A new study on global plastic pollution published by the University of Leeds in Nature Journal is drawing criticism for its oversight of ‘waste colonialism’—the practice whereby high-income countries export plastic waste to lower-income nations. Critics argue that the study’s analysis fails to adequately address the environmental and social implications of this trend, which disproportionately affects vulnerable communities in developing countries.
A study published on September 4 reveals that over two-thirds of the annual 57 million tons of plastic pollution comes from countries in the Global South. The report highlights India, Nigeria, and Indonesia as emerging hotspots for plastic waste and warns that Sub-Saharan Africa may evolve into the world’s largest source of plastic pollution in the coming decades.
Critics contend that the study unfairly shifts blame onto countries receiving exported waste by omitting pollution linked to plastic production and the significant impact of plastic waste imports from the Global North. They argue that this oversight distorts the true scope of the issue.
Data from the Basel Action Network (BAN) indicates that countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, and India rank among the leading destinations for plastic waste from wealthier nations. “If the Global North is truly committed to addressing plastic pollution, it must halt the millions of tons of plastic waste being exported to the Global South,” stated Pui Yi Wong of BAN (Malaysia).
Environmental groups highlight that the plastic waste trade has resulted in significant environmental damage, health crises, and even cross-border criminal activity in affected nations. Therese Karlsson, Science Advisor at the International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) in Sweden, criticized the study for fostering a “dangerous and false impression” that the US and European countries play a minimal role in the plastic crisis. She stressed the need for the Global North to be held accountable not only for its plastic production but also for the “illegal waste trafficking” that worsens the situation in the Global South.
The study’s failure to include exports from high-income countries, despite acknowledging “significant data gaps,” has faced backlash from environmental organizations. Lauren Weir, Senior Ocean Campaigner at the Environmental Investigation Agency UK, highlighted that the UK exported 568 million kilograms of plastic waste in 2023, a rise from the figures reported in 2020, the year used in the study.
In response to the findings, Nalini Shekhar of Hasiru Dala, an organization supporting waste pickers in India, expressed concern over the prevalence of multi-layered plastic (MLP) and sachets, which are frequently discarded and difficult to recycle. She called for political will to phase out single-use plastics.
This is not the first instance of Global South nations being blamed for the plastic crisis. In 2022, the Ocean Conservancy retracted a similar report, apologizing for neglecting to address the responsibilities of developed countries.
The study’s narrow focus on uncollected waste and open burning neglects the greenhouse gas emissions associated with plastic production, which pose a significant threat to global climate goals, according to Swathi Seshadri of the Centre for Financial Accountability in India.
This study arrives as international negotiations for a Global Plastics Treaty are set to take place, with UN member states scheduled to meet in South Korea for the fifth round of discussions in November. Critics caution that if studies like this go unchallenged, they could shape the negotiations in a manner that fails to provide systemic solutions to the global plastic crisis.
