• The global plastic problem is bigger than recycling alone. 
  • Waste colonialism reminds us that simply moving waste from one place to another is not a solution.

Many people believe that putting plastics in recycling bins helps the planet. The truth is more complicated. A large amount of plastic waste from wealthy countries is shipped to less developed countries, which more often than not lack the infrastructure and resources to manage it.

This practice is known as waste colonialism. Despite being marked as "recycling," the majority of this waste isn't really processed into new products.

Local recycling systems these less developed countries often cannot handle it safely. Instead, plastics are dumped, or openly burned.

This causes serious environmental damage, polluting soil, water, and air, and exposing nearby communities to harmful chemicals. Recycling in this way does not make plastic disappear, it just moves the problem to someone else.

Waste pickers play a crucial role in managing plastic. They recover around 60 percent of the world’s recyclable plastic. Yet they work with little protection, low pay, and high health risks.

Read More

  1. Rethinking Waste: Simple Habits For A Cleaner Planet
  2. The Runway's Carbon Shadow: Fashion Weeks Under The Climate Lens
  3. How Broken Bottles Tell Stories of Environmental Neglect

The plastics they handle may carry germs, toxic fumes, or break down into microplastics. Despite their importance, waste pickers are often left out of policy discussions, even though their work is essential to recycling systems in many countries.

This shows a bigger truth: there is no “away” for plastic. Waste exported from one country becomes another country’s problem. Plastics thrown away in cities eventually reach rivers, oceans, air, and even human bodies.

This global trade in waste shows that we need to rethink not only how we manage plastic, but how much we use in the first place.

To address waste colonialism, we need to reduce plastic at the source. Using reusable, refillable, and non-toxic materials can cut down the amount of waste created.

At the same time, waste pickers should be supported, integrated into formal recycling systems, and given better working conditions.

The global plastic problem is bigger than recycling alone. Waste colonialism reminds us that simply moving waste from one place to another is not a solution.

A sustainable future requires reducing plastic production, using safer alternatives, and making sure that the burden of pollution is shared fairly rather than dumped on vulnerable communities.

Follow us on WhatsApp for real-time updates, community voices, and stories that matter.