Plastic Pollution
5 steps that could end the plastic pollution crisis – and save our ocean
1. Production: Cutting or limiting production is the first step.
2. 2. Usage: Currently, 40% of plastic is single-use and has a lifespan of one year. It is recommended a wholesale change in design so the majority can be reused or recycled.
3. Waste collection: Low collection rates and poor sorting is the problem and one that varies greatly from country to country. Industry and policy together could make a difference
4. Treatment: Not enough plastic is recycled, with most treated by landfilling, incineration or dumping.
• In 2016, less than 20% of plastic waste was recycled because the process is unprofitable and expensive compared to other treatments.
1. Production: Cutting or limiting production is the first step.
2. 2. Usage: Currently, 40% of plastic is single-use and has a lifespan of one year. It is recommended a wholesale change in design so the majority can be reused or recycled.
3. Waste collection: Low collection rates and poor sorting is the problem and one that varies greatly from country to country. Industry and policy together could make a difference
4. Treatment: Not enough plastic is recycled, with most treated by landfilling, incineration or dumping.
• In 2016, less than 20% of plastic waste was recycled because the process is unprofitable and expensive compared to other treatments.
• Incineration capacity in Asia is predicted to grow by more than 7% a year until 2023.
• Recycling operating costs are prohibitively high due to high collection and separation costs, and a limited supply of recyclable plastic. Collecting and sorting is a time consuming and labour-intensive process due to the high levels of mixed and contaminated plastic waste.
• All this means carbon dioxide emissions from plastic waste management could triple by 2030, while burning plastics creates other pollutants.
5. Secondary markets: Current secondary markets for plastics aren’t working as well as they could. Measures should be put in place to ensure the global price of plastic reflects its full life cycle cost to nature and society.
• Recycling operating costs are prohibitively high due to high collection and separation costs, and a limited supply of recyclable plastic. Collecting and sorting is a time consuming and labour-intensive process due to the high levels of mixed and contaminated plastic waste.
• All this means carbon dioxide emissions from plastic waste management could triple by 2030, while burning plastics creates other pollutants.
5. Secondary markets: Current secondary markets for plastics aren’t working as well as they could. Measures should be put in place to ensure the global price of plastic reflects its full life cycle cost to nature and society.
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