The world produces 57 million tons of plastic waste every year.

Researchers at the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom estimate that the amount of pollution each year is enough to fill New York City's Central Park with plastic waste, according to a study published in the journal Nature on September 4.

Millions of tons of plastic waste in nature

The study looked at the amount of plastic waste dumped into the natural environment in more than 50,000 cities and towns around the world, not counting plastic that ends up in landfill or is properly disposed of.

They estimate that about 52 million tons of plastic waste were released into the environment in 2020, of which 43% was non-combustible waste and 57% was through open burning activities.

Plastic waste floating on the Negro River in Amazonas state, Brazil. Photo: AP

Southeast Asia and sub-Saharan Africa generate the most plastic waste, the study authors said. That includes 255 million people in India.

Lagos, Nigeria, is the city that generates the most plastic waste. Other major plastic polluting cities are New Delhi, India, Luanda, Angola, Karachi, Pakistan, and Al Qahirah, Egypt.

India leads the world in plastic pollution, producing 10.2 million tonnes a year, more than double the next biggest polluters, Nigeria and Indonesia. China ranks fourth but is making great strides in reducing waste.

Other top plastic polluters include Pakistan, Bangladesh, Russia, and Brazil. According to the study, these eight countries are responsible for more than half of global plastic pollution.

Most of the world's countries have agreed to sign the first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution, including in the oceans, in 2022. Final treaty negotiations will take place in South Korea in November.

Trash is collected during an event in Hungary. Photo: AP

The dangers of burning plastic waste

When plastics are released into the environment, tiny plastic particles, known as nanoplastics, pose a threat to human health. Plastics have been found in the snow on the highest mountains and at the bottom of the most remote oceans, and tiny plastic particles have also been detected in blood and breast milk.

Much of the blame is often placed on plastic waste: plastic pieces like straws take a long time to decompose, potentially harming ecosystems for generations to come.

“We didn’t have that kind of awareness about marine litter or plastic pollution,” said Velis, who led the study. He said improper burning and letting plastic smolder doesn’t make the litter “disappear” but rather spreads smaller pieces throughout the environment.

It also reduces air quality and exposes people living nearby to highly toxic additives released when plastic is burned, he added.

Several studies this year have looked at the prevalence of microplastics in drinking water and in human tissues, such as the heart, brain and testicles, while doctors and scientists remain uncertain about its risks to human health.

Hoai Phuong (according to AP, AFP)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/nghien-cuu-the-gioi-thai-57-trieu-tan-rac-nhua-moi-nam-dot-nhua-rat-nguy-hiem-post310708.html