

Dec 21, 2023

a speech on plastic pollution

Q&A: Sustainability manager on the benefits of a plastic bag ban

Nov 6, 2020

a speech on plastic pollution

Far-reaching UN treaty a must to cut global plastic use: experts

Feb 27, 2023

a speech on plastic pollution

Plastic bag bans may unintentionally drive other bag sales

Mar 29, 2022

a speech on plastic pollution

New Zealand to ban single-use plastic bags

Aug 10, 2018

a speech on plastic pollution

Mexico City ban on single-use plastics takes effect

Jan 2, 2021

Recommended for you

a speech on plastic pollution

Study aims to provide middle ground for costs associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions

22 hours ago

a speech on plastic pollution

How an unprecedented magma river surged beneath an Iceland town

Feb 9, 2024

a speech on plastic pollution

Temperatures are rising, but soil is getting wetter—why?

a speech on plastic pollution

Industrial pollutants found in Mediterranean corals for the first time

Let us know if there is a problem with our content.

Use this form if you have come across a typo, inaccuracy or would like to send an edit request for the content on this page. For general inquiries, please use our contact form . For general feedback, use the public comments section below (please adhere to guidelines ).

Please select the most appropriate category to facilitate processing of your request

Thank you for taking time to provide your feedback to the editors.

Your feedback is important to us. However, we do not guarantee individual replies due to the high volume of messages.

E-mail the story

Your email address is used only to let the recipient know who sent the email. Neither your address nor the recipient's address will be used for any other purpose. The information you enter will appear in your e-mail message and is not retained by Phys.org in any form.

Newsletter sign up

Get weekly and/or daily updates delivered to your inbox. You can unsubscribe at any time and we'll never share your details to third parties.

More information Privacy policy

Donate and enjoy an ad-free experience

We keep our content available to everyone. Consider supporting Science X's mission by getting a premium account.

E-mail newsletter

COMMENTS

  1. Ending plastic pollution; protecting our blue planet

    speech 14 Jun 2022 Speech Climate Action Ending plastic pollution; protecting our blue planet Photo by Brian Yurasits/ Unsplash Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: European Parliament, ENVI Committee Meeting Mr. Pascal Canfin, Chair of the ENVI committee, Honourable Members of the European Parliament,

  2. It's Time for Global Action to Eliminate Plastic Pollution

    Share On June 10, a group of 16 leading organizations—representing businesses, NGOs, and civil society—highlighted the need for urgent global action to halt the rapid growth of plastic pollution and create a "circular economy," a closed-loop system in which resources are reused instead of becoming waste.

  3. Uniting to end plastic pollution

    05 Jun 2023 Speech Chemicals & pollution action Uniting to end plastic pollution UNEP Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: Opening of World Environment Day 2023 Location: Abidjan, Côte d`Ivoire Mr Jean-Luc Assi, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development Mr Bouake Fofana, Minister for Water and Sanitation

  4. Acting together against plastic pollution

    Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: One Ocean Summit "Acting together against plastic pollution" My sincere thanks to President Macron for convening this important conference and to you Minister Pompili, Minister for Ecological Transition for France for this session.

  5. Ocean Plastics Leadership Network, Speech by Ambassador Peter Thomson

    Surely, central to these peace talks must be an end to the plastic plague. We have a clear path to the peace-table in the form of the proposed international treaty to stop marine plastic pollution. Last month at the first session of UNEA5, the call for such a treaty was articulated by many, with over seventy governments expressing their support.

  6. The beginning of the end for plastics pollution?

    Authors. This is a monumental year for multilateralism to prevail in the fight against plastic pollution, as the United Nations has committed to deliver a legally binding agreement by the end of 2024. The agreement is expected to catalyze global action to transform the way we produce and dispose of plastics.

  7. Call for President Biden to Institute a Whole-of-Government Approach to

    "By instituting a whole-of-government approach at the federal level, you can empower these growing efforts, help them flourish, and add significant momentum to efforts to advance ambitious solutions to plastic pollution in the U.S. and internationally. We respectfully encourage you to take such presidential action…"

  8. Don't Let the Plastic Get into the Ocean

    We are positioning plastic pollution as a major environmental and transnational problem— ... The content of this article reflects the Keynote speech given by Mark J. Spalding, President of The Ocean Foundation, at the Embassy of the Republic of Finland on April 23rd, 2018, during the Dialogue on Ending Plastic Pollution: Opportunities for the ...

  9. Dianna Cohen: Tough truths about plastic pollution

    Dianna Cohen co-founded the Plastic Pollution Coalition, which is working to help end our cycle of plastics use. This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

  10. U.S. Actions to Address Plastic Pollution

    The United States welcomes the historic opportunity at the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA 5.2), February-March 2022, to start a process with other nations and stakeholders to fight plastic pollution. The United States is already acting both domestically and internationally to address this global challenge. Key U.S. programs are highlighted below. National U.S. Environmental ...

  11. Plastics Are Vital. Here Are 4 Steps To Stop Them From ...

    Plastic garbage on the beach in Costa del Este, Panama City, on September 21, 2022. AFP via Getty Images. Plastics lie at the heart of a pollution emergency: ruinous to natural environments, they ...

