PLASTIC AND CLIMATE
Plastic is a ‘petro-chemical,’ (fossil fuels + chemicals). As we shift away from fossil fuels for energy and transport, the fossil fuel industry invests more in plastics production
Since 2010, 333 new chemical facilities have been built in the US, mostly using fracked gas
By 2030 there will be more CO2 emissions from plastic than from coal-fired power plants
The amount of energy used to make 12 plastic bags is equivalent to what you use to drive 1 mile
PLASTIC PRODUCTION
More than half of the plastics ever produced have been produced in the last 18 years
10 billion tons of plastic have been produced since 1950. 8-15 million tons have gone into oceans
44% of plastic resins are now being produced in the US for export to other countries
PLASTIC USAGE
42% of plastic today is intended to be single-use
40% of plastic packaging is for food
Amazon generated 709 million pounds of plastic packaging waste in 2021
(THE MYTH OF) PLASTIC RECYCLING
Only 5-6% of all consumer plastic waste actually gets recycled! Most is type #1 and #2. The rest is sent to incinerators, landfills, or overseas (e.g. Waste Colonialism)
In 2015, 51% of the world’s plastic was shipped to China (most from the US and Europe). In 2018, China stopped receiving recyclables from the US due to high contamination levels. The US now sends them to Eurasia and Africa. Shippers and waste brokers make the money while people, the oceans, landscapes and the air pay the price.
Only 5.5% of type #4 plastic (grocery bags, film plastic) is recycled nation-wide
13% of consumer plastic is incinerated (most in NY and FL), creating toxic air pollution (mercury, lead, cadmium, dioxin, acidic gasses, and carbon). Burying is better than burning.
PLASTIC AND HEALTH
The average person ingests 5 grams of plastic every week (the size of a credit card)
Microplastics can build up in a person’s liver and spleen, can travel through their respiratory system and lodge in the lungs
SO, WHAT’S THE ANSWER? REDUCE AND REUSE!
Brought to you by The Co-op’s Owner-led Plastic Reduction Committee.
To get involved, contact beginner100@gmail.com or consider taking a two-day online training by beyondplastics.org
Article by Anni Crofut, Plastic Reduction Committee member