Every minute, the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our ocean.
Around the world, one million plastic bottles are purchased every minute, while up to five trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year. In total, half of all plastic produced is designed for single-use purposes – used just once and then thrown away.
Today, we produce about 400 million tonnes of plastic waste every year.
If historic growth trends continue, global production of primary plastic is forecasted to reach 1,100 million tonnes by 2050.
Additionally, some 98 per cent of single-use plastic products are produced from fossil fuel, or "virgin" feedstock. The level of greenhouse gas emissions associated with the production, use and disposal of conventional fossil fuel-based plastics is forecast to grow to 19 per cent of the global carbon budget by 2040.
Systemic change is needed to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in the environment. Or plastic pollution Ruin Our Planet
Systemic change is needed to stop the flow of plastic waste ending up in the environment. Or plastic pollution Ruin Our Planet