World Pollution Prevention Day

World Pollution Prevention Day is observed on December 2 each year. This important holiday reminds us how much waste the average person produces and the global crisis that improper disposal can cause.

History

Have you ever wondered where the largest garbage dump on the planet is? Surprisingly, it’s the Pacific Ocean, which contains an estimated 90,000 tons of waste. Air pollution is another major issue, particularly in low- and middle-income countries—WHO identifies India, Mongolia, Indonesia, Afghanistan, and Qatar as having especially poor air quality. Standards and regulations have been established to address these challenges.

Plastic is the biggest culprit: in dishes, bags, appliances, and packaging. Disposable plastic items are often discarded carelessly, leading to buildup in landfills and oceans. Worse, plastic can take up to 200 years to decompose!

Interesting Facts

• Every week, we each consume around 5 grams of microplastics—about the size of a credit card—through food and air.
• People have littered even in space: fragments of spacecraft and tools are floating in orbit.
• Cigarette butts are the most common form of litter, contributing significantly to air and land pollution.
• Over 70 percent of all trash consists of food-related packaging.

How to Take Part

Join local events and clean-up efforts to learn more and make a difference. Reduce plastic use, recycle correctly, and encourage your community to plant trees and adopt sustainable practices.

When is World Pollution Prevention Day in 2025?

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

Observations