The concern about plastic getting bigger by the day. With the plastic tax being discussed as we speak, we can only hope that we find a way to reduce the amount of plastic being produced soon before it all gets out of hand.
Here are some facts from ‘Production, use, and fate of all plastics every made’ an article which was published in 2017. These numbers will make you reconsider paying that 5p for a plastic bag or choosing supermarkets that are overloaded with plastic and start considering eco-friendly options.
- Since the 1950’s we have produced over 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic.
(That’s enough plastic to cover every inch of the UK ankle-deep more than 10 times over)
- Less than 10 % of this plastic has been recycled at least once.
- Only 12 % has been incinerated.
- 79 % of plastic has gone into landfills or the natural environment.
- The largest market of plastic is in packaging, which was accelerated by the global shift from re-usable to single-use containers.
- Most of the monomers used to make plastics, such as ethylene and propylene, are derived from fossil hydrocarbons. None of the commonly used plastics are biodegradable.
- 1 in 3 Sea Turtles are known to have ingested plastic
If these facts have helped you more aware of the issues around plastic, there are things you can do to help.
Switching to reusable containers and eco-friendly options will slow down the circulation of plastic.
If you run a business, switch to paper bags.
If you use plastic bags, invest in cotton and eco-friendly alternatives.
