Humans have littered the planet, from ocean depths to mountain peaks, with tiny plastic shards.
Millions of tons of plastic produced yearly, largely from fossil fuels, make their way into the environment, and we have even absorbed these microplastics into our bodies. As scientists have recently identified their presence in the body, it is likely that humans have been drinking, eating, and breathing in plastics.
As the world celebrated International Plastic Bag Free Day this past June, an environmental group in the Philippines, BAN Toxics, urges President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to prioritize the plastic crisis in the country during his term and take action for proper chemicals and waste management and in the ratification of the Basel Ban Amendment.
The Basel Convention on Hazardous Wastes Management and Disposal was established to protect both human health and the global environment from the negative effects of improper hazardous waste management.
One of the Philippines’ biggest waste challenges is the plastic pollution crisis. In 2015, the country ranked third as the world’s greatest plastic waste producer, with 2.7 million tons produced each year.
The group further recommends that the new government prioritize sound chemicals and waste management, climate change mitigation, plastic reduction, and promotion of the toxics-free schools program.
Since the organization’s formation in 2006, BAN Toxics has been a non-profit, non-governmental organization whose mandate is to promote and advocate environmental justice by promoting sound chemicals and waste management.
The organization was established to respond to urgent waste issues besetting the Philippines.
MSN. (n.d.). ‘They’re everywhere’: microplastics in oceans, air and human body. [online] Available at: https://www.msn.com/en-ph/news/other/they-re-everywhere-microplastics-in-oceans-air-and-human-body/ar-AAZ8dcz?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=b9787a632be14f5bbc321b506f3180ee [Accessed 4 Jul. 2022].
journal.com.ph. (2022). Environmental Group To President-elect Marcos: Prioritize Environmental Issues | Journal Online. [online] Available at: https://journal.com.ph/environmental-group-to-president-elect-marcos-prioritize-environmental-issues/ [Accessed 4 Jul. 2022].
About Concordia International College of Asia and the Pacific
Concordia International College is Canada’s premier private college that provides the highest quality academic and career programs to local and international students in areas of highest need. As we have grown over the years, we have attracted a diligent group of specialized instructors, and developed first-class programs after frequent consultations with experts in each of our program areas. We offer diploma and qualification courses, such as TESOL and TEC.
About Concordia International University
Concordia International University is an educational institution offering certificate, diploma, higher diploma, and postgraduate diploma programs progressing to undergraduate and postgraduate degrees locally and internationally. We have a network of colleges located in many countries (the USA, Europe, Australia, Canada, Korea, and the Philippines) and offer online and offline courses and online-to-offline (O2O) courses. We serve as a platform university for students looking for a clear path into international universities and colleges at a more affordable price, at a faster pace. Through our online-to-offline program, students have an easier way of completing their courses abroad through our affiliations with a multitude of universities and colleges in Singapore, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, the United States, and many more.
Learn More https://iconcordia.org/
