(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) A new study conducted by scientists at the University of Leeds has revealed a staggering global plastic pollution crisis, highlighting the deadly consequences of insufficient waste collection. The research, which utilized artificial intelligence (AI) modelling, identified the 10 countries responsible for the highest levels of plastic pollution and warned that millions of lives are at risk due to the improper disposal of waste.
52 million tonnes of plastic uncollected in 2020
According to the study, 52 million tonnes of uncollected plastic waste were released into the environment in 2020, significantly raising health concerns for the affected populations. Dr. Costas Velis, the lead author of the study, emphasized the severity of the issue:“This is an urgent global human health issue-an ongoing crisis: people whose waste is not collected have no option but to dump or burn it.”
AI-powered modelling, based on data from 500 cities across 127 countries, allowed researchers to predict annual waste production and track the fate of plastic. Globally, more than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and approximately 52 million tonnes of it are either burned or dumped openly, contributing to environmental degradation and severe health risks.
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(Infographic Credit: Dr. Angeliki Savvantoglou of Bear Bones)
India: The world's biggest plastic polluter
Contrary to earlier studies that identified China as the leading contributor to global plastic pollution, the latest findings revealed that India is now the top polluter. In 2020, India generated 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste, accounting for nearly a fifth of the world's uncollected plastic. This situation is exacerbated by the country's massive population of 1.4 billion and poor waste collection infrastructure.
India's plastic waste output exceeds that of Nigeria and Indonesia, the second and third largest polluters, respectively. Nigeria produced 3.5 million tonnes of plastic waste, closely followed by Indonesia with 3.4 million tonnes. China, once the world's largest polluter, has improved its waste collection and processing systems, dropping to fourth place with 2.8 million tonnes.
High plastic production in Sub-Saharan Africa
The report also highlights significant concerns in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite producing less plastic overall compared to larger nations, countries in this region generate a disproportionately high amount of plastic waste per capita. For example, the Democratic Republic of the Congo was ranked as the tenth biggest producer of plastic waste in 2020, contributing one million tonnes. Sub-Saharan Africa averaged 12 kilograms of plastic pollution per person in 2020, the equivalent of 400 plastic bottles per person annually.
In comparison, the UK, which ranked 135th in the study, produces just three plastic bottles worth of pollution per person each year, generating only 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste annually. The US, though more significant in plastic production, ranked 90th, with 47,649 tonnes of waste per year-over 10 times more than the UK.
![ALARMING! India Is World](https://menafn.com/updates/pr/2024-09/05/AN_1b1d988b-1_Image_In_Body.jpg)
(Infographic Credit: Dr. Angeliki Savvantoglou of Bear Bones)
Burning of plastic waste: A serial killer
One of the most alarming findings from the study is the prevalence of open burning of plastic waste in countries lacking proper waste collection. In 2020, over half of the world's uncollected waste-30 million tonnes-was burned without environmental controls, releasing harmful toxins into the air.
Dr. Velis noted the devastating effects of this practice,
“Setting the plastics on fire may seem to make them 'disappear,' but the open burning of plastic waste leads to substantial human health damage, including neurodevelopmental, reproductive, and birth defects, as well as widespread environmental pollution.”
Communities in poorer countries, which lack access to safe disposal methods, are the most affected by these toxic emissions. The study estimates that 15% of the world's population-roughly one billion people-live without waste collection services, leaving them vulnerable to the health risks posed by plastic pollution.
Waste exports and global inequities
The researchers also highlighted the ethical concerns surrounding the export of waste from richer countries to poorer nations. Although it is illegal in the UK to export waste for anything other than recycling, investigations have shown British waste being dumped illegally on roadsides in Turkey and in landfills in Indonesia. This global inequality worsens the pollution crisis, as poorer nations are left to manage waste from wealthier countries without adequate facilities.
Dr. Josh Cottom, a co-author of the study, stressed the importance of addressing this crisis, "The health risks resulting from plastic pollution affect some of the world's poorest communities, who are powerless to do anything about it. By improving basic solid waste management, we can both massively reduce plastic pollution and improve the lives of billions.”
![ALARMING! India Is World](https://menafn.com/updates/pr/2024-09/05/AN_7ac3259f-c_Image_In_Body.jpg)
(Infographic Credit: Dr. Angeliki Savvantoglou of Bear Bones)
The study underscores the urgent need for global cooperation to address the plastic waste crisis. While developed nations, such as those in Europe and the US, produce significant amounts of plastic, they tend to manage it more effectively through better collection and processing systems. However, the research emphasizes that wealthier countries must take responsibility for the waste they generate and ensure that it is not offloaded onto poorer nations without the capacity to handle it.
Improving solid waste management in developing countries, increasing investment in recycling infrastructure, and enforcing stricter regulations on waste exports are critical steps needed to combat the growing plastic pollution problem. Without such measures, millions of lives remain at risk, and the environmental impact of plastic waste will continue to worsen.
Which countries produce the most plastic waste?
