{"id":3313,"date":"2025-02-05T15:47:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-05T13:47:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/?p=3313"},"modified":"2025-02-05T15:47:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-05T13:47:25","slug":"eight-ways-to-overcome-the-waste-pollution-crisis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/?p=3313","title":{"rendered":"Eight ways to overcome the waste pollution crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Humanity generates between&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/global-waste-management-outlook-2024\">2.1 billion<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/unhabitat.org\/rescuing-sdg-11-for-a-resilient-urban-planet\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2.3 billion<\/a>&nbsp;tonnes of municipal solid waste a year.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When improperly managed, much of that refuse\u2014from food and plastics to electronics and textiles\u2014emits greenhouse gases or poisonous chemicals. This damages ecosystems, inflicts disease and threatens economic prosperity, disproportionately harming women and youth.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On 30 March, the world will mark the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/events\/un-day\/international-day-zero-waste-2024\">International Day of Zero Waste<\/a>. The observance, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat), highlights the importance of proper waste management. It also focuses on ways to rein in the conspicuous consumption that is feeding the waste crisis.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cOverconsumption is killing us. Humanity needs an intervention,\u201d&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=0KMgeCnYpPY\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">says<\/a>&nbsp;UN Secretary-General Ant\u00f3nio Guterres. \u201cOn this Zero Waste Day, let\u2019s pledge to end the destructive cycle of waste, once and for all.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"#ZeroWasteDay An opportunity to address the global waste crisis\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Tb7BLupWO-U?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Here are eight ways to embrace a zero waste approach:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>1. Combat food waste&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/publication\/food-waste-index-report-2024\">19 per cent<\/a>&nbsp;of food available to consumers is wasted annually despite 783 million people going hungry. Around 8 to 10 per cent of the planet\u2019s greenhouse gas emissions come from the production of food that is ultimately squandered.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are lots of ways to turn that tide. Municipalities&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/news-and-stories\/story\/what-you-need-know-about-combatting-food-loss-and-waste\">can promote urban agriculture<\/a>&nbsp;and use food waste in animal husbandry, farming, green-space maintenance and more. They can also fund food waste composting schemes, segregate food waste at source and ban food from dumpsites. Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.fao.org\/fao-stories\/article\/en\/c\/1309609\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">consumers can<\/a>&nbsp;buy only what they need, embrace less appealing but perfectly edible fruits and vegetables, store food more wisely, use up leftovers, compost food scraps instead of throwing them away, and donate food before it goes bad, something made easier by a bevy of apps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Recovery is already on the menu in some places. In Vall\u00e8s Occidental, Spain, municipalities are redistributing surplus healthy food to the marginalized. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, the non-profit organization No Hunger Food Bank works with the Adeta indigenous community to reduce post-harvest losses by recycling cassava peels into animal feed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.unenvironment.org\/s3fs-public\/inline-images\/AFP%2C_Patrick_Hertzog.jpg\" alt=\"Two men in a grocery store\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Tackling food waste and promoting healthy diets are key to ending food insecurity, experts say. Photo:&nbsp;AFP\/Patrick Hertzog<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>2. Take on textile waste&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Less than&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wedocs.unep.org\/handle\/20.500.11822\/34184\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">1 per cent<\/a>&nbsp;of the material used to produce clothing is recycled into new items, resulting in over US$100 billion in annual material value loss. The textiles industry also uses the equivalent of 86 million Olympic-sized swimming pools of water every year.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To counter that, the fashion industry needs to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.oneplanetnetwork.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2023-10\/Full%20Report%20-%20UNEP%20Sustainability%20and%20Circularity%20in%20the%20Textile%20Value%20Chain%20A%20Global%20Roadmap.pdf\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">become more circular.<\/a>&nbsp;Brands and retailers can offer more circular business models and products that last longer and can be remade, governments can provide infrastructure for collecting and sorting used textiles, communicators\u2014including influencers and brand managers\u2014can shift fashion\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/interactives\/sustainable-fashion-communication-playbook\/\">marketing narrative<\/a>, and consumers can assess if their clothing purchases are necessary.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cZero waste makes sense on every level,\u201d&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r7ZGaY2wHh8%22%20%EF%B7%9FHYPERLINK%20%22https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=r7ZGaY2wHh8\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">says<\/a>&nbsp;Michal Mlyn\u00e1r, UN-Habitat Acting Executive Director. \u201cBy retaining materials within the economy and enhancing waste management practices, we bring benefits to our economies, our societies, our planet and ourselves.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>3. Avoid electronic waste&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Electronics, from computers to phones, are clogging dumpsites around the world as manufacturers continually encourage consumers to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/ietc\/resources\/publication\/future-e-waste-scenarios\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">purchase brand-new devices<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Through robust policymaking, governments can encourage consumers to keep their products for longer while pushing manufacturers to offer repair services, a change that would bring a host of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/Global-Resource-Outlook-2024\">economic benefits<\/a>. They can also implement&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wedocs.unep.org\/handle\/20.500.11822\/42235;jsessionid=0165A37D1539D98E178A207273DA45DF\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">extended producer responsibility<\/a>, a policy that can ensure producers of material goods are responsible for the management and treatment of waste. This can keep raw&nbsp;&nbsp; materials and goods in the economic cycle and inspire consumer waste prevention, eco-design, and optimization of waste collection.