Why Plastic?
Nearly 2 million
The number of single use plastic bags used and discarded globally every minute.
10 - 1,000 YEARS
The time they take to decompose in a landfill where they break down into toxic particles.
> 1 MILLION ANIMALS
The number of mammals and sea birds that die each year because of plastic in the ocean.
PLASTIC IS A SUBSTANCE THE EARTH SIMPLY CANNOT DIGEST
It takes a lot of energy and resources to manufacture and is used only for a few minutes before it is discarded. Less than 10% of it is actually recycled and the process of recycling also consumes a lot of energy. The rest remains in the environment and depending on its nature, it takes anything between 10 to 1,000 years to decompose.
IT HARMS US, THE WILDLIFE AND THE ENVIRONMENT
It goes to landfills where instead decomposing, it breaks down into tiny toxic particles called micro-plastics that contaminate the soil, plants and the food we eat. It also enters our oceans where millions of birds, fish and marine animals die each year after getting entangled in it or mistaking it for food and eating it.
If you would like to know and understand more about this global environmental problem, do visit Plastic Pollution Coalition.
