Plastic Wastes

40+ Intriguing Facts About Plastic Pollution That You Can’t Afford to Miss

Just as we cannot escape plastic in our lives so is plastic pollution. Almost everything that we come into contact with is plastic from teacups, computer mouse, mobile phones and plastic framed computer monitor among others. And this does not end there as we come into contact with plastic almost everywhere.

Plastic is like an epidemic and each person can relate to it. However, the big question is, “where does all this plastic go?” While some are recycled, some thrown into landfills and some is thrown loosely into the streets or our immediate environment, the loosely disposed plastic usually ends up into our waterways. Most of this plastic is found floating in the ocean waters most especially in the Indian Ocean where a lot of plastic is disposed in its waters

Tiny plastic beads have equally been found in several toiletries such as toothpaste and scrubs. Plastic does not just adversely impact the earth. Instead, it also affects people’s health. What’s more, plastic does not degrade instead it breaks down. Below are 40+ intriguing facts about plastic pollution.

Fact 1. There is high plastic pollution in the world. Over the last decade, human beings have produced a lot of plastic as compared to the whole period of the last century.

Fact 2. Every day tons of plastic is swept into the Pacific Ocean. Several plastic materials are swept into the Pacific Ocean. For example, in the Los Angeles area in the US, around 10 metric tons of plastic fragments such as soda bottles, straws, and grocery bags are thrown into the Pacific Ocean.

Fact 3. Around 50% of the plastic that people use are used only once. They are then they thrown away as waste.

Fact 4. The amount of plastic that is thrown away annually can circle the earth four times. The plastic thrown away is so much so that there is a need to ban it.

Fact 5. Currently, we can only recover around 5% of the plastic bags that we produce. Most of the plastic bags once used are thrown into as waste instead of being collected and recycled for later use. Very few plastic bags are recycled which is not healthy for our environment and human health in the long run.

Fact 6. An American throws away around 185 pounds of plastic each year. An average American throws away so much plastic bags which weigh hundreds of pounds.

Fact 7. Humans generate a lot of waste and plastic accounts for approximately 10% of the total waste. Human beings generate waste such as kitchen waste among other wastes. All these waste if not most of it is thrown into landfills, on our surrounding areas, or in the water bodies. While some of its may slowly degrade, plastic will never degrade.

Fact 8. The Americans throw away around 35 billion plastic water bottles annually. Bottled water is ready-made, portable and easily accessible hence most Americans opt for it. However, these bottles are not reused by people; they look for new ones once they are done. Subsequently, the amount of bottles that are thrown away by Americans is great which is worrying.

Fact 9. The body can absorb plastic chemicals. Approximately 93% of Americans who are age 6 and above have tested positive for BPA.

Fact 10. There are some compounds found in plastic which can alter hormones or even have some potential human health effects. PBC is one such chemical which significantly alters an individual’s hormones thus resulting in some negative health effects.

Fact 11. About 97% of plastics ever made still exist. Apart from the small amount of plastic that is incinerated, every other piece of plastic ever made continues to exist in some form or shape.

Fact 12. There are numerous microscopic particles of plastic that we consume unknowingly. There were samples which were collected from Lake Erie and 85% of those plastic particles were smaller found to be smaller than two-tenths of an inch and a lot of this was microscopic. In fact, the researchers found 1,500 and 1.7 million of the above particles per square mile.

Fact 13. There are so many ocean animals which are killed every year from plastic. Around one million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed each year due to plastic ingestion.

Fact 14. There is so much plastic trash which is left floating on the ocean’s surface. Plastic accounts for around 90% of all ocean trash with 46,000 pieces of plastic for each square mile.

Fact 15. Plastic does not degrade easily. It takes around 500-1,000 years for plastic to degrade. Plastic only breaks into very small tiny pieces but does not degrade thus polluting the environment.

Fact 16. Over a million bags of plastics are used annually across the globe. In a year, around 500 billion plastic bags are used globally.

Fact 17. Currently, Americans generate 10.5 million tons of plastic waste annually. However, they recycle only 1 to 2% of this amount.

Fact 18. Globally, the fishing industry dumps around 150,000 tons of plastic into the ocean annually. This does not include plastic nets, buoys, lines, and packaging among others.

Fact 19. A lot of energy is saved, around twice, through recycling of waste as compared to burning the plastic in an incinerator.

Fact 20. US law which implements an international agreement known as MARPOL Annex V, took effect in 31st December 1988. This law prohibits disposing of plastic into the marine environment and requires that ports provide reception facilities for ship-generated plastic waste.

Fact 21. In the swirling convergences within the oceans, there are billions of pounds of plastic and they make up around 40% of the worlds ocean surfaces.Around 80% of plastic pollution enters the ocean from the land.

Fact 22. Plastic in the oceans is believed to break down into very small segments. Each of these pieces of plastic from a one litre bottle could spread to each and every mile of beach all through the world.

Fact 23. 22% of cetaceans, 44% of all seabird species, all sea turtle and still growing list of fishes have been documented to have plastic in or even around their bodies.

