Plastic Pollution

chapter 01

Plastic

Pollution

From discarded single-use plastics to abandoned fishing gear, this pollution not only mar the natural beauty of our seas but also entangles and suffocates marine animals, causing injury and death.

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Beyond the
Breaking Point

Over the past 10 years, we have produced more plastic than the entire 20th century. Each year, at least 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the oceans. Because plastics do not readily break down into harmless molecules, every piece of plastic that has ever been produced is still somewhere on the Earth.

We can reimagine a world without plastic, a world where plastic never becomes waste. We can innovate and create better packaging and single-use items that are truly waste-free, and we can take responsibility for the items we buy.

Plastic pollution
in the ocean is a
significant
environmental
threat.

Action is needed to address plastic pollution and protect the health and integrity of our oceans.

The world started producing plastic in 1950, and since then, the annual production of plastics has increased nearly 230-fold, reaching 460 million tonnes in 2019. Some of that plastic gets lost in our environment. But then, how much plastic enters the world’s oceans?

The amount of plastic in surface waters is not very well known: estimates range from 10,000s to 100,000s tonnes. But what we know for sure is that plastic, does not biodegrade like natural materials do and instead breaks down to microplastics that accumulate over time. The microparticles of plastic also enter the food chain, and we, as final consumers, also end up with toxic plastic in our bodies.

14milli o Plastic waste dominates the oceanic litter landscape, comprising a staggering 80% of all marine debrisn

At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year. Plastic is found on the shorelines of every continent, with more plastic waste found near popular tourist destinations and densely populated areas.

The blue whale is the largest animal on the planet, weighing as much as 200 tons and has a heart the size of a Volkswagen Beetle.

20,000

Approximately 20,000 tonnes of plastic find their way into the ocean on a daily basis.

348

This is the equivalent of Sed posuere consectetur est at lobortis. Sed posuere consectetu.

“There is no such thing as away.

When we throw anything away, it must go somewhere.”

“There is no such thing as away.

When we throw anything away, it must go somewhere.”

Annie Leonard

Executive director of Greenpeace USA

The Dominant Generator
of Plastic Waste

In 2015, primary plastics production was 407 million tons; around three-quarters (302 million tons) ended up as waste. Of this, 141 million tons was generated by the packaging industry, 42 million tons by the textiles industry, and 38 million tons by other sectors. The transportation, consumer and institutional products, and electrical/electronic industries each generated around:

million
tons
of plastic
waste.

Plastic waste generation is strongly influenced by primary plastic use, but also the product lifetime.

Packaging

141M TONS

Textiles

42M TONS

Other Sectors

82M TONS

Consumer Products

37M TONS

Plastic waste generation by industrial sector.

Packaging has a very short "in-use" lifetime (typically around 6 months or less), while building and construction plastics have a mean lifetime of 35 years. This means that packaging is the dominant generator of plastic waste, responsible for almost half of the global total.in the chart you will see global plastic waste generation by industrial sector, measured in tons per year.

Click the spheres to reveal the details

reducereuserecycle

taking

The problem of plastic pollution is a global one, but it is one that we can solve together. By taking action in our own lives, we can make a difference.

action

1
plastic pollution
Avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters - cigarette butts, food wrappers, straws, bottles, utensils, bags, lids, cups & plates.
2
plastic pollution
Avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters - cigarette butts, food wrappers, straws, bottles, utensils, bags, lids, cups & plates.
3
plastic pollution
Avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters - cigarette butts, food wrappers, straws, bottles, utensils, bags, lids, cups & plates.
4
plastic pollution
Avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters - cigarette butts, food wrappers, straws, bottles, utensils, bags, lids, cups & plates.
5
plastic pollution
Avoid the worst ocean plastic polluters - cigarette butts, food wrappers, straws, bottles, utensils, bags, lids, cups & plates.

making

waves

for

change

making
waves for
change

By implementing strategies such as reducing single-use plastics, improving recycling and waste management systems, promoting plastic alternatives and innovation, raising public awareness, organizing clean-up initiatives, fostering international cooperation, and supporting research and development, we can make significant strides in combating plastic pollution.

The path to preserving our oceans involves a combination of these approaches, and every small step we take makes a big difference. The future is not set in stone, and with collective effort and continued innovation, we can work towards a healthier, more sustainable marine ecosystems.

Meet some of the
awesome people

The OceanCleanup

The Ocean Cleanup: A nonprofit organization dedicated to developing advanced technologies for removing plastic pollution from the world's oceans. They focus on deploying systems to extract plastic debris from rivers and ocean gyres, aiming to prevent further pollution and protect marine ecosystems. Through their efforts, they raise awareness about plastic pollution and work towards practical solutions for a cleaner ocean.

https://theoceancleanup.com/
5 Gyres

A nonprofit organization focused on reducing plastic pollution through science, education, and activism.

https://www.5gyres.org/
The Plastic Pollution Coalition

A global alliance of organizations and individuals working to stop plastic pollution and its toxic impacts on humans, animals, and the environment.

https://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org/
Plastic Bank

A grassroots environmental organization dedicated to protecting and preserving the world's oceans and beaches from pollution.

https://www.surfrider.org/
Surfrider Foundation

A social enterprise that empowers individuals in developing countries to collect and exchange plastic waste for goods and services, creating economic opportunities while reducing plastic pollution.

https://plasticbank.com/

Chapter 02
Destructive
Fishing

Explore chapter

Plastic

Pollution

Beyond theBreaking Point

Plastic pollutionin the ocean is asignificantenvironmentalthreat.

The Dominant Generator of Plastic Waste

Plastic waste generation by industrial sector.

Chapter 02

DestructiveFishing

Beyond the
Breaking Point

Plastic pollution
in the ocean is a
significant
environmental
threat.

The Dominant Generator
of Plastic Waste

Destructive
Fishing