Soup of the Day? Plastic Soup!

June 04, 2025

The Planet’s Most Polluted Dish – And we are Eating it

Imagine sitting down for dinner. On the menu? A large, hot bowl of microplastic broth, seasoned with polythene, garnished with floating plastic pallets, and a side of degraded bottle caps, straws, and styrofoam. Sound ridiculous?  Probably. But the reality is not far off! 

World Environment Day 2025 is fast approaching, and the message could not be clearer: Beat Plastic Pollution. But first, we must face a stark reality that we have turned our oceans into a massive bowl of plastic soup. We are now consuming the very materials we use to wrap our food, and we are the ones bearing the consequences. In fact, a recent study has shown that we may be consuming up to 5 grams of microplastics per week. 

From Convenience to Contamination – The Plastic Problem 

Plastic pollution is a pressing global issue. But how did it get there? Since 1907, when the first synthetic plastic was invented, humans have found numerous uses for plastic due to its versatility and wide range of properties, including being lightweight, durable, ductile, moldable, and resistant. Today, we live in a world dominated by plastic. On average, 430 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year. It plays an invaluable role in our everyday lives, from daily use plastics and life-saving devices to the transportation and construction industry, just to name a few.

However, there is a major problem. More than 50% of plastic is discarded after only a single use. Of these single-use plastics, 98% are derived from fossil fuels, meaning that carbon emissions are released at every stage of production, exacerbating climate change. To make matters worse, only 9% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. This raises the question: where does the rest go? While much plastic ends up in landfills, a significant amount enters our oceans.

Ocean Gyres and the Plastic Soup Phenomenon. 

According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), every year, 19 – 23 million tonnes of plastics enter our lakes, rivers and oceans. That is the same as having 2,000 garbage trucks dump plastic every single day.  In 2023, scientists estimated that our oceans currently carry about 171 trillion pieces of plastic. At the current production rate, by 2050, our oceans will contain more plastic than fish. 

Once in the ocean, circular currents called “gyres” carry plastics around the world, where they accumulate and form dense, island-like patches.  Exposed to natural elements like sunlight, wind, and wave action, plastics break down into smaller and smaller particles, turning them into microplastics. This accumulation of plastics in the world’s oceans, from large debris to small microplastics, is what is known as plastic soup.

The problem with all these plastics in our water bodies is that they pollute lakes, rivers, and oceans by releasing harmful chemicals, disrupt habitats, alter natural processes, and reduce the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate change. They also directly harm marine life, where fish get entangled in nets and various other plastic components or die as a result of eating floating plastic debris. According to the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), approximately 300,000 whales, dolphins, and porpoises die every year from abandoned fishing gear.  

Plastic Pollution Affects Humans Too.

 Plastic enters our bodies mainly through ingestion and inhalation. Microplastics accumulate in animals and fish from the environment and move up the food chain until they reach us. When we consume contaminated food, plastics build up in our bodies. Chemicals released from these plastics are linked to adverse health effects, including cancer, hormonal disruptions, reproductive issues, lung disease, and cognitive impairments. In 2022, scientists found microplastics in the blood of 80% of people tested. This is particularly alarming given the potential negative impacts on human health.     

Beating Plastic Pollution

Still, all hope is not lost. Amidst the crisis, a beacon of hope still shines. In 2022, the UN General Assembly took a historic step by adopting its first-ever resolution affirming the right to a clean environment and drawing a strong connection between plastic pollution and ocean protection.

To beat plastic pollution, we must act swiftly and decisively—there is no time to waste. Meeting the UNEP’s goal of reducing plastic waste by 80% over the next 20 years demands bold, transformative action. The first and most crucial step is to “turn off the tap” by halting the production of unnecessary single-use plastics. From there, the focus must shift to reusing what we already have and recycling plastics wherever possible. UNEP estimates this transition could save US$4.5 trillion in social and environmental costs and create around 700,000 new jobs globally.  But these changes will only succeed if every individual plays their part, and lasting progress depends on empowering future generations to carry the torch forward.

Youth-Led Change – The EAA Foundation Way 

Education Above All Foundation strongly believes in leading by example. Since today’s youth will be tomorrow’s decision-makers—those who will lead the fight against plastic pollution—it is paramount to educate, empower, and equip them with the skills to tackle this crisis. 

Using EAA’s youth-led climate action arm, the ROTA Programme, in collaboration with Aflatoun International, thousands of young people from Indonesia stepped up as change agents, cleaning up plastic waste in their communities, creatively repurposing it into various products, such as handbags and lamps. The highlight of their efforts was a striking red dress made entirely from recycled plastic, worn as a powerful fashion statement.  

While small, such changes, which leave an impression, are the catalysts that add up to create a lasting effect. So, let’s all join the fight this World Environment Day 2025 and write a better recipe. Let’s take plastic soup off the menu for good by educating ourselves and others, reducing single-use plastics, supporting local clean-ups, and advocating for sustainable policies.