Fact 24. There are countries that have already banned or even restricted the use of plastic bags. Examples include China, Australia, Ireland, and Bangladesh among other nations. However, Bangladesh and India have only banned those of over 5 microns.

Fact 25. Along the South African coast, there are 3,500 plastic particles for every square kilometer.

Fact 26. The annual consumption of plastic globally has increased from 5 million tons in the 50s to around 100 million tons currently.

Fact 27. Each and every US resident uses 1,200 plastic bags a year.

Fact 28. 72 billion gallons of water is required annually to make plastic bottles.

Fact 29. Around 24 million gallons of oil is required to produce one billion plastic bottles.

Fact 30. In the ocean, there are 48 particles of plastic for each particle of plankton.

Fact 31. In the US, approximately four out of five groceries bags used by the public is plastic.

Fact 32. Each and every year, the US processes about 100 billion plastic bags. This takes around 12 million barrels of oil. It clearly shows that a lot of petroleum oil is required to manufacture these plastic materials.

Fact 33. Around 80% of marine plastic pollution comes from the land. The plastic materials that are dumped into the oceans come from the land and they include aspects such as plastic bags, plastic cups, and other plastic household materials. Along the shores of the coastline, one tends to find plastic bottles, polythene bags, plastic cups among other objects. All these come from the land.

Fact 34. Most of the marine plastic debris concentrates in different regions of the North Pacific. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a vast gyre of marine debris in the North Pacific Ocean off the coast of California and is considered as the largest ocean garbage site in the entire face of the earth. It is stated that this floating mass of plastic is almost twice the size of Texas. Additionally, the plastic pieces outnumber the sea life in like six to one.

Fact 35. According to research done by Ellen MacArthur Foundation in January, the total amount of plastic waste will be greater than the total number of fish found in our oceans by 2050. Further, this amount is predicted to increase ten times by 2020.

Fact 36. A plastic cup takes around 50-80 years to decompose. A plastic cup has the non-renewable materials which are its basic components. This material does not degrade which is why plastic cups continue to exist up to now.

Fact 37. Most or all of the recycled plastic can be used to make things such as park benches, trash cans, decks, playground equipment, and kayaks among others.

Fact 38. Recycled plastic bottles can also be used to make special fleece-like fabrics which are used in blankets and clothes.

Fact 39. A plastic like a jug which takes 1 million years to decompose.

Fact 40. Around 1,200 plastic soft drink and salad dressing containers are able to cover an average living room.

Fact 41. According to EPA (2006), 46% of plastics are afloat on the world’s oceans and can drift for several years before later concentrating in the ocean gyres.

What is Plastic Pollution?

As the world’s population continues to grow, so does the amount of garbage that people produce. On-the-go lifestyles require easily disposable products, such as soda cans or bottles of water, but the accumulation of these products has led to increasing amounts of plastic pollution around the world. As plastic is composed of major toxic pollutants, it has the potential to cause significant harm to the environment in the form of air, water, and land pollution.

Put simply; plastic pollution is when plastic has gathered in an area and has begun to negatively impact the natural environment and create problems for plants, wildlife, and even the human population. Often this includes killing plant life and posing dangers to local animals. Plastic is an incredibly useful material, but it is also made from toxic compounds known to cause illness, and because it is meant for durability, it is not biodegradable

Next time when you go shopping, don’t forget to carry a paper or cloth bag. Also, try to avoid bringing plastic bags at home and purchasing items with too much packaging. This way you can help in contributing towards the environment in the form of reducing plastic pollution whose ill effects are irreversible.

I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE AIR WE BREATHE AND THE WATER WE DRINK. IF OVERFISHING CONTINUES, IF POLLUTION CONTINUES, MANY OF THESE SPECIES WILL DISAPPEAR OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH.
– BERNARD MARCUS

Various Causes of Plastic Pollution

While solving the problem of plastic pollution may seem as easy as just implementing recycling or cleaning up empty bottles, the truth is that the plastic causing the pollutioncan range in size from big to microscopic. The major contributors to this problem today include:

1. Plain Old Trash

Plastic is everywhere, even on those items you may not expect it to be. Milk cartons are lined with plastic, water bottles are handed out everywhere, and some products may even contain tiny plastic beads. Every time one of these items gets thrown away or washed down a sink, the toxic pollutants have more of a chance to enter the environment and do harm.

Trash dumps and landfills are unfortunate major problems, as they allow pollutants to enter the ground and affect wildlife and groundwater for years to come.

2. It is Overused

As plastic is less expensive, it is one of the most widely available and overused item in the world today. When disposed of, it does not decompose easily and pollutes the land or air nearby when burned in the open air.

3. Fishing Nets

Commercial fishing is an economic necessity for many parts of the world, and tons of people eat fish for their daily survival. However, this industry has helped contribute to the problem of plastics pollution in the oceans in several ways. The nets used for certain large-scale trolling operations are usually made of plastic.

First, these spend long times submerged in water, leaking toxins at will, but they also often get broken up or lost, left to remain wherever they fall. This not only kills and harms local wildlife, but also ensures that pollutants enter the water and fish of the area.

