Pollution

Fight against plastic pollution in Lae

The billboards feature winning drawings from a poster competition run during a World Environment Day event hosted by WGJV in June 2019.

Primary school students from Bowali, Amba, Butibam, Huonville, St Martin and Milfordhaven displayed their best drawings on the theme ‘Beat Plastic Pollution’ and resulted in winning posters picked by a panel of judges.

The drawings were turned into billboards and placed around Lae City.

Plastic bags a sensitive topic

At the launch of Brian Bell Group’s paper bag initiative, former Minister for Environment & Conservation, John Pundari, and Managing Director of the Conservation and Environment Protection Authority, Gunther Joku, said they await on advice from the State Solicitors to guide them as they had authorised certain manufacturers of plastic shopping bags in PNG with permits from 22 to 25 years.

Working together for cleaner cities

Phase two of Japan’s Technical Cooperation Project for the Promotion of Regional Initiative on Solid Waste Management in Pacific Island Countries (J-PRISM II) tries to address this issue.

Pollution linked to one in six deaths

Almost all of these deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries, where pollution could account for up to a quarter of deaths. Bangladesh and Somalia were the worst affected.

Air pollution had the biggest impact, accounting for two-thirds of deaths from pollution.

Brunei and Sweden had the lowest numbers of pollution-related deaths.

Most of these deaths were caused by non-infectious diseases linked to pollution, such as heart disease, stroke and lung cancer.

Protect the ocean from plastic trash!

Environment advocate Professor Augustine Mungkaje of the University of PNG revealed that many of the man-made rubbish that are thrown into the sea can still be there after hundreds of years.

He explained that all sea creatures, from the largest to the microscopic organisms, are, at one point or another, swallowing the seawater soup instilled with toxic chemicals from plastic decomposition.

Preventing more plastics from getting into the sea is another huge challenge.

Polluted environments kill 1.7 million children each year, WHO says

The causes include unsafe water, lack of sanitation, poor hygiene practices and indoor and outdoor pollution, as well as injuries.

The new numbers equate to these pollutants being the cause of one in four deaths of children 1 month to 5 years old.

One new report highlights that the most common causes of child death are preventable through interventions already available to the communities most affected. These causes are diarrhea, malaria and pneumonia, which can be prevented using insecticide-treated bed nets, clean cooking fuels and improved access to clean water.

Over 12,000kg of rubbish collected from cleanup campaign

The cleanup campaign ran for five weeks from October 17 to November 20.

It was aimed to raise awareness on pollution and the impacts of plastic on the marine and coastal environment.

The initiative saw 37 different groups involved in the voluntary cleanup with 37 cleanup activities and also involved 29 presentations and community engagement and awareness.

The campaign is an initiative of the Sustainable Coastlines PNG (SCPNG) in partnership with the National Capital District Commission.

Business houses urged to take on clean-up campaign

The campaign is an initiative of the Sustainable Coastlines PNG (SCPNG) in partnership with the National Capital District Commission and runs from October 17 to November 13.

The campaign will involve clean-up events for registered groups throughout the four week period.

SCPNG founder and chief executive officer Ryley Webster said this is a fantastic opportunity to involve businesses and staff in meaningful and educational activities.

Webster said these activities will contribute to improved environmental and social outcomes.

Obama ventures to tiny Pacific island fighting a tide of trash

Barack Obama landed on the remote Pacific island of Midway less than a week after the US President created the world's largest protected marine reserve in the area surrounding the tiny atoll.

It's a big green feather in Obama's cap as he seeks to cement his environmental legacy before he leaves office.

Beijing and Delhi: Two cities and two ways of dealing with smogs

When Beijing's air was forecast to reach hazardous levels for three straight days earlier in December, the government issued a smog red alert. The result: Half the city's cars were off the roads within hours, schools were closed and construction sites shut down. Less than three days later, pollution levels had dropped by 30 percent.