Did you know that per capita plastic consumption in Western Europe is 136kg per year , which is also three times the amount of global consumption? Unfortunately, Germany leads the race with 25%, closely followed by Italy, France, Great Britain and Spain. Plastic production is increasing year by year, and is now around 300 million tons per year . But how does our plastic waste end up in the ocean when we throw our waste in garbage bins? How does plastic waste affect our environment? And how can we reduce our plastic consumption? Many questions about the current and very serious issue of plastic waste.
Most of it ends up in the sea
Around a third of the plastic produced each year ends up in the sea (80%) . But where does all this rubbish come from? It is obvious that a lot of rubbish ends up in the sea when it is simply left on the beach or is not disposed of in the intended container and is then blown out to sea by the wind. It is also intuitive that ships and fishing at sea produce rubbish.
Microplastics - tiny, but a big problem
Sometimes a ship loses a load or disposes of annoying garbage at sea, sometimes a fisherman loses his net or buoy. When we think of plastic waste, we often think first of packaging material, cups or plastic bags. But the key word here is microplastics. As the word microplastics suggests, this is extremely small plastic waste that usually ends up in the water via our wastewater.
Where do microplastics appear?
Cosmetic products in particular contain tiny plastic particles . We are not talking about the packaging of the cosmetics, but actually the contents. Small plastic beads are often added as an abrasive, for a better consistency or for a better shine.
How does microplastic get into the organism?
For example, peelings or toothpaste contain plastic particles that end up in our wastewater every day because they are too small to be filtered. Another cause is the washing machine. Many of our clothes are made of synthetic fibers. With each wash, fibers that are also so fine that they cannot be filtered come loose. Up to 2000 small fibers can enter the sea unhindered per wash cycle . These causes are referred to as primary microplastics. As we know, plastic does not rot. It takes about 400 years to dissolve. A PET bottle floating on the sea is broken down by the waves and UV rays and becomes microplastics. This is referred to as secondary microplastics. The plastic itself is usually not toxic, but additives such as plasticizers, fillers or color pigments are often added, which are what make the plastic dangerous.
Serious consequences of plastic waste
The consequences of pollution are largely clear. It is not just the animals that suffer, we humans can also be harmed. Sea creatures get tangled up in fishing nets or die from eating the garbage, as they may mistake it for food. There is now six times more microplastic than plankton. The microplastic thus becomes fish food and, as a result, it also becomes human food. In short: we also eat some of the plastic waste that we produce! Since many plastics also contain chemical substances, they can be harmful to our health. 20% of all garbage ends up on land, where the chemicals can be released during decomposition. Plastic waste also promotes climate change!
Together against plastic waste
There are already some ideas to eliminate the pollution. But all in all, we can reduce or even prevent this pollution by trying to avoid plastic waste at every opportunity in our everyday lives. There are also countless organizations that fight against plastic pollution.
Some tips for reducing plastic waste
1. Use cloth bags instead of plastic bags
2. Recycle instead of throwing everything away
3. Drink tap water and avoid plastic bottles
4. Buy products without packaging, such as fruit or vegetables do not have to be packed in extra bags
5. Use reusable packaging, such as drinking bottles or butter dishes
6. Prefer food in glass jars
7. Drink your coffee-to-go in a thermos cup
8. Prefer refill packs
9. Do not use plastic dishes, straws or plastic cutlery
10. Pay attention to the ingredients of cosmetic products!
These are just a few of many tips for reducing plastic waste! Even if just one tip is implemented, a little less waste will be produced and something good will be done for the environment
