This year’s theme is ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution’, a call for global action to end plastic pollution.
Today is the 50th anniversary of World Environment Day. This year’s theme is ‘Solutions to Plastic Pollution’, a call for global action to end plastic pollution. Each year, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste flows into the world’s oceans; this volume is expected to triple by 2040. More than 800 marine and coastal species are affected by this pollution through eating, getting entangled, and other dangers. NL is highlighting a record for recycling with residents returning close to 210 million beverage containers to local green depots between April 1, last year to March 31, 2023. This surpasses last year’s record by 2.8 million containers. Additionally, in 2020 Newfoundland and Labrador became the second province in Canada to implement a ban on the distribution of retail plastic bags. This province’s greenhouse gas emissions were 8.3 million tonnes in 2021. Government expects to reduce emissions by another 615 thousand tonnes by 2030.