Why All the Fuss about Plastic?
Plastic is fantastic, where would we be without it? However, it is an understatement to say the world has a problem with plastic.
What it is made from?
Nearly every piece of plastic that exists in the world is made from a fossil fuel. Over 90% of plastic is made from oil and gas. Apparently extracting, transporting and refining these fuels results in annual carbon emissions equal to those of 189 coal-fired power stations.
What are the problems with plastic?
Plastic was first invented as Bakelite in 1907 but production really took off after 1945 and in the 60’s and 70’s.
By mid-century, plastic is predicted to take up 13-17% of the planet’s carbon budget. As carbon emissions must reach net zero as soon as possible if we’re to limit global heating to 1.5˚C can we afford to expand production? In the UK alone we produce 5 million tonnes of plastic a year – and only a quarter of this gets recycled.
Plastic does not break down easily
It can take up to 1,000 years to decompose. Whilst the plastic is decomposing it generates greenhouse gases such as ethylene and methane, which is 25 times more effective at trapping heat energy in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide. It leaches into the soil and poisons groundwater as it also contains toxic chemicals and colouring which finds its way into our rivers and oceans.
According to the UN Environment Programme the equivalent of 2,000 garbage trucks of plastic are dumped into the world’s rivers, lakes and oceans every day. Every year 19-23 million tonnes of plastic waste leaks into our waterways and seas. (https://www.unep.org/beatpollution/beat-plastic-pollution/gameplan-it-is-time-to-beat-plastic-pollution). Antonia Guteres states that ‘Over consumption is killing us’.
Tiny pieces of plastic
Microplastics are less than 5mm in size.
Nurdles are a type of microplastic between 1 nanometre and 5 millimetres.
Nanoplastics are thought to be more toxic due to their smaller size.
Sources of Microplastics
Tyres – careful driving and braking helps to stop tyres shedding plastic.
Tap water – filtering your water is said to be helpful in removing microplastics.
Bottled water – Avoid single use plastic bottles. Use metal and glass containers.
Artificial football pitches (and possibly lawns) – use real turf.
Clothes made from synthetic textiles – polyester, nylon, polyamide and acrylics contain microfibres. Choose clothing made from natural fibres.
City dust.
Personal care products.
Ordinary consumer products are the source of most of the oceans microplastics.
Plastic pellets.
Road markings.
Degradation of larger plastic items – toys, plastic bags, wrappers, bottles, food containers, cigarette filters and fishing nets.
Household dust also contains microplastics from clothes and other sources. Frequent vacuuming and ventilation should cut down the number of microplastics in the home.
Very few areas of the world are unaffected by plastic fibres. They have been found on the top of Mount Everest and the Mariana Trench.
What are the problems with Plastic?
Damage to Human Health
Little is known or really understood about the effects of plastic on the human body. There are no studies yet that demonstrate the long term effects. Current research indicates that nanoplastics are being found in human tissue – placentas, new born babies, breast milk, lung tissue, brain tissue, testicles, liver, kidneys and inside carotid arteries where they may cause strokes or heart attacks. Nanoplastics are also thought to disrupt the endocrine system and some researchers claim that they are cancer inducing.
How do they enter the body?
Through the liquids we drink, the food we eat, the air we breathe. The plastics that we handle as part of our everyday life. Maybe our toothpaste? Check if polypropylene or polyethylene are constituents/is present in your toothpaste.
Damage to Wildlife
Used plastic is found in the guts of 90% of the world’s sea birds as plastic is mistaken for food. (Wilcox et al, 2015 https://bit.ly/3fspfc)
The biggest cause of damage to wildlife is physical wounds or being trapped by plastic waste eg. plastic bags, gloves, drink rings and bottle tops.
It’s predicted that by 2050 the mass of plastic in the world’s oceans will exceed the mass of all the fish that live there. (WEF, The New Plastic Economy, 2016 – https://bit.ly/39xKO7W)
Microplastics are also found in marine life.
Plastic in all its forms is a huge threat to biodiversity at a global level.
Degradation of the Landscape
Litter contains a huge amount of plastic which we can all easily spot on the streets, roads and highways of the UK. It spoils our leisure time when we see it in parks and playgrounds and strewn across river banks, countryside and our beaches. This affects our sense of pride in our communities and country and along with other anti social behaviour like graffiti, definitely affects the spirit of a community.
Financial Cost to Society
Clearing plastic from our pavements and public spaces, roads and highways has a financial cost to the taxpayer.
Disposing of the plastic also has financial costs to our councils and affects our council tax. Landfill sites are in short supply. Burning plastic is no good for the health of the public or wildlife. Sending it abroad is not good for the health of the country which takes our rubbish.
So what do we do?
Recycling of Plastic
The picture is not always clear or straightforward and indeed quite murky in places.
Recycling is supposed to be the solution to the plastic problem. This is said by some to be plastic ‘green washing’ as during the recycling process the plastic is said to become more toxic than virgin plastic and therefore threatens health. (https://www.greenpeace.org/usa/news/new-greenpeace-report-calls-out-toxic-hazards-of-recycled-plastic-as-global-plastics-treaty-negotiations-resume-in-paris)
Microplastics are also given off which again have a negative effect. The process is also time consuming and creates carbon emissions.
According to the Copper Sustainability Partnership only 9% of plastic is actually recycled. Half ends up in landfill a fifth is incinerated and the rest mismanaged much of it ending up in the ocean.
Plastic that ends in landfill and the environment leaches chemicals into the soil and waterways which is toxic for humans, wildlife and marine life.
Sources of Information