Sofia Martinez
Plastic is everywhere. From the moment we wake up in the morning to the moment we go to bed at night, we are surrounded by plastic. Plastic is so durable and prevalent that it has become a significant environmental concern. Every piece of plastic ever made still exists in one form or another, and it is accumulating in our oceans, on our beaches, and in our landfills. While some types of plastic are designed to degrade, others can persist for decades or centuries. The impact of plastic pollution is devastating for sea life, with marine mammals ingesting and becoming entangled in plastic debris, and seabirds starving as plastic reduces the storage volume of their stomachs. As plastic production continues to increase, it is essential to re-evaluate our relationship with this material and take conscious actions to reduce our plastic consumption and waste.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Plastic decomposition | Plastic does not decompose, which means that all plastic produced and present in the environment is still present in one form or another. |
| Plastic in landfills | 79% of all plastic produced has been dumped in landfills. |
| Plastic in the ocean | 3% of all plastic produced ends up in the ocean. |
| Plastic in the ocean (projected) | Plastic is expected to outweigh all the fish in the sea by 2050. |
| Plastic in the ocean (current) | There are an estimated 15-51 trillion pieces of plastic in the ocean, with no square mile of surface ocean free of plastic pollution. |
| Plastic and sea life | Plastic ingestion reduces the storage volume of the stomach, causing starvation in sea life. 60% of all seabird species have eaten plastic, with that number predicted to increase to 99% by 2050. Dead whales and endangered sea lions have been found with bellies full of plastic. |
| Plastic and human life | Humans ingest a credit card's worth of plastic per week. |
| Plastic and the environment | Plastic is damaging to the planet, from the extraction of fossil fuels to the toxins released when burned. |
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What You'll Learn
Plastic is everywhere, from the ocean to the food chain
Plastic is everywhere, from our homes and offices to the ocean and the food chain. It is estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic entered the ocean in 2010, and the problem continues to grow. Plastic does not decompose, so all the plastic that has ever been produced and has ended up in the environment is still present in one form or another.
The plastic in the ocean comes from littering, improper manufacturing processes, and industrial fishing. Single-use plastic items such as water bottles, takeout containers, and plastic bags are often not disposed of properly and end up in waterways and, eventually, the ocean. Marine animals can mistake plastic debris for food, and derelict fishing nets can entangle and kill them. As plastic breaks down in the ocean, it turns into microplastics, which are tiny particles less than 5mm in size. These microplastics can be ingested by marine animals and enter the food chain, leading to disastrous consequences for the environment and human health.
Microplastics have been found in drinking water, salt, beer, soil, and the food we eat. Studies have shown that people who eat mussels often may consume up to 11,000 microplastics per year. Additionally, the chemicals used to produce plastic can interfere with hormones, causing reproductive, neurological, and immune disorders.
The impact of plastic pollution in the ocean is widespread, threatening ocean health, marine species, food safety, human health, and coastal tourism. It is essential to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic items and properly dispose of waste to prevent plastic from entering the ocean and the food chain. By taking individual actions and supporting organizations working to protect our oceans, we can all play a part in reducing plastic pollution.
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Plastic does not decompose, it accumulates
The plastic that has ended up in the environment is still present there in one form or another. In the ocean, which is where a lot of discarded grocery bags, soft drink bottles, and six-pack rings end up, plastic is exposed to as much light as water. This exposure to UV light, or photodegradation, causes the plastic to break down into smaller pieces, which can be toxic. These toxic chemicals, such as bisphenol A (BPA) and PS oligomer, can end up in the guts of animals or wash up on shorelines where humans can come into direct contact with them.
Plastic buried in landfills rarely sees the light of day and can take much longer to decompose. Resistant plastics like PET take much longer to decompose since they require UV light to break down, not bacteria. It is estimated that plastic water bottles take around 450 years to decompose in landfills, plastic bags take 20 years, and fishing lines take around 600 years.
The accumulation of plastic in the environment is a result of its non-biodegradability and the increasing pace of plastic production. Plastic production has been booming since the 1950s, and it is estimated that about 3% of all plastic produced every year ends up in the ocean. If the current trend continues, there will be about 12 billion tons of plastic in landfills and the environment by the year 2050.
