Plastics. They are everywhere They're durable, useful and very cheap to produce but they are destroying the environment and harming wildlife.. We wouldn't have computers, cars or safety equipment without them, but many plastics have single use purposes, while others are not needed at all. A plastic bottle is frequently used once, yet it can last 450 years, it then breaks into tiny pieces creating microscopic plastics that never go away. With the birth of modern plastics in 1907 almost every piece of plastic we have ever created is still with us in some form. It is estimated that since the 1950s just 9% of plastic has been recycled. The figures are truly shocking yet there is still around 8 million tons of additional plastic entering the oceans each year.
Media influence
Plastic pollution has now hit public consciousness. In the past 10 years the effects of plastics have been shown to the public and the sights are horrifying. From plastic digestion to strangulation, over 600 species of marine wildlife have been affected; we are putting our wildlife at risk. For many it started with public airings on prime-time TV.
In 2017 the BBC aired‘Blue Planet II’, this for many of us was the first time we had been introduced to the effects of plastics, “the blue planet effect” engaged the public in the effects of plastic pollution. In 2018 ‘drowning in plastic’, illustrated the truly devastating effects plastics are having on our environment including the shocking views of the great pacific garbage
patch but also identifying solutions to our problem.
How did it get there?
A main question for most people is how did it get there? You put your plastics in your recycling bin and expect it to be recycled, right? This isn’t always the reality. While a large proportion of plastics simple can't be recycled at all (coffee cups, crisp packets, greasy takeaway boxes) the ones that can don’t always make it to recycling centers. Plastics often make their way into rivers from landfills and litter. Up to 2.4 million tons of plastics from rivers make their way to the ocean. While many people reading this may be dedicated to reducing their plastic footprint, others are not. Most litter left on beaches inevitably ends up in our oceans and it's not just the stuff we see! Small fragments of plastics are washed away down drains from sinks and washing machines each day.
How are plastics affecting us?
It isn't just the wildlife we are harming. The question is how are plastics now affecting us? 1 in 3 fish caught for human consumption contain plastic. Plastics are now part of our food chain and have been linked to several illnesses including cancer. Marine plants are also becoming affected by plastic pollution. 70% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by marine plants. The seriousness of the problem could not be stressed more than stating plastic pollution is taking the air we breathe. The effects aren't just purely scientific.
The environments we are affecting were once places of beauty, tranquil beaches have been turned into plastic wastelands. It's upsetting to think the beaches and oceans I remember full of life and beauty will not be the ones the younger generation will see. Governments, businesses and the general public around the world are working to tackle this sheer amount of plastic pollution we now face. The UK is taking big steps to reduce plastic pollution not only at home but overseas as well.
Government engagement
In 2018 Theresa May stated she would ‘commit the UK to eliminating all avoidable plastic waste by 2024’. She has launched a 25-year government environmental plan. In this plan the UK aims to reduce demand for plastics, reduce plastics in circulation and improve the recycling rate by taking action at every stage of plastic production and consumption. At production manufacturers are expected to take full responsibility for the environmental impacts of their products and to rationalize the different types of plastics they use. Consumption will be tackled by driving down the amount of plastics in circulation by reducing the demand.
A relatively simple policy can make a big difference to the environment. In 2015 a 5p tax was implemented on plastic bags. In direct consequence to this, 9 billion less carrier bags have been used. This has created a safer marine environment and a cleaner community. Theresa May intends to work with this an extend the bag charge to smaller local businesses. Some companies have taken this a step further with Tesco eliminating 5p single use bags from their store completely, and Morrisons eliminating plastic bags from the fruit and veg isle replacing them with paper bags. Theresa May also intends to implement plastic free aisles in supermarkets, again hopefully making a big difference from a small change. Hopefully these policies can be extended further to add tax to all single use plastics such as straws, coffee cups, cotton buds and more. These policies will hopefully drive positive change around the world.
Another huge change in 2018 was the ban of production and sale of Microbeads in the UK. Microbeads are tiny pieces of plastic which are often added to cosmetic products such as face wash and toothpaste. Microbeads are so small (usually smaller than 5 millimeters) they can easily go through drainage and water filtration systems.
Being small does not make them any less dangerous, with up to 330,000 microbeads found in one face wash, ultimately billions end up in the ocean and the food chain. The banning of microbeads in the UK will certainly reduce the amount of microbeads entering the oceans, hopefully other government with also join in the positive change.
With governments, companies and the public coming together to reduce plastic pollution, we can certainly make a huge impact. But will it be enough, and will we have enough time to solve the problem before it destroys marine life and its ecosystems?
Ellie's top 10 plastic pledges
1. Use reusable shopping bags
Avoid single use carrier bags at all costs, instead try using bags for life.
2. Use a reusable water bottle
Plastic water bottles are everywhere and most often only used once. Try to opt for a reusable water bottle instead of plastic ones. Get your local work, school or council involved. Many organisations now provide drinking water stations were people can fill up reusable water bottles.
3. Use a reusable coffee cup
Most coffee cups cannot be recycled and are inevitably a huge problem for plastic pollution, try taking your own coffee/tea cup to your local coffee shop. Many places often lower the price for customers with reusable cups. Bonus!
4. Say no to plastic straws
Just cut them out completely. Use alternatives like paper or metal straws.
5. Say no to disposable cutlery/containers
Picnics and pack lunches often include single use plastics, take metal cutlery or reusable cutlery instead of disposable. Many supermarkets, local butchers, fruit markets and more encourage people to take they own containers when buying fresh produce.
6. Buy loose fruit and veg
Avoid supermarkets that wrap fruit and vegetables in plastic. Buy loose and use a brown bag or bring your own bag for life. Check your area for any plastic free supermarkets, these allow you to use your own containers rather than coating everything in unnecessary plastics.
7. Grow your own fruit and veg
An even better alternative is to grow your own fruit and veg at home, avoiding plastics altogether.
8. Home cooking
Many convenience foods like microwave and takeaway meals have a lot of single use plastic that could easily be avoiding by home cooking.
9. Buy in bulk
If plastic containers are unavoidable then buying in bulk can reduce the amount of plastic waste you produce at home.
10. Buy alternative materials instead of plastic
For example, buying powdered dishwasher detergent in a cardboard box, use natural cleaning cloths instead of disposable scrubbers, use bars of soap rather than bottles or try out reusable beeswax wraps instead of cling film.
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