188 Environmental Groups Call for an end to Single Use Products, as the United Nations Environment Assembly gets set to discuss sustainability

Canopy News 17 February 2021

For Immediate Release: February 17, 2021 – As government representatives from 193 countries prepare to discuss “Strengthening Actions for Nature”^[1], 188 environmental groups from around the world are calling on them to change the systems that support production of polluting single-use products.

The environmental groups today issued a joint position paper “From Single Use to Systems Change”, to highlight the massive impact that disposable products are having on the natural environment, wildlife, human health, and vulnerable communities.

Single use products, from packaging to food containers, to disposable cups and cutlery, are a key contributor to the 2 billion tonnes of waste that humans produce every year. That number is projected to increase 70% by 2050.

“We’re depleting the very life support systems that we all need to survive, simply for the supposed convenience of single-use products,” said Tamara Stark, Campaigns Director of Canopy, one of the authoring organizations of the joint position paper. “Doing away with disposables will not only reduce waste but help address climate change, protect forests, and stop microplastics from poisoning marine life.”

To read the full press release visit Canopy News