To reduce and prevent plastic pollution, it is important to produce and use much less plastic. Individuals can make a difference by bringing their own bags to the grocery store, avoiding plastic cutlery, and consciously consuming less and avoiding products with unnecessary packaging.
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Plastic is a pollutant
Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles in the Earth's environment, which adversely affects humans, wildlife, and their habitats. Plastics are inexpensive and durable, making them attractive to manufacturers. However, their chemical structure makes them resistant to natural degradation processes, so they are slow to degrade. As a result, large volumes of plastic enter the environment as mismanaged waste, persist in the ecosystem, and travel throughout food webs. Plastic pollution can afflict land, waterways, and oceans.
The impact of plastic pollution is seen worldwide. In the oceans, plastic waste is transported by ocean currents and accumulates in certain places, such as gyres. Some plastics float on the surface, while most sink. Sunlight, wind, and wave action break down plastic waste into microplastics, which are spread throughout the water column and have been found in every corner of the globe, from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. These microplastics are further breaking down into smaller and smaller pieces, which end up in our water systems and the food chain. The health effects of ingesting microplastics are not yet fully understood, but they have been found in the blood, lungs, and feces of humans. Millions of animals are killed by plastics every year, and nearly 2,100 species, including endangered ones, are known to be affected by plastics.
To reduce and prevent plastic pollution, we must produce and use much less plastic. Individuals can make a difference by bringing their own bags to the grocery store, avoiding plastic cutlery and products containing microbeads, and being conscious of their consumption and its impact on the planet. Governments also have a role to play, with some taking steps to limit or ban the use of plastic bags. In May 2019, an amendment to the Basel Convention was made to regulate the exportation and importation of plastic waste to prevent shipping waste from developed to developing countries. Additionally, in 2022, 175 countries pledged to create a legally binding agreement by the end of 2024 to end plastic pollution.
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Plastic is toxic to humans and animals
Plastic does not decompose, so every piece of plastic ever produced still exists in the environment in one form or another. Since the large-scale introduction of plastic after World War II, a total of 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced, with 79% of it dumped into landfills worldwide.
Plastic is toxic to both humans and animals. Humans are exposed to a wide range of toxic chemicals and microplastics through inhalation, ingestion, and direct skin contact. An average person may ingest approximately 5 grams of plastic weekly. Scientific results indicate that plastic causes diseases, disabilities, and premature death at every stage of its life cycle. The toxic chemical additives and pollutants found in plastics threaten human health globally. Scientifically proven health effects include causing cancer and changing hormone activity (endocrine disruption), leading to reproductive, growth, and cognitive impairment.
Research has also revealed that microplastics can harm our health and act as vessels for pathogens to enter our systems, increasing the spread of diseases. Microplastics can cause damage to human cells and increase the toxicity of organic pollutants in the environment by a factor of 10. They may also serve as irritants, causing inflammation that leads to further health issues.
Plastic is also toxic to animals. Microplastics have been detected in meat, milk, and the blood of farm animals. They pose a great threat to aquatic organisms, such as fish and marine mussels. The adverse effects of plastic are particularly acute in children in the womb and young children, with increased risks of prematurity, stillbirth, birth defects of the reproductive organs, neurodevelopmental impairment, impaired lung growth, and childhood cancer.
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Plastic production is increasing
Asia is the largest producer of plastic in the world, with China alone accounting for 32% of global production in 2022. China produces between six and 12 million metric tons of plastic products each month. North America is the second-largest producer, with a 17% share in 2022.
Despite efforts to reduce, reuse, and recycle plastic, experts predict that plastic production will increase by 40% in the next ten years. Fossil fuel companies have invested over $180 billion in building plastic production facilities over the last seven years, and this money will fund the building of more facilities in the next decade. This goes against the rising concerns over plastic use and production.
The increase in plastic production facilities is directly linked to the increase in fracking and shale gas technologies in the US, which has dramatically decreased the costs of producing plastic.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, plastic does not decompose, so all plastic that has ever been produced and has ended up in the environment is still present in one form or another.
Since the large-scale introduction of plastic after World War II, a total of 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced.
Of all the plastic that has been discarded, 12% has been incinerated, 9% has been recycled, and the rest has been disposed of in landfills or released into the environment.
