The Plastic Pollution Crisis

For decades, plastic pollution has infiltrated every aspect of our planet, contaminating the water we drink, the food we eat, and even our bodies. Globally, an estimated 11 million tonnes of plastic waste enter aquatic ecosystems each year. Microplastics also accumulate in soil through sewage, landfills, and agricultural plastic use, with the annual social and environmental cost of plastic pollution estimated between US$300 billion and US$600 billion. Plastic pollution worsens the triple planetary crisis: climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.

World Environment Day 2025 Goals

World Environment Day 2025, under the #BeatPlasticPollution campaign, aims to mobilize global communities to adopt and promote solutions to this pressing issue. It will highlight growing scientific evidence on plastic pollution’s impacts and encourage actions such as refusing, reducing, reusing, recycling and rethinking plastic use. The event will also build on the global commitment made in 2022 to end plastic pollution through a legally binding international treaty.

Jeju Province: A Model for Change

Jeju Province, the host location for WED 2025, is leading by example in the fight against plastic pollution. In 2022, Jeju set a goal to become plastic-pollution-free by 2040. The province has implemented innovative waste management systems, including mandatory waste separation at designated recycling support centers, which has increased recycling rates and repurposing of waste. Jeju is also the first province in the Republic of Korea to introduce a disposable cup deposit system, further reducing plastic waste.

Himachal Pradesh’s Commitment

Himachal Pradesh has a strong history of tackling plastic pollution through various initiatives like prohibition on Single Use Plastic items, launch of plastic waste buy-back scheme etc. HIMCOSTE continues to lead efforts to create a cleaner, greener state. The Environmental Photography Competition 2025 aligns with #BeatPlasticPollution, encouraging students to contribute to this global movement.