Did You Know

The Campaign

  • 69

    since February 2017, 69 countries joined the Campaign

  • 8

    Countries have national laws or regulations that establish bans on microbeads

  • 80%

    1000 rivers are accountable for nearly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions

  • Globally

    51 trillion

    There are an estimated 51 trillion microplastic particles in our seas

The Campaign
The Campaign

63 countries have joined since February 2017

Scale of the problem
Scale of the problem

Every year, at least 11 million tons of plastic enter our seas -- the equivalent of one garbage truck being dumped every minute.  Without immediate and sustained action, that amount is projected to  nearly triple by 2040, to 29 million metric tons per year.

There are an estimated 51 trillion microplastic particles - smaller than 5 mm-long - in our seas -- that’s 500 times more than there are stars in our galaxy.

Humans have produced more than 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic since the 1950s and only around 9 per cent has been recycled. 

Today we produce about 300 million tonnes of plastic. That’s nearly equivalent to the weight of the entire human population.

If current consumption patterns and waste management practices continue, by 2050 there will be around 12 billion tonnes of plastic litter in landfills and the environment.

Around the world, one million plastic drinking bottles are bought every minute, while 1 to 5 trillion single-use plastic bags are used every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed to be used only once — and then thrown away.

Between 60 to 90 per cent of the litter that accumulates on shorelines, the surface and the seafloor is made up of plastic.

5 trillion plastic bags used annually - 1 bag takes at least 500 years to degrade

Check out the Beat Pollution interactive

 

 

Where does it come from?
Where does it come from?

Every nation is responsible for plastic pollution and it gets everywhere. On the uninhabited Henderson Island in the Pacific Ocean, which is a day’s sea crossing from the nearest sign of civilization, an estimated 18 tonnes of plastic washed up on a sandy beach over decades. Most of the plastic seemed to be from South America or passing ships. But clean-up volunteers also found spirits bottled in Japan, Scotland and Puerto Rico, a rubber boot made in the Netherlands and a hard hat from the United States.

1000 rivers are responsible for roughly 80% of global annual riverine plastic emissions. 

Ghost gear, or discarded fishing equipment like nets and lobster pots, is one of the most significant threats to marine ecosystems and over 46 per cent of plastics found in the ‘floating garbage patches’, known as gyres, are from this category

The Big Picture
The Big Picture

More than 99 per cent of plastics are produced from chemicals derived from oil, natural gas and coal — all of which are dirty, non-renewable resources. If current trends continue, by 2050 the plastic industry could account for 20 per cent of the world’s total oil consumption.

According to a 2016 report by the World Economic Forum, plastic production is expected to double again in 20 years and almost quadruple by 2050. 

If growth in plastic production and incineration continues, cumulative emissions by 2050 will make up between 10 and 13 per cent of the total remaining global carbon budget. 

 

The Toxic Toll
The Toxic Toll

Marine litter harms over 800 marine species, 15 of which are endangered.

More than 90 per cent of all birds and fish are believed to have plastic particles in their stomach. 

As well as polluting our shores and seas, plastic waste can clog sewers and provide breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, thus increasing the transmission of vector-borne diseases, like malaria.

Tourists avoid filthy beaches, dealing a blow to local economies and all those who rely on the sector to survive. In 2017, Indonesia declared a “garbage emergency” in parts of Bali, while Thailand has closed Maya Bay, made famous by the 2000 film The Beach, to allow it to recover from pollution and other damage caused by tourists. 

 

Different types of plastics

 

 

Toxic plastic

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) Water bottles, dispensing containers, biscuit trays

Toxic Toll Plastic

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) Shampoo bottles, milk bottles, freezer bags, ice cream containers

Toxic Toll Plastic

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) Bags, trays, containers, food packaging film

Toxic Plastic

Polypropylene (PP) Potato chip bags, microwave dishes, ice cream tubs, bottle caps

plastics

Polystyrene (PS) Cutlery, plates, cups

plastics

Expanded polystyrene (EPS) Protective packaging, hot drink cups

Initial Progress
Initial Progress

According to a UNEP report from December 2018, 127 countries have adopted some kind of legislation regulating plastic bags.

Countries that have banned, partially banned, or taxed single-use plastic bags include Kenya, China, France, Rwanda, and Italy. 

A handful of countries, including Canada, France, Italy, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the United States, have introduced bans on microbeads. China, Belgium, Brazil, India and Ireland have proposed new regulations or laws banning microbeads at the national level, and the European Union has started a process to restrict the addition of microplastics to consumer and professional-use products.

 

 

 

 

Featured Stories

Featured Video

Oceans or plastic? Choose the Oceans, join 113,637 other people and take the Clean Seas Pledge

Oceans or plastic? Choose the Oceans, join 113,637 other people and take the Clean Seas Pledge

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