  12. Speech on Plastic Pollution in English For Students

    Here we have provided both long and short speeches on plastic pollution for students of Class 5 to 12 along with 10 lines for a speech on plastic for students of Class 1 to 4. Long Speech on Pollution by Plastic Bags Today, I am here to deliver a speech on plastic pollution.

  13. Turning off the Tap: UNEP's Report on Global Plastic Pollution

    Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: Report launch: Turning off the Tap: How the world can end plastic pollution and create a circular economy Location: Nairobi, Kenya The way societies produce, use and dispose of plastics is polluting ecosystems, creating risks for human health and destabilizing the climate.

  14. Speech on Plastic Pollution

    Speech on Plastic Pollution Plastic pollution is a big problem for our planet. It harms animals, people, and the environment. You might see it in your neighborhood or even in your own backyard. It's important to understand how it happens and what we can do about it. Let's learn more about plastic pollution together.

  15. Speech about Ocean Plastic Pollution

    Cite This Essay Download We live in a world that is full of plastic. Plastic shopping bags, water bottles, toothbrushes, and even parts of your clothes are among the everyday items that are made from plastic. But plastic isn't always the answer to everything, and the current state of our environment is rapidly going downhill.

  16. Speech On Plastic Pollution

    February 8, 2024 by Prasanna Speech On Plastic Pollution: Plastic is an artificial polymer synthesised for multiple uses. Plastic has replaced the use of expensive metals like aluminium, iron, copper, etc. synthetic plastic is required in the production of multiple products like toys, electronics, pipes, machines, etc.

  17. Speech about Plastic Pollution [1,2,3,5 Minutes]

    1 Minute Speech about Plastic Pollution Plastic is a threat to the environment and it's not going away anytime soon. The amount of plastic that is being produced is increasing and there are no signs that it will slow down. While the use of plastics has increased, so has our awareness of the damage they do to our planet.

  18. Speech on Beat Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

    Beat Plastic Pollution Speech 1 Greetings of the day Ladies and Gentlemen - Welcome to the speech ceremony of today! How are you all doing? I hope this day finds you in the best of spirits. The speech topic for today is "Beat Plastic Pollution". Beat Plastic Pollution, as we all know, is the theme for this year's World Environment Day.

  19. Speech on Plastic Pollution

    Speech on Plastic Pollution. Today, I am here to talk about plastic pollution, a vast and complicated environmental issue that we need to address as a society. In the past decade, plastic has become extensively prevalent in our everyday lives. You can find plastic in everything from grocery bags, water bottles, food packaging, and even in our ...

  20. Tackling marine plastic pollution and protecting our oceans

    speech 03 Mar 2021 Speech Ocean & Coasts Tackling marine plastic pollution and protecting our oceans Unsplash Speech prepared for delivery at the International Symposium on Plastics in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic Region hosted by the Government of Iceland In 2020, the world's attention turned to the COVID-19 pandemic.

  21. Speech on Plastic Pollution in English in simple and easy words

    Plastic Pollution Speech 1 Dear Society Members and all the loving children - Warm Good Evening to all of you! First of all, welcome to the society club house and a huge thank you for making it here on such a short notice.

  22. Persuasive Speech On Plastic Pollution

    Everyone in the world has at least used one piece of plastic, adding to the problem of plastic pollution and helping certifying the terrifying statisticc that acooording to the 2018 Earth day video, "by 2050 there will more plastic in the ocean than fish", which almost is impossible to think of. However, if we …show more content…

  23. Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution for Students and Children in English

    April 10, 2023 by Prasanna. Speech On Beat Plastic Pollution: Plastic pollution can be defined as the build-up of plastic or plastic materials or particles in the Earth's environment, which harms nature, living organisms, ecosystems, and wildlife. Plastic acting as pollutants can be classified into micro and meso, or micro debris based on the ...

  24. Calling for an ambitious plastic pollution deal

    Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: High Ambition Coalition to End Plastic Pollution Briefing Event Location: Paris, France Co-Chairs of the High Ambition Coalition, H.E. Dr. Jeanne d'Arc Mujawamariya, Minister of Environment of Rwanda and H.E. Espen Barth Eide, Minister of Climate and the Environment of Norway

  25. Speech on Plastic Pollution

    Speech on Plastic Pollution. By Mehul Panot 15 September 2023 15 September 2023. ... Plastic pollution as a result is growing really quickly. Global plastic pollution is a problem that is getting worse. By 2050, it is predicted that there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. In light of this, it is more crucial than ever to cut down on ...

  26. A big step towards ending plastic pollution

    29 May 2023 Speech Chemicals & pollution action A big step towards ending plastic pollution Photo by UNEP/Matthew Bannon Speech delivered by: Inger Andersen For: Opening plenary of the second meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee (INC-2) Location: Paris, France Ambassador Philippe Franc, Permanent Representative of France to UNESCO

  27. Artists and environmentalists seek creative ways to keep plastics out

    Parker called the outfits "plastic pollution couture." "When we started to advertise for it, to call for designers and casting calls for models, all of these people came out of the woodwork who ...