World Pollution Prevention Day

World Pollution Prevention Day is on December 2nd each year. This is an incredibly important holiday, as it is difficult to comprehend just how much garbage the average person produces. Unfortunately, many of us still don’t understand just how hazardous it is to throw away waste in places where it doesn’t belong, as this ultimately leads to a global crisis.

History

Have you ever wondered where the largest garbage dump on the planet is located? Surprisingly, it’s the Pacific Ocean, with an estimated 90,000 tons of waste! Air pollution is another major issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified India, Mongolia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Qatar as having particularly bad air pollution. To combat this, certain standards have been established to strive for.

The big problem is plastic. Plastic is everywhere. Dishes, bags, appliances, packaging — all of them contain plastic. Disposable items made from plastic are often carelessly tossed away, which leads to plastic piling up in landfills and floating in the ocean. What’s more, it takes up to 200 years for plastic to decompose!

Interesting facts

Here are some sad facts that we don’t often think about:

• Every 7 days, we each consume around 5 grams of microplastics — this is comparable to the size of a single bank card. It enters our bodies through our food and the air we breathe.
• People have even managed to litter in space — fragments of spacecraft and other objects are floating in orbit.
• Smokers are the biggest contributors to air pollution, as not everyone properly discards their cigarette butts.
• Over 70% of all garbage is comprised of food-related packaging.

How to take part

Events are held every year to try and make people more aware of the importance of taking care of the planet. To make a difference, start with yourself and attend meetings to learn more about the situation. Get rid of plastic as much as possible, and learn how to recycle and do it correctly. Create a movement and plant trees in your neighborhood!

When is World Pollution Prevention Day in 2024?

World Pollution Prevention Day is observed on December 2 each year.

Observations