World Environment Day 2023

This year for World Environment Day 2023, we focus on solutions to plastic pollution.

But what is World Environment Day?

According to the official website, WED is a global platform for inspiring positive change. People from more than 150 countries participate in this United Nations international day, which celebrates environmental action and the power of governments, businesses and individuals to create a more sustainable world.

The annual event, held on 5 June, brings together millions of people from across the globe, engaging them in the effort to protect and restore the Earth. This year marks the event’s 50th anniversary, having been led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) since its inception in 1973.

This year, World Environment Day turns its eye to the issue of plastic pollution.

The 2023 Mission

To quote: “The world is being inundated by plastic. More than 400 million tonnes of plastic is produced every year, half of which is designed to be used only once. Of that, less than 10 per cent is recycled. An estimated 19-23 million tonnes end up in lakes, rivers and seas. Today, plastic clogs our landfills, leaches into the ocean and is combusted into toxic smoke, making it one of the gravest threats to the planet.”

A lesser known fact is the harmful effects of microplastics, which can find their way into our food, water, and air, posing a threat to our health.

The bad news is that this is a worldwide issue, causing much harm to ourselves and our planet. The good news?

We have science and solutions to tackle the problem – and much of it is already in place.

We are pleased that our solutions are playing a part in tackling plastic pollution. We work with more than 500 municipalities across North America and Europe to help them educate and engage residents in how to recycle more of their plastics, to reduce contamination and wishcycling.

Cities and private haulers are changing recycling behavior by helping people quickly find out how to recycle or dispose of items correctly – by using mobile apps and website tools to see what goes where.

It is World Environment Day’s aim, as well as our own, that countries, businesses and individuals are learning to use and dispose of plastic material more sustainably, offering hope that one day, plastic pollution will be history. ♻️