The Dark Truth Of Plastic Trash

Plastic is a huge global problem. Billions of tons of plastic have been produced over the past six decades, and the vast majority of it ends up as trash. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, while 79% accumulates in landfills or becomes litter in the natural environment. An estimated 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year, which is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline around the world.

91% of plastic isn't recycled

Billions of tons of plastic have been produced over the past decades, and much of it is becoming trash and litter. Mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has accelerated so rapidly that it has created 8.3 billion metric tons—most of it in disposable products that end up as trash. Of the 8.3 billion metric tons that has been produced, 6.3 billion metric tons has become plastic waste. Only 9% of plastic worldwide is successfully recycled, while the rest is discarded, incinerated, or pollutes our environment. This means that 91% of plastic isn't recycled.

The reasons behind the low percentage of plastic recycling are manifold. We often simply throw plastics away into the recycling bin, however, due to the material properties of plastics, not all can be recycled. About 75% of global plastics produced are thermoplastics that can be melted and moulded over and over to produce new plastics, which – in theory – makes all thermoplastics recyclable. The remaining 25% of plastics are thermoset plastics that do not soften when exposed to heat, making them near-impossible to recycle. Examples of products in which this type of plastic is used include electrical insulation, ropes, belts, and pipes.

The problem has existed for decades. In all that time, less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. Meanwhile, plastic production is ramping up. New plastic is cheap. It's made from oil and gas, and it's almost always less expensive and higher quality. The result is that plastic trash has few markets — a reality the public has not wanted to hear.

Much of the growth in plastic production has been the increased use of plastic packaging, which accounts for more than 40% of non-fibre plastic. A study led by Jambeck produced the first analysis of the amount of plastic trash that flows into the oceans annually. That research, published in 2015, estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year. That is the equivalent to five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline around the globe.

8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year

Plastic is a material that has been mass-produced for the last six decades. It is made from oil and gas, which makes it cheap and high quality. However, this has resulted in an enormous amount of plastic waste, with 8 million metric tons of plastic ending up in the oceans every year. This is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline globally.

The vast majority of plastic waste, 79%, accumulates in landfills or the natural environment as litter. Only 9% of plastic waste is recycled, despite the fact that recycling plastic bottles has been taking place in Bangladesh for some time.

The issue of plastic waste has existed for decades, and yet less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. This is due in part to the increased use of plastic packaging, which accounts for more than 40% of non-fibre plastic.

The first study to assess the amount of plastic trash flowing into the oceans annually was published in 2015. It estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic end up in the oceans annually, which shocked even the scientists who conducted the research.

40% of non-fibre plastic is packaging

Since mass production began six decades ago, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced, most of it in disposable products that end up as trash. Of this, only 9% has been recycled, with the vast majority (79%) accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter.

The growth in plastic production has been driven by the increased use of plastic packaging, which accounts for more than 40% of non-fibre plastic. This is a significant proportion of the plastic that ends up as waste. Plastic packaging is often used for disposable products, which are used once and then thrown away. This contributes to the large amount of plastic waste that is generated each year.

The problem of plastic waste has existed for decades, and yet less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled. Plastic is cheap to produce, as it is made from oil and gas, and it is often higher quality than alternative materials. This means that there are few markets for recycled plastic, as new plastic is usually a more attractive option.

The result is that huge quantities of plastic are ending up in the oceans. A 2015 study led by Jambeck estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic enter the oceans each year. This is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline globally.

The impact of plastic waste on the environment is devastating, and yet it is a problem that has received relatively little attention until recently. With plastic production continuing to increase, it is essential that more is done to address this issue and reduce the amount of plastic waste that is generated.

6.3 billion metric tons of plastic has become plastic waste

Since mass production of plastics began, 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic have been produced, 6.3 billion metric tons of which have become plastic waste. Less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled, with 9% of plastic waste being recycled and the remaining 79% accumulating in landfills or sloughing off in the natural environment as litter. This is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline around the globe.

The growth in plastic production is largely due to the increased use of plastic packaging, which accounts for more than 40% of non-fibre plastic. Plastic is cheap to produce, being made from oil and gas, and is often less expensive and higher quality than other materials. This means that plastic trash has few markets, despite the public's reluctance to acknowledge this reality.

0.5% of the world's plastic waste ends up in the ocean

It is estimated that 8 million metric tons of plastic ends up in the oceans every year. This is the equivalent of five grocery bags of plastic trash for every foot of coastline around the world.

In total, 91% of plastic is not recycled, with only 9% of plastic waste ending up being recycled. The vast majority of plastic waste, 79%, accumulates in landfills or sloughs off in the natural environment as litter.

The mass production of plastics, which began just six decades ago, has created 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic, most of which is in disposable products that end up as trash. Less than 10% of plastic has ever been recycled.

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