Looking for some motivation on your plastic free journey? If so, here are 10 shocking facts about plastic pollution that will remind you why avoiding single-use plastic matters.
Why we need to do more to tackle plastic pollution
1. There are currently 51 trillion pieces of microplastics in our oceans. That is almost 269,000 tonnes, which, to put into perspective, weighs roughly the same as 1,345 adult blue whales.
2. Due to the rate of plastic pollution in our oceans, almost every seabird species on Earth will be eating plastic by 2050, according to Natural Geographic.
3. There are 500 times more microplastics in our oceans than there are stars in our galaxy.
4. Humans therefore consume between 39,000 and 52,000 microplastic particles each year. In fact, if you also count the microplastics we inhale, that number rockets up to 74,000.
5. Plastic waste also kills up to one million seabirds and 100,000 sea mammals each year, according to the United Nations.
6. Since 2015, we have generated over 6.9 billion tonnes of plastic waste. Only 9 per cent of this waste is recycled, 12 per cent is incinerated, whereas a staggering 79 per cent is put in landfills or littered in our environment.
7. Humans worldwide use two million plastic bags every minute, but for only 12 minutes on average.
8. In the last 50 years, worldwide plastic production has doubled. What’s even more concerning, however, is that the leading plastic manufacturers intend to increase production by a third in the next 5 years.
9. Every minute, the equivalent of a truckload of plastic enters the ocean. At this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the sea by 2050.
10. Finally, nearly a million beverages in plastic bottles are sold every minute worldwide.
These facts may be shocking, but the great thing is that we all have the power to make a difference. Whether it’s by swapping to reusables, saying no to single-use plastics or sharing these facts with friends, every effort matters.
If you’ve found these shocking facts about plastic pollution motivating, then please leave a comment on your actions to tackle plastic pollution below.
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Pl. save this beautiful planet from from Rakshas in the form of plastic .
We are late in finding solutions to many problems. Plastic problem is also similar. Looking at these statistics, it is sad. Biologically valuable ecosystems have been destroyed
really helpful information.