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cAs the world drowns in waste, humanity must act,\u201d says Sheila Aggarwal-Khan, Director of UNEP\u2019s Industry and Economy Division. \u201cWe have the solutions to solve the waste pollution crisis. We just need commitment, collaboration and investment from governments, businesses and individuals to implement them.\u201d&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.unenvironment.org\/s3fs-public\/inline-images\/UNEP%2C_Duncan_Moore.jpg\" alt=\"A person monitoring a camera feed of waste processing \"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><em>Data monitoring can help identify trends in waste management and help inform smarter design. Photo: UNEP\/Duncan Moore<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>4. Reduce resource use in products<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raw material use has&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/Global-Resource-Outlook-2024\">more than triple<\/a>d over the last 50 years, driving the destruction of natural spaces and fueling the triple planetary crisis of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/topics\/climate-action\">climate change<\/a>,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/explore-topics\/ecosystems-and-biodiversity\">nature and biodiversity loss<\/a>, and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/topics\/chemicals-and-pollution-action\">pollution and waste<\/a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Producers can follow nationally determined&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/Global-Resource-Outlook-2024\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">eco-design standards<\/a>&nbsp;to reduce energy and resource use while minimizing hazardous chemicals in production. These standards also ensure products are durable, repairable and recyclable while use.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This should be part of a larger effort to design products through what is known as the lifecycle approach. This entails reducing resource use and emissions to the environment throughout all stages of a product\u2019s life, from production to recycling.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>5. Crack down on plastic pollution<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Plastics are commonly used in electronics, textiles and single-use products. Some&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/interactives\/beat-plastic-pollution\/\">85 per cent<\/a>&nbsp;of single-use plastic bottles, containers and packaging end up in landfills or are mismanaged. Because plastic does not biodegrade, it contributes to major health impacts as microplastics infiltrate food and water sources.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to phasing out single-use plastics and improving waste management, establishing a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/resources\/turning-off-tap-end-plastic-pollution-create-circular-economy\">global monitoring and reporting system<\/a>&nbsp;can help end plastic pollution.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>6. Take on hazardous waste&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chemicals are prevalent in daily life \u2013 electronics can contain mercury, cosmetics may have lead and cleaning supplies often have persistent organic pollutants. Chemical and hazardous waste require specialized treatment and disposal, yet some governments fail to meet standards set in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.brsmeas.org\/\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm (BRS) conventions<\/a>. Hazardous chemicals and waste cross borders, unauthorized or even illegally.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Governments can commit to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/multilateral-actions-safeguard-environment-timeline\">multilateral environmental agreements<\/a>&nbsp;(MEAs), like the BRS conventions, which institutionalize intergovernmental and cross-sectoral cooperation through binding targets and action plans.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Citizens can educate themselves about substances and waste types that are restricted or banned under the MEAs and demand that governments and industries remove them from the global market.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>7. Rethink how cities are designed and managed&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By 2050,&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/unhabitat.org\/rescuing-sdg-11-for-a-resilient-urban-planet\">68 per cent<\/a>&nbsp;of the world is expected to live in cities. Investing in energy-efficient buildings leads to long-term reductions in construction and demolition, which generate significant amounts of waste and account for&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/wedocs.unep.org\/handle\/20.500.11822\/43293\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">37 per cent<\/a>&nbsp;of greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>UN-Habitat\u2019s&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/unhabitat.org\/waste-wise-cities\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Waste Wise Cities<\/a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/unhabitat.org\/african-clean-cities-platform\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">African Clean Cities Platform<\/a>&nbsp;provide data and monitoring, knowledge, advocacy and bankable project development to shift cities towards zero waste. Many mayors, like&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.unep.org\/championsofearth\/laureates\/2023\/josefina-belmonte\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\">2023 UN Champion of the Earth Josefina Belmonte<\/a>&nbsp;of Quezon City, Philippines, are leading initiatives to crack down on waste, including from food and plastics.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>8. Bolster waste management through investment and training&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Globally, around 25 per cent of waste is left uncollected, while 39 per cent is not managed in controlled facilities. Global waste management incurs a total net cost of US$361 billion annually. By ending uncontrolled disposal, reducing waste generation, and increasing recycling, governments can generate an annual net gain of US$108.1 billion by 2050.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Humanity generates between&nbsp;2.1 billion&nbsp;and&nbsp;2.3 billion&nbsp;tonnes of municipal solid waste a year.&nbsp;&nbsp; When improperly managed, much of that refuse\u2014from food and&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":3314,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,52],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","category-research"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3313","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3313"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3313\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3315,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3313\/revisions\/3315"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3314"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3313"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3313"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/green-kurd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3313"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}