India: 9,275,777
Nigeria: 3,532,479
Indonesia: 3,352,229
China: 2,808,179
Pakistan: 2,567,461
Bangladesh: 1,748,215
Russia: 1,702,453
Brazil: 1,444,824
Thailand: 995,718
Democratic Republic of the Congo: 963,328
Philippines: 819,843
Egypt: 807,596
Iraq: 799,891
Tanzania:
778,932
Mexico: 767,447
Vietnam: 754,959
Myanmar: 725,433
Ethiopia: 651,876
Uganda: 617,565
South Africa: 609,757
Kenya: 602,475
Iran: 560,725
Angola: 550,441
Sudan: 529,961
Turkey: 486,398
Afghanistan: 457,234
Cameroon: 432,957
Ukraine: 417,655
Cambodia: 413,564
Uzbekistan: 395,211
Côte d'Ivoire: 394,834
Ghana: 385,727
Morocco: 385,558
Algeria: 379,622
Argentina: 350,880
North Korea: 344,633
Syria: 328,329
Yemen: 327,239
Mozambique: 323,380
Sri Lanka: 273,779
Peru: 270,769
Guatemala: 263,614
Venezuela: 249,864
Nepal: 238,989
Kazakhstan: 238,988
Haiti: 229,493
Somalia: 225,305
South Sudan: 215,243
Zambia: 215,139
Senegal: 214,610
Chad: 211,833
Mali: 205,639
Rwanda: 201,068
Malaysia: 197,552
Madagascar: 190,784
Burkina Faso: 185,331
Malawi: 171,474
Benin: 168,522
Zimbabwe: 162,871
Tajikistan: 156,028
Paraguay: 154,547
Colombia: 153,451
Burundi: 145,231
Romania: 141,944
Tunisia: 129,723
Papua New Guinea: 129,684
Laos: 127,090
Honduras: 126,403
Serbia: 126,143
Jordan: 124,391
Niger: 122,201
Kyrgyzstan: 118,570
Togo: 99,108
Nicaragua: 99,108
Azerbaijan: 90,491
El Salvador: 89,809
Ecuador: 88,460
Guinea: 85,918
Mauritania: 83,749
Republic of Congo: 79,951
Bolivia: 79,523
Dominican Republic: 79,382
Turkmenistan: 70,966
Liberia: 60,755
Sierra Leone: 59,936
Belarus: 55,703
Central African Republic: 50,706
Bulgaria: 50,612
Cuba: 48,447
United States: 47,649
Lesotho: 44,823
Eritrea: 43,719
Lebanon: 43,520
Panama: 41,213
Libya: 40,313
Namibia: 36,896
Bosnia and Herzegovina: 33,423
Equatorial Guinea: 33,101
Mongolia: 32,469
Botswana: 32,272
Gambia: 29,142
Palestina: 28,427
Georgia: 27,950
Costa Rica: 24,190
Jamaica: 23,653
Albania: 22,259
Guinea-Bissau: 22,175
Kosovo: 20,974
Swaziland: 20,084
Djibouti: 19,978
Timor-Leste: 18,139
Moldova: 17,712
Macedonia: 16,312
Armenia: 15,872
Comoros: 11,306
Chile: 11,283
Solomon Islands: 8,956
France: 8,832
Gabon: 7,838
Germany: 7,725
Italy: 7,684
Poland: 7,079
Maldives: 7,015
Belize: 6,972
Trinidad and Tobago: 6,962
Guyana: 6,907
Spain: 6,241
Vanuatu: 6,209
Japan: 6,185
Fij:i 6,182
Montenegro: 5,762
Bhutan: 5,694
Cape Verde: 5,693
Western Sahara: 4,736
United Kingdom: 4,622
Suriname: 4,199
São Tomé and Príncipe: 3,681
Saudi Arabia: 3,444
Mayotte: 3,079
Canada: 3,024
Oman: 3,019
South Korea: 2,857
Hungary: 2,707
Samoa: 2,613
Mauritius: 2,544
Australia: 2,198
Greece: 1,909
Puerto Rico: 1,909
Czech Republic: 1,549
Taiwan: 1,398
Lithuania: 1,393
Micronesia: 1,361
Kiribati: 1,354
Austria: 1,239
Saint Lucia: 1,185
Portugal: 1,181
Belgium: 1,167
Netherlands: 1,156
Tonga: 1,123
Slovakia: 1,087
Uruguay: 961
Latvia: 956
Sweden: 918
United Arab Emirates: 918
French Guiana: 916
Croatia: 901
Dominica: 798
Switzerland: 731
Grenada: 694
Finland: 663
Ireland: 659
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: 607
Denmar:k 606
Israel: 605
Norway: 527
Slovenia: 525
New Zealand: 518
Marshall Islands: 465
Reunion: 392
Hong Kong: 341
Kuwait: 273
American Samoa: 238
Bahamas: 237
Guadeloupe: 236
Estonia: 224
Anguilla: 218
Martinique: 197
Palau: 195
Singapore: 175
Qatar: 171
Greenland: 142
Barbados: 138
Seychelles: 121
Wallis and Futuna: 119
Curaçao: 112
Tuvalu: 112
Cyprus: 106
New Caledonia: 99
Saint Helena: 89
Northern Cyprus: 89
Virgin Islands, U.S.: 78
Brunei: 77
Antigua and Barbuda: 71
Luxembourg: 69
Aruba: 68
Saint-Martin: 63
French Polynesia: 55
Bahrain: 55
Christmas Island: 48
Saint Kitts and Nevis: 43
Guam: 41
Malta: 34
Cayman Islands: 32
Iceland: 31
Niue: 30
Northern Mariana Islands: 27
Macao: 25
British Virgin Islands: 24
Turks and Caicos Islands: 24
Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba: 23
Sint Maarten: 21
Montserrat: 20
Tokelau: 16
Faroe Islands: 14
Andorra: 12
Jersey: 10
Isle of Man: 9
Bermuda: 8
Guernsey: 8
Cocos Islands: 7
Paracel Islands: 7
Åland: 6
Nauru: 6
Cook Islands: 5
Akrotiri and Dhekelia: 5
Saint-Barthélemy: 5
Liechtenstein: 5
San Marino: 5
Falkland Islands: 3
Monaco: 2
Saint Pierre and Miquelon: 1
Gibraltar: 1
Pitcairn Islands: 1
Svalbard and Jan Mayen: 1
Norfolk Island: 1
Vatican City: 0
*All figures in tonnes per year
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