Members of 'Wajinga Sisi,' a volunteer group that is engaging in the clean-up and beautification of Ngong River in Nairobi, on March 30, 2022. [File, Standard]
Have you ever asked yourself what could be the raw material from which plastic is made?
Well, plastic can be synthetic or organic. Organic plastics are made from starch, vegetable fats/oils, bacteria and other biological substances. As such, they are largely biodegradable. Synthetic plastics on the other hand are derived from crude oil, natural gas or coal. They don’t biodegrade. As such, if not managed properly, production only leads to accumulation in the environment.
On average, when you hear the word plastic, it would be in reference to synthetic plastic – which are disproportionately the most abundant.
“Worldwide plastic pollution cannot be arrested without addressing production,” says Prince Papa, a proponent of renewable energy. “This is because 99 per cent of plastics come from fossil fuels.”
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Papa is among leading voices in Kenya and Africa pushing for the development and ratification of the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty. He is the Africa campaigner for the treaty.
“It will do one thing that no other treaty is seeking to do: end the expansion of fossil fuel production – especially by wealthy nations – therefore achieving as much with production of plastic,” he says.
The treaty seeks to phase out fossil fuel production – wealthy nations phasing out fastest – with the aim of limiting global warming in line with IPCC’s (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) 1.5°C target limit.
Fossil fuels are used to generate energy to power cars, trains, ships, and planes. They are also used to generate electricity and other domestic and industrial energy needs.
“When fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) – a greenhouse gas causing global warming,” Papa says.
Fossil fuel extraction – whether it is for fuel or plastic production – has dangerously accelerated the climate crisis driving nearly 90 per cent of all carbon emissions in the last ten years.
Also, methane gas – a greenhouse gas – is being released from landfills and dumping site: methane from the waste sector is the third-largest human source of methane after agriculture and fossil fuel sectors.
Plastic, therefore, is a key factor contributing to the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.
As the world moves more towards renewable green energy – such as the growing fervor for electric cars – producers of fossil fuels are pivoting to plastics to maintain profitability.
For example, in 2018, in Dubai, standing before petrochemical executives, Amin Nasser, CEO of Saudi Aramco – Saudi Arabia’s national oil producer – spelt out the company’s future vision; which included investing USD100 billion in expanding production of plastic and petrochemicals.
Production of plastic has climbed from 2 million metric tons in 1950 to more than 500 million metric tons today: a jaw-dropping 25,000 per cent increase.
“The fossil fuel treaty has several proposals, among them development of alternatives. We are aware of the Plastic Treaty that is already being negotiated. However, it does not stop production. That’s why we are pushing for the fossil fuel treaty which will dwindle production,” says Papa.
So far, 16 nation states are participating in discussions on the fossil fuel treaty.