Trash apocalypse: 52 million metric tons of plastic waste chokes Earth yearly

A recent study reveals that the world generates 57 million tons of plastic pollution annually, with over two-thirds coming from developing nations.

The waste is spreading across the globe, from the depths of the oceans to the highest mountain peaks, and even inside human bodies.

Researchers are now raising alarms about the far-reaching consequences of this growing environmental catastrophe.

A global snapshot of plastic waste

The new study compares the amount of plastic pollution produced by more than 50,000 cities worldwide. Researchers at the University of Leeds estimated that 52 million metric tons of plastic waste end up in the open environment each year—enough to fill Central Park in New York City to the height of the Empire State Building.

Unlike plastic that ends up in landfills or is properly incinerated, this study focused on plastic that is carelessly discarded or burned in open environments, creating serious environmental hazards.

Professor Costas Velis from Leeds University highlighted that in many developing nations, government waste collection services fail to manage plastic properly. Southeast Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa have emerged as the worst offenders, primarily due to the lack of waste disposal systems for 15% of the global population.

Some of the worst plastic-polluting cities identified include Lagos, Nigeria, New Delhi, India, and Luanda, Angola. India tops the global list, generating over 10 million tons (9.3 million metric tons) of plastic waste annually—more than twice the volume produced by other nations, such as Nigeria and Indonesia.

Surprisingly, China, which is often criticized for its environmental footprint, ranks fourth but has made substantial progress in tackling waste issues.

Global south and the plastic problem

The study’s findings have sparked conversations about the responsibility of the Global South in managing plastic pollution. Velis emphasized that the root of the issue lies in the lack of resources and government capacity to handle waste, not in the actions of individuals or communities.

He stated, “We shouldn’t put the blame on the Global South… it’s just a lack of resources and ability of government to provide the necessary services.”

While industrialized nations like the United States and the United Kingdom produce relatively lower amounts of plastic pollution, with the U.S. ranking 90th and the U.K. at 135th, they have been criticized for contributing to the problem indirectly.

For years, many wealthier nations have exported plastic waste to poorer countries, creating a loophole that allows them to avoid dealing with their own pollution.

Despite efforts to curb plastic waste trade, such as China’s ban on plastic imports, experts like Theresa Karlsson of the International Pollutants Elimination Network argue that the trade of plastic waste between countries is still increasing.

She described the volume of plastic pollution as “unmanageable,” pointing out that the global production of plastic continues to rise, which worsens the crisis.

The human health risk: Microplastics everywhere

The impact of plastic pollution is not just environmental—it’s also a growing threat to human health. Microplastics, which are small plastic particles resulting from the breakdown of larger waste, have been found in nearly every corner of the world. From the Mariana Trench to the peak of Mount Everest , and now even in the tissues of human bodies, plastic has become an invisible menace.

Velis referred to microplastics as a “big time bomb,” explaining that most of these particles are released in the Global South, further complicating waste management issues in poorer regions. “We already have a huge dispersal problem. They are in the most remote places… in what we breathe and what we eat and what we drink,” he warned.

Numerous studies this year have found microplastics in drinking water, as well as in human tissues like hearts, brains, and even reproductive organs. While doctors and scientists are still uncertain about the long-term health effects of these findings, the presence of plastic in human bodies is becoming an increasingly concerning issue.

Outside experts like Neil Tangri from GAIA, a global network of environmental justice advocates, caution that the focus on managing plastic waste shouldn’t overshadow the need to reduce plastic production. “It’s necessary but it’s not the whole story,” Tangri said, warning that tackling pollution alone won’t address the root cause of the crisis—rampant plastic production.

As the world prepares for the final negotiations on a legally binding treaty to combat plastic pollution in South Korea this November, the pressure is mounting on governments and industries to find lasting solutions to this global problem. The United Nations has projected that global plastic production, already at 440 million tons (400 million metric tons) annually, could triple by 2050, leaving the planet “choking in plastic.”

Experts agree that without drastic action, future generations will inherit a world increasingly buried in plastic waste, with potentially devastating environmental and health consequences.

The study was published in the journal Nature .