​Since 1973, World Environment Day has brought together millions of people from more than 150 countries to raise awareness of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. It is celebrated on 5 June under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Every year, a specific environmental issue takes centre stage. This year's World Environment Day campaign focuses on the fight against plastic pollution under the theme “#BeatPlasticPollution". This year's campaign calls for collective action to tackle plastic pollution and implement sustainable practises that promote systemic change. Further information, materials and presentations can be found on the World Environment Day website, where you can also watch a short video.

​Plastic pollution can be solved

Plastic pollution is ubiquitous, from the deepest point of the ocean in the Mariana Trench to the highest point on Mount Everest. It exacerbates a triple planetary crisis: the crisis of climate change, the crisis of nature, soil and biodiversity loss, and the crisis of pollution and waste.

Worrying facts:

• Every year, around 11 million tonnes of plastic end up in aquatic ecosystems.

• Around 13 million tonnes of plastic accumulate in the soil every year.

• Plastic breaks down into microplastics and nanoplastics, which enter the food chain and can have harmful effects on health. Microplastics have been found in human arteries, lungs, brains and even breast milk.

• In 2025, the world is expected to consume 516 million tonnes of plastic.
  

• By 2060, annual global plastic consumption is expected to reach more than 1.2 billion tonnes.

The European Union (EU) is on the way to a green transition. The EU has adopted the European Green Deal - a package of policy initiatives designed to guide the EU towards its ultimate goal of climate neutrality by 2050. Part of the Green Deal is to recycle 55% of plastic packaging waste by 2030.

In 2022, the member states of the United Nations Environment Programme agreed to start negotiations on an international legally binding instrument to combat plastic pollution, including in the marine environment. Since then, the countries have held five meetings on plastic pollution. In the third year of negotiations, the second part of the fifth meeting will take place in Geneva from 5 to 14 August 2025. The meeting will provide an opportunity to finalise a global treaty that defines the management of plastic and protects human health and the environment.

The circular economy is the future

In 2022, the EU generated almost 186.5 kilogrammes of packaging waste per person, with plastic packaging accounting for 36 kilogrammes.

Only 9% of plastic is actually recycled worldwide (OECD, 2022). The rest is thrown away, ends up in waste incineration, landfill or pollutes the environment. Data from 2021 shows that China has the largest recycling capacity in the world. In 2021, more than 31% of plastic waste was recycled there. In Europe, Ireland and Germany are the leaders in plastics recycling (European Parliament, 2024).

Recycling is necessary, but it is not enough. The key is to change our attitude towards waste and the environment. Transitioning to a circular economy, improving recycling infrastructure and raising awareness are steps in the right direction. In a circular economy, we utilise resources for as long as possible by extracting the maximum value from them during use and then recycling and reusing products and materials at the end of their useful life. To improve the circular economy of plastics, we need to ensure that more and more plastic waste is recycled and does not end up in landfill or in the environment.

New rules for less waste and more reuse in the EU

The current EU directive on packaging and packaging waste was first adopted in 1994 and has been revised several times since then. Several revisions of the directive have shown that it has not succeeded in reducing the negative impact of packaging on the environment.

On 16 December 2024, the Council of the European Union formally adopted the new Regulation on packaging and packaging waste, which will apply 18 months after its entry into force. The rules will significantly reduce packaging waste by setting binding targets for reuse, restricting certain types of single-use packaging and requiring economic operators to minimise the amount of packaging used. The regulation covers the entire life cycle of packaging.

Plastics in Slovenia

❗30,516 tonnes of plastic packaging and plastic waste were produced in Slovenia in 2023 (SiStat).

Regulation on the prohibition of placing of certain single-use plastic products on the market in the Republic of Slovenia and on the labelling of certain plastic products (available in Slovenian language), in accordance with the terms of Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment, sets restrictions on certain single-use plastic products for placing on the market in the Republic of Slovenia and requirements for their labelling.

By adopting the Act on the prohibition of placing certain single-use plastic products on the market in the Republic of Slovenia (available in Slovenian language), in accordance with the terms of Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment (OJ L 155, 12.6.2019, p. 1) Slovenia prevents and reduces the impact of certain plastic products on the environment and human health.

Help to reduce plastic waste:

🌍 Instead of single-use plastic bags, use reusable cloth shopping bags and reusable containers for food packaging.

🌍 Before you throw away broken items, try to repair them.

🌍 Buy sustainable and locally produced food and drinks.

Local products often have less plastic packaging than imported products.

🌍 Use your own reusable cups, glasses or bottles instead of plastic bottles.

🌍 Use natural alternatives for cleaning. Avoid harsh cleaning products in plastic packaging.

🌍 Enjoy your coffee by using a coffee filter instead of plastic coffee pods, for example.

🌍 Separate waste properly.

🌍 Empower yourself for sustainable development. As part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), we are implementing the project Effective Education for Green and Digital Transition, where we also organise lectures on the green and digital transition and raise awareness on sustainable development among staff and students. You are welcome to attend future lectures, which will be announced at dogodki.um.si.