International Mountains Day marked as countries prepare for expanded control of plastic waste

Hot on the heels of the discovery of plastic waste pollution in snow deposits on Mount Everest at 8,440 metres above sea level, International Mountains Day is marked in Geneva with a reminder that the first and to date only legally-binding international agreement on curbing plastic waste becomes effective in 184 countries on 1 January 2021.

The growth of plastics production since the mid-20th century has substantially outpaced any other manufactured material. Approximately 6.3 billion tonnes of plastic waste have been generated since 1950, of which 12 per cent has been incinerated, less than 10 per cent recycled and nearly 80 per cent either discarded or landfilled.

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