Maya Ellison
Plastic is everywhere. It is in our oceans, our soil, and even our tap water. While plastic has essential applications in medicine and science, it is also the environment's number one enemy. Plastic pollution is a growing problem, with marine plastic increasing daily and an estimated 50% to 80% of debris in marine areas being plastic. Most plastic in the oceans comes from middle-income countries, particularly in Asia, and the majority of it is mismanaged waste that is not recycled, incinerated, or disposed of properly. Single-use plastics, such as food and beverage packaging, are a major contributor to plastic pollution, as they are designed to be used once and then thrown away. Plastic waste affects wildlife, ecosystems, and human health, and urgent action is needed to address this global plastic epidemic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Where plastic is most commonly found | Oceans, seas, lakes, and rivers |
| Items that commonly contain plastic | Single-use bottles, food wrappers, cigarette butts, bottle caps, grocery bags, drink lids, straws, stirrers, detergent bottles, shampoo bottles, outdoor furniture, shower curtains, take-away containers, shopping bags, single-use bottles, food wrappers, microwave containers, PET plastic bottles, cutlery, cups, sponges, thermal insulation, paint, polish, cosmetics, body scrubs, toothpaste, musical instruments, golf clubs, helmets, clothing |
| Percentage of plastic waste that ends up in the ocean | 0.5% |
| Where plastic waste in the ocean comes from | Middle-income countries, particularly across Asia |
| Percentage of plastic waste emitted by Asian countries | 86% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is recycled | 9% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that is incinerated | 12% |
| Percentage of plastic waste that ends up in landfills, dumps, or the natural environment | 79% |
| Most common type of plastic waste found in the environment | Cigarette butts |
| Number of plastic drinking bottles purchased every minute | 1 million |
| Number of single-use plastic bags used worldwide every year | 500 billion |
| Percentage of plastic produced that is designed to be used only once | 50% |
| Percentage of recycled plastic bottles and jars | 29.1% |
| Percentage of recycled HDPE natural bottles | 29.3% |
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What You'll Learn
Oceans
Plastic accumulating in oceans has become a global crisis. Billions of pounds of plastic can be found in swirling convergences that make up about 40% of the world's ocean surfaces. Studies estimate there are now 15–51 trillion pieces of plastic in the oceans, from the equator to the poles, from the Arctic ice sheets to the sea floor. Not one square mile of surface ocean anywhere on Earth is free of plastic pollution.
The vast majority of plastics found in oceans come from countries without proper waste collection systems. Only a small part comes from industrialised countries. Most plastic in coastal waters comes from land-based sources, but the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (GPGP) is different. Research shows that about 80% of the plastic in the GPGP comes from fishing activities at sea. The GPGP is a gyre of plastic debris in the north-central Pacific Ocean, located between Hawaii and California. It is the most polluted and best-studied accumulation of plastic in the world. It is estimated to be twice the size of Texas and triple the size of France or Thailand. Around 100 million kilograms of plastic float in the GPGP, which contains 1.8 trillion pieces larger than 0.5 mm. That is about 160 pieces per person living on the planet.
Rivers are the main source of ocean plastic pollution. Lourens Meijer et al. (2021) found that rivers emitted around 1 million tonnes of plastics into the oceans in 2015 (with an uncertainty ranging from 0.8 to 2.7 million tonnes). The Ciliwung River in Java emits 100 times as much plastic into the ocean each year as the Rhine river basin in Europe, despite being much smaller. This is because the Ciliwung River basin's waste is generated very close to the river and the river network is also much closer to the ocean. It also gets much more rainfall, meaning plastic waste is more easily transported.
Much of the plastic in the ocean is in the form of abandoned fishing nets. Plastic debris can come in all shapes and sizes, but those less than 5mm in length are called "microplastics". Microplastics can come from larger plastic pieces that have broken apart, or they can be produced as small plastics such as microbeads, which can be found in products such as toothpaste and face wash. These tiny particles easily pass through water filtration systems and end up in the ocean, posing a potential threat to aquatic life. Microplastics can also come from synthetic clothing or fishing nets in the form of microfibers. These fibres can absorb harmful pollutants like pesticides, dyes, and flame retardants, only to later release them in the ocean.
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Landfills
The abundance of plastic in landfills is a significant environmental concern. Landfills are not only primary disposal sites for plastic waste but also act as sources of microplastics. The breakdown of plastic debris in landfills contributes to the formation of microplastics, which can then enter the environment through various pathways. These include environmental processes such as wind, flooding, leaching, and runoff, as well as the influence of biota, including the removal of plastic by animals.
Open dumps or landfills that are not properly managed pose a particularly high risk of plastic pollution. These sites often lack the necessary physical barriers to prevent the escape of plastic into the surrounding environment. For example, they may lack fencing to stop the movement of macroplastics via wind or runoff, or liners to prevent the movement of microplastics via leachate.
