Oman's Plastic Waste Crisis: 111 Kg Per Capita Makes Nation a Global Leader in Plastic Pollution

Oman is projected to have 111 kg of mismanaged plastic waste per person by 2024, highlighting an acute national plastic pollution problem. To illustrate, this quantity is like discarding a full household refrigerator in plastic per person each year, making the scope of the issue tangible.

EA Earth Action's report highlights that 12 countries generate 60% of mismanaged plastic waste, despite representing only 7.11% of the global waste management complexity, emphasising the problem's concentration in a few nations.

The report also notes that since 2021, plastic waste generation worldwide has increased by 7.11%—a sharper rise than the 4.5% growth recorded in 2015. As a result, an estimated 220 million tonnes of plastic waste will be produced this year, with about 70 million tonnes expected to enter the environment. This worsening trend illustrates the ongoing challenges in effective plastic waste management globally.

Identifying the countries at the forefront of this crisis, the report highlights twelve nations notorious for mismanagement, including China, Russia, Brazil, Mexico, India, Vietnam, Iran, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, the United States, and Turkey. India appears to fare better in this context, with an expected 7.4 million tonnes of plastic waste mismanagement in 2024. This figure is notably lower compared to the overwhelming outputs from China and the United States, with India's projections being less than one-fifth and one-third of these countries' figures, respectively. To illustrate the human impact of this crisis, consider the coastal village of Nabire in Indonesia, where local fishers struggle with increasingly clogged waters and plastic pollution. Such real-world examples point to the need for urgent intervention and for empowering communities severely affected by global plastic pollution.

The report introduces 'Plastic Overshoot Day', the date when plastic consumption surpasses Earth's sustainable capacity, with India reaching it on 23 April, underscoring the urgent need for policy intervention.

Sarah Perreard, co-CEO of EA Earth Action and the Plastic Footprint Network, states, "Improvements in waste management are outpaced by rising plastic production, making progress almost invisible." Her statement encapsulates the challenge that arises when production outpaces management efforts.

A 2022 UN Environment Assembly resolution launched a global agreement to address plastic pollution by unifying worldwide efforts to tackle the crisis collectively.

The fourth session of this initiative is scheduled for 23 and 29 April 2024 in Ottawa, Canada, with the fifth session planned for 25 November to 1 December 2024 in Busan, South Korea, providing key opportunities for policymakers and advocates to shape strategies for addressing plastic pollution.

Outlining success under this forthcoming treaty can help stakeholders envision their role. A tangible outcome could be a 30 per cent cut in single-use plastics by 2030, which transforms policy jargon into a motivating shared goal.