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Shocking images of pollution around the world -

We are very close to the tipping point. If we don't do something, the entire planet will look like this in a few decades.

© Getty Images

Montevideo, Uruguay - State-owned petrol company ANCAP has an oil refinery near this beach, where black waves of residue and garbage litter the seaside in Montevideo, Uruguay.

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Ciudad Juárez, Mexico - Despite the sign reading "The disposal of hazardous waste is prohibited," a stack of old tires make a Christmas Tree of sorts right next to it.

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia - A young boy carries a bag full of used bottles that's bigger than him on his back. He'll sell these bottles on the streets of Phnom Penh to make his living.

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Masaya, Nicaragua - In this garbage dump in Masaya, a dog scavenges for food and stares hungrily into the camera.

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Asunción, Paraguay - People stroll across this bridge found above a stream that's become more garbage than water.

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Islamabad, Pakistan - A strong gust of dusty wind hurls garbage through a slum, engulfing a little girl.

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Seoul, South Korea - This massive city (of nearly 10 million people) was photographed here from an observation deck. You can't make out much of Seoul, however, because of the city's smog.

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Warsaw, Poland - In the grate of this sidewalk, cigarette butts nearly block out all the blackness from below.

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Somerset, USA - The coal-fired power plant in a residential area of Somerset, Massachusetts is now permanently fenced off after it was closed down.

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Port-au-Prince, Haiti -

Holding up a sheet of film negatives that he found among the trash, this boy stands in the middle of a garbage dump.

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Mumbai, India - These locals have to cross this heavily polluted canal to collect water in their jugs.

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Bangkok, Thailand - This floodgate also serves as a garbage gate for the trash accumulating in Bangkok's water channel system.

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Islamabad, Pakistan - Smoke bellows from the stacks above this brick factory where the employees traverse through black exhaust.

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Yangon, Myanmar - In search of firewood, this man pauses briefly to gaze over the trashy distance in this garbage dump in Yangon.

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Colombo, Sri Lanka - Behind a flying bird, a man gazes at the plastic garbage he must collect to later sell in the city.

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Phnom Penh, Cambodia - These soda pop cans have been collected for recycling, forming a multicolored mess.

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Minsk, Belarus - In the Ecores waste plant, this plastic is being wrapped up for processing.

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Jezkazgan, Kazakhstan - This UK-owned copper smelting plant emits white smoke over the surrounding area.

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Chandigarh, India - This man sorts plastic bottles on World Environment Day on June 5, 2017.

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Ciudad Juárez, Mexico - Old tires pile up just off the freeways in Ciudad Juárez, where this graveyard of rubber can be found.

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Somerset, USA - The disused Brayton Point coal-fired power plant's cooling towers sit adjacent to this suburban home in Somerset, Massachusetts.

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Karachi, Pakistan -

Deep freezers and refrigerators that are no longer of use clog up this empty lot.

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Bangkok, Thailand - On its way to the Prabkaya Recycle Factory, this waste is collapsed and compacted before it's shipped off.

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Karachi, Pakistan -

These motorcycles have been seized for traffic violations and accidents by the police, but have just been discarded in this field.

See also: Top tips to improve the air quality in your city

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