Over the last few decades, global plastic output has increased at an exponential rate. It now amounts to some 400 million tonnes per year. Despite this, only around 12% of the plastics produced have been incinerated, and only about 9% have been recycled. The rest was either disposed of in landfills or released into the environment, including the oceans. Plastic trash flows into aquatic environments are anticipated to nearly quadruple from roughly 11 million tonnes in 2016 to around 29 million tonnes in 2040 if serious action is not taken. The effects of this are already being felt, with the number of marine mammals, turtles and birds being found dead with stomachs full of plastic increasing every year.

The impact on our health is also significant; microplastics have been found in tap water around the world and have even been detected in human tissue samples. The issue is gaining more attention, with governments and industry taking action to tackle the problem. In December 2018, 193 countries signed up to the UN Environment Assembly resolution on plastic pollution. The resolution sets out a number of targets, including a commitment to eliminate single-use plastic by 2030 and an increase in waste management capacity. It also calls on nations to work together to accelerate the development and deployment of solutions that reduce the amount of plastic entering our oceans every year.

Let's try our best in the years to come and reduce the usage of plastic products, especially disposable items. There are lots of re-usable options out there.

Speak up about these issues.
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Talk with your family and friends.

Let's stop destroying the very thing that is keeping us alive.