Beat Plastic
Pollution
World Environment Day 2025
Mohammad Sabbier Hassan
June 9, 2025
Purpose of the Session
Raise Awareness: Help Global Connection: World Empower Action: Equip every
everyone understand the Environment Day is observed every employee with knowledge and tips
seriousness of plastic pollution year on June 5 — this year’s theme to make a difference at work and at
and its long-term consequences. focuses on reducing plastic waste. home.
2 June 9, 2025
Global Statistics & Trends
400 Million Tons: That’s how
much plastic the world produces
each year. Nearly half is single-use.
Only 9% Recycled: Most plastic
waste ends up in landfills, oceans,
or is incinerated.
By 2050: There could be more
plastic than fish in the ocean by
weight if no action is taken (source:
UNEP).
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Why Does Plastic Take So Long to Biodegrade?
Plastic & Its Resistance to Nature
Chemical Structure:
What is plastic made
Plastics like polyethylene
of? PET
(used in bags and bottles)
Plastics are synthetic
and polypropylene (used Time bottle:
polymers made from long
in food containers) have
chains of hydrocarbons 450
derived mainly from
strong carbon-carbon to
bonds, making them
petroleum and natural
resistant to natural Degrade: years
gas.
decomposition.
No Enzymes = No
Decomposition:
Lack of Biodegradable
Unlike food or paper, Plastic Fishing
Properties:
Microorganisms that
plastic lacks natural
enzymes for breakdown.
bag: 10– line: 600
typically break down
organic material cannot
Sunlight may break it into 1,000 years
digest these synthetic
smaller pieces
(microplastics), but it
years
polymers.
does not fully
decompose.
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Plastic Usage & Pollution in India – Key Statistics (2024)
India’s Plastic Reality – By the Numbers
Annual Plastic Waste:
India generates over 3.5 million metric tonnes of plastic waste every year
(CPCB, 2023).
Urban Areas Contribution:
About 60% of this waste comes from urban centers due to packaging, shopping
bags, and food containers.
Single-Use Plastics:
Nearly 43% of plastic produced in India is used for single-use applications like
packaging and disposable items.
Recycling Rate:
India recycles approx. 60% of its plastic waste, higher than the global average
(9%), but informal recycling sectors dominate.
Uncollected Waste:
Over 26,000 tonnes/day of plastic remains uncollected, clogging drains, rivers, and
5 June 9, 2025
landfills.
What is Plastic Pollution?
Definition: Plastic pollution occurs when
plastic products accumulate in the
environment, harming wildlife,
ecosystems, and human health.
Types of Plastic Waste: Includes single-
use plastics (bags, bottles, straws),
packaging, and microplastics found in
cosmetics and cleaning agents.
Persistence: Plastics can take hundreds
of years to decompose, making their
presence long-lasting and damaging.
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Impact on the Environment
Oceans & Rivers: Over 11 million tons of
plastic end up in the oceans each year,
harming marine life and ecosystems.
Wildlife Harm: Animals often mistake plastic
for food, leading to internal injuries or death.
Land Pollution: Plastics clog drainage,
contribute to urban flooding, and degrade
soil health
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Impact on Human Health
Microplastics in Food & Water:
Tiny plastic particles have been
found in drinking water, seafood,
and even salt.
Air Pollution: Burning plastic
releases toxic fumes that can
lead to respiratory and hormonal
problems.
Long-term Effects: Exposure to
chemicals in plastics may be linked
to cancers, fertility issues, and
developmental problems.
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Workplace Contribution
Common Sources:
Disposable cups,
water bottles,
packaging materials,
and food wrappers.
Unseen Waste: Plastic
Many items, like Footprint: Even
plastic-wrapped small daily
tools or shipping plastic use adds
materials, often up to significant
go unnoticed. waste over time.
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What We Can Do at Work
Set Up Waste Segregation: Label
Switch to Reusables: Encourage the Avoid Single-Use Items: Say no to
bins clearly for plastics, paper, and
use of reusable water bottles, lunch plastic cutlery, disposable cups, or
organic waste to enable recycling
boxes, and shopping bags. straws.
shipping materials, often go unnoticed.
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What We Can Do at Home
Reuse & Refill: Use
Refuse & Reduce: Say Sustainable Choices:
refill stations for
no to plastic bags and Shift to cloth bags,
detergents or oils, and
reduce purchases with bamboo toothbrushes,
reuse jars and
excessive packaging. and steel containers.
containers.
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Quick Quiz “How long
does a plastic
bottle take to
decompose?”
“What
percentage of
plastic is
recycled
worldwide?”
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Thank You for joining the session
Message: "Together,
we can beat plastic
pollution — one Encouragement:
choice at a time." Everyone should take at
least one small
sustainable step today.
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Partner for
positive change
World Environment Day 2025
Prepared by: Mohammad Sabbier Hassan
metso.com