4. Disposing of Plastic and Garbage

This may sound a bit confusing, but because plastic is meant to last, it is nearly impossible to break down. Burning plastic is incredibly toxic, and can lead to harmful atmospheric conditions and deadly illness. Therefore, if it is in a landfill, it will never stop releasing toxins in that area.

Even recycling doesn’t cut down on plastic, as it essentially uses the existing plastic, albeit in a new form. The process of recycling plastic can also lead to plastic irritants being released in a number of ways.

Serious Effects of Plastic Pollution

It seems rather obvious that this amount of a material that isn’t meant to break down can wreak havoc on natural environments, leading to long-term issues for plants, animals, and people. Some of the major long-term effects of plastic pollution are:

1. It Upsets the Food Chain

Because it comes in sizes large and small, polluting plastics even affect the world’s tiniest organisms such as plankton. When these organisms become poisoned due to plastic ingestion, this causes problems for the larger animals that depend on them for food. This can cause a whole slew of problems, each step further along the food chain. Plus, it means that plastic are present in the fish that many people eat everyday.

2. Groundwater Pollution

Water conservation is already a concern in places ranging from California to parts of India, but the world’s water is in great danger because of leaking plastics and waste. If you’ve ever seen a garbage dump, imagine what happens every time it rains – then imagine that being in your drinking water. Groundwater and reservoirs are susceptible to leaking environmental toxins.

Most of the litter and pollution affecting the world’s oceans also derives from plastics. This has had terrible consequences on many marine species, which can lead to consequences for those that eat fish and marine life for nutrients – including people.

3. Land Pollution

When plastic is dumped in landfills, it interacts with water and form hazardous chemicals. When these chemicals seep underground, they degrade the water quality. Wind carries and deposits plastic from one place to another, increasing the land litter. It can also get stuck on poles, traffic lights, trees, fences, tower etc. and animals that may come in the vicinity and might suffocate them to death.

4. Air Pollution

Burning of plastic in the open air, leads to environmental pollution due to the release of poisonous chemicals. The polluted air when inhaled by humans and animals affect their health and can cause respiratory problems.

5. It Kills Animals

Despite countless TV ads over the years showing ducks or dolphins trapped in six-ring plastic can holders, these items are still used and discarded en masse each day. Whether because the mass of plastic has displaced animals or the related toxins have poisoned them, plastic pollution does a lot of damage to the world’s ecosystems.

6. It is Poisonous

Man artificially makes plastic by using a number of toxic chemicals. Therefore, the use of and exposure to plastics has been linked to a number of health concerns affecting people around the world. The processes of making, storing, disposing of, and just being around plastics can be extremely harmful to living things.

7. It is Expensive

It costs millions of dollars each year to clean affected areas after exposure, not to mention the loss of life to plants, animals, and people. As land becomes more valuable, just finding a place to put garbage is becoming a problem in many parts of the world.

Plus, excess pollution leads to decreased tourism in affected areas, significantly impacting those economies.

Effective Solutions to Plastic Pollution

The reality is that the only way this problem can be addressed is by individuals and companies around the world agreeing to implement practices that reduce waste on every level. The top tips for reducing plastic waste are:

1. Shop Friendly

Plastic bags were once a modern convenience but can be efficiently replaced by reusable bags, many of which fold up compactly in order to be portable. Just think about how many bags you typically carry out of a grocery store, and multiply that by the number of times you grocery shop. That’s a lot of plastic! Carry a bag and always reuse plastic bags as much as possible if you have them.

2. Get Rid of Bottled Water

People are meant to drink lots of water each day, and plastic water bottles have become a great way to stay hydrated throughout the day. However, most of these are only recommended for single use, and that means that every time someone finishes a bottle, it goes into the trash. Many companies now sell reusable water bottles as a substitute, reducing plastic waste and exposure to leaking bottles.

3. Forget to-go Containers

You would be surprised at how much plastic is involved in the making and packaging of food containers. Think the coffee shop’s drink cup is paper? It’s likely lined with plastic for insulation (pour a cup of coffee on some cardboard and see what happens).

Plastic food containers, lids, and utensils are all easily replaced by reusable containers, which will cut down significantly on even a single meal’s waste.

4. Educate Businesses

Speak to local restaurants and businesses about options that they can switch to for packaging, storing, and bagging items. Many companies are starting to come up with excellent low-cost replacements, such as bamboo utensils in place of plastic ones.

5. Get Involved

Speak to lawmakers and get involved with government on any level, and you’ll see how many special interest groups have made it so that we are dependent on plastic without needing to be. Encourage the development of items, and propose alternatives when applicable.

6. Recycle Everything

Try and select items that come in non-plastic recycled and recyclable packaging, to do your best to properly handle items that can’t be reused. Check everything before you put it in the trash, as more and more items are able to be recycled these days.

Remember that because plastic doesn’t break down easily (if ever), recycling plastic means that it is still plastic, just being used for a different purpose. Therefore, you’re not actually reducing plastic amounts or exposure, even in the recycling process.