The presence of plastic in landfills can have far-reaching consequences. Plastic pollution from landfills can contaminate groundwater, with studies finding that the majority of microplastics in groundwater come from buried plastics in landfills. Additionally, landfill leachate, formed when water percolates through waste deposits, can contain various pollutants, including microplastics, which can then enter surrounding water bodies.
Furthermore, plastic waste in landfills can contribute to the transmission of vector-borne diseases. Plastic waste, especially plastic bags, can clog sewers and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, increasing the risk of diseases like malaria. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the management of plastic waste in landfills and ensure that proper disposal and treatment methods are implemented to mitigate these environmental and health risks.
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Rivers
Research has revealed that a large proportion of river-borne plastic waste comes from a small number of rivers. One study estimated that the top ten rivers were responsible for 50-60% of river-borne plastic waste, while another study placed this figure at more than 90%. These rivers are characterized by high population densities in the surrounding regions and inadequate waste management practices.
The Pasig River in the Philippines is the highest-ranking culprit, with 6.4% of global river plastics originating from this river alone. This is due to the high population density in the surrounding region, with the river flowing through the sprawling city of Manila. Other rivers in the Philippines, Indonesia, and the Dominican Republic have also been identified as priorities for cleanup efforts due to their high contributions to river-borne plastic waste.
In addition to these smaller waterways, some of the world's largest rivers, such as the Yangtze, the Ganges, and the Nile, have also been identified as major contributors to plastic pollution in the oceans. The Yangtze River in Asia is the biggest carrier of plastic pollution to the ocean, with up to 1.5 million metric tons of plastic waste dumped into the Yellow Sea each year.
The plastic waste found in rivers can originate from a variety of sources, including abandoned fishing equipment, direct littering or dumping, and microfibres from washing machines. Once in the river, plastic waste can be transported and deposited in various compartments, such as riverbanks, floodplains, lakes, and estuaries, where it can be retained for years or even centuries.
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Everyday items
Plastic is everywhere, and it is difficult to avoid. It is in our food and beverage containers, our clothes, and even our furniture. Plastic is used because it is cheap, durable, flexible, and moisture-resistant.
The most common single-use plastics we encounter every day are food and beverage packaging. Every chocolate bar wrapper, snack bag, and fast-food container adds to the plastic dilemma. These single-use plastics are the most hazardous because they cannot be reused or recycled due to the lack of available technology and recovery markets. Straws, stirrers, and bottles are also major contributors to plastic pollution.
Plastic is also found in our homes, in the form of non-stick pans, synthetic pillows, sponges, and glitter. Even our toothpaste often contains tiny plastic beads.
Some less obvious everyday items that contain plastic include:
- Car tyres, which are made with synthetic rubber, a petroleum-based plastic
- Chewing gum, which contains synthetic elastomers like polyvinyl acetate, the same plastic found in glue
- Tampons and pads, which have a plastic film for leak-proofing and often contain synthetic fibres
- Paint, which contains plastic binders for improved durability and moisture resistance
- Aluminium cans, which have a layer of plastic to prevent the metal from reacting with the liquid inside
- Paper cups, which have a thin layer of plastic to prevent leaks
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The environment
Plastic is a rapidly growing component of municipal solid waste (MSW). It is found in all major MSW categories, with containers and packaging constituting the most plastic tonnage. This category includes bags, sacks, wraps, bottles, jars, and other containers. Plastic is also present in durable goods, such as appliances, furniture, and casings of lead-acid batteries.
Plastic waste that is not properly managed, recycled, incinerated, or disposed of in sealed landfills, becomes an environmental pollutant. While incineration is an option, it can lead to the release of hazardous substances during incomplete combustion. Landfills are a common method of disposal, but they are not a sustainable solution as plastic can take hundreds of years to decompose and often ends up in oceans, rivers, and lakes.
Single-use plastics are a significant contributor to plastic pollution. Items such as food and beverage packaging, chocolate bar wrappers, snack bags, fast food containers, and single-use bottles account for a large proportion of plastic waste. Bottle caps, in particular, are a major source of pollution in oceans and seas, as they are often not recycled and pose a threat to marine life. Plastic bags are also a problem, as they can entangle birds, animals, and wildlife, leading to fatal consequences.
Microplastics, resulting from the degradation of larger plastic items, have been found in increasing concentrations since the 1960s. They are present in the guts of seabirds and can bioaccumulate in the food chain, including in farm animals and fish, ultimately reaching our dinner plates. While the long-term effects of microplastics in the food chain are not yet fully understood, their presence in the environment is a cause for concern.
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Frequently asked questions
Plastic is most commonly found in the ocean, where it makes up 50% to 80% of marine debris. It is also commonly found in soil, with more plastic in soil than in the ocean.
The most common types of plastic found in the ocean include PET, PVC, nylon, and polyethylene. The most common plastic items found in the ocean are single-use bottles, food wrappers, and bottle caps.
The majority of plastic found in the ocean comes from countries without proper waste collection systems, particularly middle-income countries in Asia. Only about 9% of global plastic waste is recycled, while about 22% is mismanaged and may end up in oceans, rivers, and lakes.
