Poor people in vast city slums across the Global South are burning plastic to cook their food, warm their homes and boil water for hot showers.
Waste plastic is plentiful and highly flammable. So it’s not surprising people in developing countries, mainly in Africa, Asia and Latin America, are putting it to use – especially as wood is increasingly scarce.
But burning plastic is hazardous, as it releases toxins into the surrounding air – and possibly into the food on the stove.
