Plastic and Health: Southeast Asia Unveiled | A Photo Exhibit
Submit your photo and let it speak volumes on the reality of the plastics crisis at a gathering of world leaders.
Introduction
The plastic pollution crisis is a health crisis–a growing concern that profoundly affects human health, the environment, and the healthcare industry. Southeast Asia’s fast urbanization, growing middle class, and lack of waste management infrastructure have made the region a hotspot for plastic pollution. In fact, according to research, 75% of the world's exported waste is sent to Asia, where many countries, including those in Southeast Asia, already face significant waste management challenges. Unfortunately, these vulnerable nations are increasingly becoming the world's dumping ground.
Without a doubt, plastics contribute to environmental degradation, pose health risks to communities, and create operational challenges for healthcare facilities. The healthcare sector, while heavily reliant on plastic products like gloves and tubings, for medical supplies and infection control, contributes significantly to carbon emissions. Improper disposal leads to plastic fragments polluting the environment, with up to 80% found on shorelines. While essential for medical care, the healthcare sector’s reliance on plastics is creating a mounting waste crisis, threatening both the environment and operational efficiency.
On a brighter note, it is encouraging to see that the health sector in Southeast Asia, despite being part of the plastic pollution problem, is also actively contributing to the solution. Many health facilities across the region have embarked on innovative practices to address plastic waste. These facilities are implementing cutting-edge strategies and showcasing best practices that prove plastic reduction is not only feasible but also beneficial. Their efforts highlight a growing commitment to sustainability and serve as inspiring examples of how the health sector can lead the way in mitigating plastic pollution.
As the international community prepares for the next round of negotiations on the Global Plastics Treaty (GPT) in Busan, South Korea this November 25 - December 2, 2024, it is crucial to highlight the threats that plastic pollution poses to public and planetary health, its profound impact on the healthcare sector, and the sector’s ongoing efforts to combat this crisis.
Through this photo exhibit, we aim to shed light on these realities, ensuring that Southeast Asia's voice is strongly represented in the global dialogue through the power of visual storytelling with photographs.
Be part of a Photo Exhibit and People’s Campaign for a Just and Equitable Plastics Treaty!
Submit your photo and let it speak volumes on the reality of the plastics crisis at a gathering of world leaders.