World Environment Day was observed on Monday to highlight hazards of plastic pollution imposing grave impacts on nature and human health.

This year’s theme of the World Environment Day was solutions to plastic pollution under the campaign #BeatPlasticPollution.

More than 430 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year worldwide, half of which is designed to be used only once.

The civil society, government departments including Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency, non-governmental organisations and others will hold awareness walks, seminars and symposiums to sensitise masses on plastic pollution.

Meanwhile, Minister for Climate Change Sherry Rehman has said the consequences of plastic pollution are intense and long term, as it irreversibly damages our environment and threatens the very fabric of life on earth.

In her message on World Enviroment Day, the Minister urged a call for action as plastic production is set to triple by 2060 if ‘business-as-usual’ continues.

Naval Chief Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi has said Pakistan Navy is taking steps for the protection of aquatic environment.

In his message on world environment day, he said these include cleaning of harbors, establishment of Reedbed plants in the areas under Pakistan Navy’s precinct and extensive plantation drives. He said those associated with the industries must also adopt such methods that help effectively address the issue of plastic pollution.

United Nations Chief Antonio Guterres has stressed the importance of curbing the “catastrophic” consequences of waste plastics.

In his message for World Environment Day he said that Every year, over 400 million tons of plastic is produced worldwide – one-third of which is used just once.

He said that every day, the equivalent of over 2,000 garbage trucks full of plastic is dumped into our oceans, rivers, and lakes.

He noted that micro-plastics are finding their way into the food we eat, the water we drink, and even the air we breathe.

Source: Radio Pakistan