Chloe Zhang
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with 350 million tonnes of plastic waste generated each year. While plastic straws have gained notoriety for their environmental impact, they are not among the top five most common forms of litter. Cigarette butts, whose filters contain tiny plastic fibres, top the list of the most littered plastic items. In fact, cigarette butts were the most common type of plastic waste found in the environment in a recent global survey. Other common plastic litter includes plastic bags, drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Most littered plastic object | Cigarette butts |
| Number of cigarette butts littered | 9.7 billion |
| Percentage of cigarette butts out of all littered items | 19.6% |
| Cigarette filters made of | Cellulose acetate |
| Biodegradability of cigarette filters | Non-biodegradable |
| Time taken for cigarette filters to degrade | 18 months to 10 years |
| Cigarette butts collected by Ocean Conservancy | 2.4 million |
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What You'll Learn
Cigarette butts
The tobacco industry has historically marketed filtered cigarettes as healthier, although research suggests otherwise. Tobacco product litter makes up 25-40% of all litter globally, and the World Health Organization estimates that 1.25 billion adults around the world use some form of tobacco. When they are done smoking, many simply toss their cigarette butts onto the ground. This is a behavioural problem that needs to be addressed, as littered cigarette butts contribute to the chemical cocktail affecting humans and the environment.
To reduce the impact of cigarette butt litter, comprehensive approaches are needed to manage waste, control tobacco use, and mitigate its environmental impacts. Banning cigarette filters and requiring manufacturers to pay for clean-up efforts are possible solutions. Additionally, public awareness campaigns, incentives for recycling, levies, and banning certain products have been implemented by governments to reduce plastic pollution. Individual efforts, such as properly disposing of cigarette butts and organizing trash pick-up days, can also make a significant difference in addressing this issue.
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Plastic bags
It takes 1,000 years for a plastic bag to degrade in a landfill. However, the bags do not break down completely but instead photodegrade, becoming microplastics that absorb toxins and continue to pollute the environment. These microplastics are consumed by people through food and in the air. It is estimated that globally, people consume the equivalent of a credit card of plastic every week. It is expected that there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050.
The plastic used in bags contains chemical additives such as endocrine disruptors, which are associated with negative health effects including cancers, birth defects, and immune system suppression in humans and wildlife. Chemical leachates from plastic bags impair the growth of Prochlorococcus, a marine bacterium that provides one-tenth of the world's oxygen. In 2018, 1.9 million grocery bags and other plastic bags were collected in the International Coastal Cleanup.
To combat this issue, dozens of national and local governments worldwide have adopted policies to reduce the use of disposable plastic bags. Africa stands out as the continent where the most countries have adopted a total ban on the production and use of plastic bags. Individuals can also play a role by bringing their own reusable bags when shopping and supporting initiatives like the Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act, which aims to phase out throwaway plastics and hold the industry accountable for its waste.
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Plastic straws
The impact of plastic straw pollution is particularly severe on marine life. Sea turtles, seabirds, and other wildlife die each year from complications directly related to plastic consumption. It is estimated that about 70% of seabirds and 30% of turtles have ingested some form of plastic from the ocean. Plastic straws can sicken and kill marine animals when they get lodged in their noses, throats, and stomachs.
To address the issue of plastic straw pollution, many organizations and governments have taken steps to ban or reduce the use of plastic straws. Some locations that have banned or restricted plastic straws include New York City, Seattle, Miami Beach, Vancouver, Hawaii, California, Great Britain, Scotland, and Taiwan. There has also been a shift towards providing paper or reusable straws, or adopting a straws upon request policy. Individuals can also play a role by refusing single-use plastic straws at restaurants and cafes and opting for reusable metal, bamboo, or glass alternatives instead.
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Plastic drink bottles
Plastic pollution is a pressing issue, with 139 million tons of plastic waste in oceans and rivers. The most littered plastic item in the US is cigarette butts, which are made from cellulose acetate, a form of plastic. Cigarette butts are routinely the most collected item during the Ocean Conservancy's annual International Coastal Cleanup.
Drink bottles are also a significant contributor to plastic pollution. Plastic drink bottles are commonly made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a highly recyclable material. However, the global surge in their use has outpaced recycling efforts, resulting in these bottles ending up in landfills and oceans. Fewer than half of the bottles purchased in 2016 were collected for recycling, and only 7% of those were transformed into new bottles.
The consequences of plastic bottle pollution are far-reaching. Plastic bottles and packaging have been found on beaches and coastlines, endangering wildlife, including basking sharks and puffins. Plastic particles have also been detected in bottled water, with an average of 240,000 pieces of plastic per liter, 90% of which are nanoplastics. These tiny particles can enter the human body through ingestion, inhalation, or even tap water, with potential unknown health effects.
To address this issue, Greenpeace has urged major drink companies to increase the recycled content of their plastic bottles. Dame Ellen MacArthur, a round-the-world yachtswoman, advocates for a circular economy where plastic bottles are reused, refilled, and recycled instead of being used once and discarded. Additionally, governments worldwide have implemented policies to reduce disposable plastic use, with Africa leading the way in banning plastic bags. Individual actions, such as avoiding plastic straws, using reusable coffee mugs, and participating in trash cleanup efforts, can also make a significant difference.
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Plastic food wrappers
The production and consumption of single-use plastics have skyrocketed since the 1970s, and they are now ubiquitous in supermarkets and convenience stores. Despite their convenience, these plastics have severe environmental consequences. Most food packaging is designed for single use and is rarely recycled. As a result, plastic waste accumulates in landfills, the natural environment, and oceans, harming human, avian, and marine life.
The plastic in food wrappers can take hundreds to millions of years to degrade. During this slow degradation process, plastics absorb toxic chemicals like PCBs and pesticides, which are then ingested by marine life and can ultimately enter the human food chain. Microplastics, which are tiny plastic particles, are released from degrading plastics and have been found in seafood, tap water, and even the air we breathe.
To address the problem of plastic food wrapper litter, individuals can make conscious choices to reduce their plastic consumption. This includes avoiding individually packaged goods, bringing reusable bags for shopping, and supporting zero-waste shops that encourage the use of refillable containers. Governments also play a crucial role in reducing plastic waste. Dozens of national and local governments have implemented policies to curb disposable plastic use, such as banning single-use plastic bags. Additionally, public awareness campaigns, incentives for recycling, and levies or bans on specific plastic products can help combat the plastic pollution crisis.
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Frequently asked questions
Cigarette butts are the most littered plastic object in the world. Cigarette filters are made of plastic and are often not biodegradable, so they can remain in the environment for months or years.
Plastic bags, plastic straws, plastic cups, plastic bottles, plastic bottle caps, plastic food wrappers, plastic grocery bags, plastic drink lids, and plastic stirrers are all commonly littered.
Plastic pollution has a significant impact on the environment, wildlife, and human health. Plastic waste can increase the transmission of vector-borne diseases like malaria by clogging sewers and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Wildlife, such as birds, turtles, and fish, often mistake plastic for food, which can clog their digestive tracts and transfer plastic up the food chain to bigger marine animals and eventually humans. Plastic pollution also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and toxic air pollution, exacerbating the climate crisis.
