UN experts warn of “toxic tidal wave” as plastic pollutes environment and threatens human rights

Source: https://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2023/06/un-experts-warn-toxic-tidal-wave-plastic-pollutes-environment-and-threatens

Author: Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

GENEVA (1 June 2023) – The world must beat the toxic tidal wave of plastic pollution that threatens human rights, UN experts* said today, urging States and other stakeholders to put rights at the centre of the international treaty on plastic pollution currently under negotiation. Ahead of World Environment Day, they issued the following joint statement:

“Plastic production has increased exponentially over recent decades and today the world is generating 400 million tonnes of plastic waste yearly. All stages of the plastics cycle have adverse impacts on human rights. We are in the middle of an overwhelming toxic tidal wave as plastic pollutes our environment and negatively impacts human rights in a myriad of ways over its life cycle.”