Q&A: Activist Betty Osei Bonsu on plastic waste, finding solutions, and galvanizing youth | Stories | WWF

Globally, we’re facing a plastic pollution crisis at a scale we’ve never seen. But the impacts of this crisis are not felt equally. From the production to the disposal of plastics, the most vulnerable communities often experience the worst effects of pollution. 

The nature of the problem underscores the inequity of a global economy that prioritizes disposability over sustainability. Many wealthy nations send their plastic waste to low- and medium-income countries that lack adequate infrastructure to properly manage it. But the low investment in waste management and varying standards of national regulation have not kept pace with the surge in plastic production, particularly during the past 20 years. As a result, the cost to low-income countries specifically is 10 times that of high-income countries, and a staggering 93% of the deaths associated with plastic production and disposal are in those countries.

Plastic pollution is a crisis of our own making. However, the good news is that we can fix it. The UN Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution provides a landmark blueprint for ensuring that plastics never end up as trash. There is strong backing for the treaty among governments and businesses, buoyed by overwhelming support among global consumers to reduce plastic pollution.

We believe the treaty can provide a crucial turning point to a more sustainable, equitable global economy. To realize this ambitious outcome, WWF is calling for a set of binding rules that include international bans and strict regulation on the highest-risk single-use plastic and microplastics.

Activists play a significant role in encouraging governments to effectively tackle the plastic pollution crisis. Among them is Betty Osei Bonsu, 26, who grew up in a small town in Ghana and serves as the country manager for the Green Africa Youth Organization in Uganda where she implements major sustainable community projects. Her work focuses on building community capacity for environmental and waste management, creating green jobs, inspirational storytelling, and mobilizing youth activists. 

Read on to learn about how she’s working toward solutions and mobilizing youth—for people and the planet.