Plastic pollution begins at the source – the production process. Almost every piece of plastic is derived from fossil fuels like oil and gas, which generate greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change.
In Kenya, a school situated near the Dandora landfill and plagued by illegal dumping and mismanaged waste was forced to close due to a surge in health problems among the students (link).
In Uganda, I witnessed over a hundred waste pickers toiling under deadly conditions in East Africa’s largest landfill, Kiteezi, for daily sustenance (link).
In Mali, some communities live on the top of waste dumps, suffering from poor water quality due to groundwater contamination (link).
This test empowers one with the knowledge to reduce toxic exposures and embark on a detox journey towards a healthier lifestyle. It’s tested using one’s urine for plastic chemicals including bisphenol, paraben, phthalate and oxybenzone. My results came out in concentrations of MEDIUM as compared to other Million Marker users and national data.
Chemicals identified by UNEP as associated with plastics and plastic production. What other evidence do you need? This is an urgent call to action to ban toxic chemicals in all virgin and recycled plastics, including additives and transition to a toxic-free and sustainable circular economy.
But then ladies and gentlemen, I don’t want to walk in this room smelling. This means my action to smell is not enough but should be a joint effort. But if we don’t want to smell then we all here have to make our stance on the global plastics treaty to ensure strong regulations on the plastic waste trade, set mandatory targets to cap and dramatically reduce virgin plastic production and provide sustainable alternative solutions to plastic packaging.
would hold polluting corporations and plastic-producing countries accountable
presents a vital opportunity to move away from the existing linear take-make-waste packaging economy and enable the flow of financial resources
sets legally binding, time-bound, and ambitious targets to implement and scale up reuse and refill to accelerate the transition away from single-use plastics
provides a just transition to safer and more sustainable livelihoods for workers and communities across the plastics supply chain, including those in the informal waste sector; and addresses the needs of frontline communities affected by plastic production, incineration, and open burning.
Through our efforts to promote social inclusion and foster youth participation, we are creating equitable policies and promoting generational sustainability. This is done through our projects like the Youth Climate Councils and Zero Waste Cities at local and global stages. While the world can draw valuable lessons from these actions, there remains much to be done. We further demand the enhancement of youth capabilities to empower them to negotiate for a future that is fairer, more equitable and free from plastics.
I proceeded to discuss the findings of my plastic test with family and friends, but they were surprised and questioned the possibility of such results (about 95 per cent of them). Their doubt underscores that developing a Global Plastics Treaty on its own is insufficient; we must also commit to educating grassroots communities about the impact of plastics to truly effect change. The plastic crisis is a toxic crisis, impacting everyone from the elderly to the young and even future generations. After discovering these toxins in my own body, the question isn't whether I should advocate for a robust and effective global treaty, but why are we not all doing so? These contaminants are not just in me; they are in all of us, from the oceans to our meals. Ladies and gentlemen, a comprehensive and equitable global plastics treaty isn’t just a need; it’s a birthright.
Betty Osei Bonsu is my name. This is my plastic toxic story.
