Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste are generated worldwide, with a significant portion being discarded into nature due to improper management, Deputy Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan Rauf Hajiyev told a COP29 event "Effective Plastic Waste Management for Climate Resilience: Understanding Challenges and Exploring Opportunities" held in Baku, Report informs.
According to Hajiyev, plastic waste is one of the biggest problems having a serious impact on the environment and human health on a global scale: "This leads to ecosystem disruption, death of marine and terrestrial organisms, and increased risks to human health. The process of plastic production and waste incineration leads to the emission of large amounts of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, which accelerates global warming and intensifies the negative effects of climate change."
Hajiyev noted that recently, important steps have been taken in Azerbaijan towards solid waste management, state programs have been adopted, the legislative framework has been improved, and modern infrastructure has been created.