Say No to Plastic: 101 Easy Ways to Use Less Plastic

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Your seafood’s laced with our plastic waste. There will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050 In many people’s daily lives, plastic is used for various purposes, and stopping the use of plastic globally is a challenge, but not impossible. In addition to causing land, air, and water pollution, plastic bags are a leading cause of pollution as humans try to decompose them.

It is estimated that this waste is made up of 81% polymer resin, 13% polymer fibres and 32% additives. In 2018 more than 343 million tonnes of plastic waste were generated, 90% of which was composed of post-consumer plastic waste (industrial, agricultural, commercial and municipal plastic waste). The rest was pre-consumer waste from resin production and manufacturing of plastic products (e.g. materials rejected due to unsuitable colour, hardness, or processing characteristics). [34] The food chain can actually allow plastics to enter human tissues. Microplastics are small particles created when large pieces of plastic break down. A grain of sand is about the size of one of these particles.

8. Use fabric napkins and handkerchiefs

Since around 2017, China, [174] Turkey, [175] Malaysia, [176] Cambodia, [177] and Thailand [178] have banned certain waste imports. It has been suggested that such bans may increase automation [179] and recycling, decreasing negative impacts on the environment. [180] Our planet is literally suffocating in plastic. It is everywhere. The problem with plastic is that it’s designed too well. Its purpose was to be cheap and durable. Plastic has achieved both, but what’s the real cost. New Zealand announced a ban on many types of hard-to-recycle single use plastic by 2025. [255] Nigeria Through this work, we have developed 6 effective strategies, 4 ‘watch-outs’to be used with care and 4 common mistakes to avoid to help anyone creating a campaign. There are also other types of degradable materials that are not considered to be biopolymers, because they are oil-based, similar to other conventional plastics. These plastics are made to be more degradable through the use of different additives, which help them degrade when exposed to UV rays or other physical stressors. [144] yet, biodegradation-promoting additives for polymers have been shown not to significantly increase biodegradation. [145]

There are differing estimates of how much plastic waste has been produced in the last century. By one estimate, one billion tons of plastic waste have been discarded since the 1950s. [32] Others estimate a cumulative human production of 8.3 billion tons of plastic, of which 6.3 billion tons is waste, with only 9% getting recycled. [33] [34] Lastly, research recycling options for things you are not keeping. The aim is to send as few items to the landfill as possible by recycling everything you can’t reuse. However, not all plastic is suitable for recycling. Creating a plastic-free home starts with simple changes, and choosing plastic-free alternatives to the products you use.Reducing plastic waste could support recycling and is often taken together with recycling: the "3R" refer to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. [78] [201] [202] [203] Ocean cleanup Pollution: Burning plastic releases toxic chemicals into the air, contributing to air pollution and climate change. Alternative solutions: There are many alternative materials and products available that are more environmentally friendly, making it unnecessary to rely on plastic.

In 2022, countries agreed to devise a Global plastic pollution treaty by 2024. [172] [173] Waste import bans Even without burning, many plastics have now been linked to adverse health effects in adults. You can see this in the potential reproductive harm and potential cancers that are linked to plastics in the form of PFOAs and BPAs. These are seen more commonly in cheaper plastics that are sourced from nations without significant health or safety precautions in their manufacturing industries. Why Saying No to Plastic Can Benefit Your Health & The Environment

Why Say No To Plastic Bag?

After two schoolgirls Ella and Caitlin launched a petition about it, Burger King and McDonald's in the United Kingdom and Ireland pledged to stop sending plastic toys with their meals. McDonald's pledged to do it from the year 2021. McDonald's also pledged to use a paper wrap for it meals and books that will be sent with the meals. The transmission will begin already in March 2020. [260] This plastic enters the food chain when microscopic organisms eat it. Eventually, these microplastics reach the human digestive system through the food chain. It has been found that these plastic particles are carcinogenic, which means humans are at a much higher risk of developing cancer from them. Conclusion: In 2018 approximately 513 million tonnes of plastics wind up in the oceans every year out of which the 83,1% is from the following 20 countries: China is the most mismanaged plastic waste polluter leaving in the sea the 27.7% of the world total, second Indonesia with the 10.1%, third Philippines with 5.9%, fourth Vietnam with 5.8%, fifth Sri Lanka 5.0%, sixth Thailand with 3.2%, seventh Egypt with 3.0%, eighth Malaysia with 2.9%, ninth Nigeria with 2.7%, tenth Bangladesh with 2.5%, eleventh South Africa with 2.0%, twelfth India with 1.9%, thirteenth Algeria with 1.6%, fourteenth Turkey with 1.5%, fifteenth Pakistan with 1.5%, sixteenth Brazil with 1.5%, seventeenth Myanmar with 1.4%, eighteenth Morocco with 1.0%, nineteenth North Korea with 1.0%, twentieth United States with 0.9%. The rest of world's countries combined wind up the 16.9% of the mismanaged plastic waste in the oceans, according to a study published by Science in 2015. [8] [63] [64] For example, one can replace their plastic toothbrushes with bamboo ones. They are eco-friendly, easy to find, and very affordable. Microdebris are plastic pieces between 2mm and 5mm in size. [37] Plastic debris that starts off as meso- or macrodebris can become microdebris through degradation and collisions that break it down into smaller pieces. [3] Microdebris is more commonly referred to as nurdles. [3] Nurdles are recycled to make new plastic items, but they easily end up released into the environment during production because of their small size. They often end up in ocean waters through rivers and streams. [3] Microdebris that come from cleaning and cosmetic products are also referred to as scrubbers. Because microdebris and scrubbers are so small in size, filter-feeding organisms often consume them. [3]