A giant sculpture made from trash has been installed in New York.

Unfortunately, litter on the streets of New York is not a new phenomenon. Candy wrappers, cigarette butts, latex gloves, clothing and cups litter sidewalks and roads. A new sculpture on the High Line by artist and activist Benjamin Von Wong raises questions about the disposable world that surrounds us, reports Time-out.

Over the weekend, cosmetics brand Kiehl's unveiled a sculptural installation by the artist. The work can be seen on the High Line until April 17. How New York is carrying out a garbage revolution - read in our material.

The aptly titled Single Use Reflections encourages people to take a closer look at the waste we create and how we can change it. New Yorkers will be required to buy special trash cans - read more about this here.

What does a work of art look like?

A mountain of disposable household and beauty products covered in silver paint amounts to Single Use Reflections framework. Laundry detergent bottles, containers and lotion dispenser bottles combine to create a visual spectacle with menacing, tentacle-like arms.

The artwork may seem a little overwhelming, but it helps people understand how to find solutions to global problems.

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Mirrors protrude from the sculpture, emblazoned with phrases like “I am a refill warrior.” They encourage visitors to rethink their dependence on disposable products.

“Everyone knows that New York has a big problem with garbage. This sculpture perfectly encapsulates both the problem and part of the solution – using reusable materials,” said Von Wong.

Reusable

According to the UN Program, people around the world throw away more than 400 million tons of plastic every year. To help combat this, Kiehl's plans to make all of its products reusable or made from recycled materials by 2030.

This installation is part of the brand's #DontReBuyJustRefill campaign. They have already launched many products with refillable packaging such as face creams, shower cleanser, shampoo and conditioner.

“The waste and pollution created by the linear take-use-throw away economy is pushing our planet towards a world of scarcity. As New Yorkers, we produce nearly 8 million tons of waste that ends up in landfills, incinerators or littering our cities,” said Maggie Kerwick, Global Head of Sustainability for Kiehl's.

The cosmetics brand's development goals align with the city's commitment to reuse and recycling. She hopes the sculpture will inspire behavior change and increase collaboration between sectors.

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"The highest landfill in the world"

In 1988, Kiehl's sponsored the Everest Expedition, the first ascent of the mountain's east face without supplemental oxygen. As it turned out, about 600 people trying to conquer this 8-meter peak each leave behind 8 kg of garbage. Today, Everest is so littered with waste that it is called "the world's tallest garbage dump."

This year, Kiehl's returns to Everest in partnership with Sagarmatha Next and the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee's Carry Me Back initiative. They want to help remove and recycle 22 tons of waste from Everest National Park and the Khumbu region of Nepal.

Although pollution of the tallest mountain on the planet may seem like an extremely distant problem to New Yorkers, the sculpture is intended to remind everyone of the problems of pollution. We can all take small steps to help the planet.