The 21st century has seen a massive growth in plastic production. And ideally, an equivalent growth in recycling and plastic waste control… but NO! it’s a different story. Let me take you back to the beginning, in the 1950s, where a new material was discovered: PLASTICS (synthetic polymers). Though the concept started before World War II, significant breakthroughs were made in the mid-1900s. As the name suggests, an easy to shape material, plastics are mainly made from petroleum and some natural cellulose (long chains of atoms). Statistics show that plastic production has increased extensively, in that, over 9 billion tons of plastics have been produced since its introduction, proving the gigantic attention it has gained.
Our genius idea of replacing almost every product on the market with plastics for its durability, low cost and elasticity is the same reason why we cannot control its pollution. The intensity of plastic pollution worldwide is not just a matter of seeing plastic waste everywhere but it is actually causing harm to ocean life, wildlife and human life. Plastic waste is everywhere now, even in places we least expected: our bodies. Interestingly, there are different school of thoughts about this; those who just don’t care but desperately need a straw for their favorite milkshake, those who are aware but prefer to make money, and then the small group who care but are always ignored. You might argue this out but just look around you and if that is not enough, take a look at these statistics.
So, the question is why are we still producing and why is the demand so high? Very simple, it is CHEAP. Plastic is the CHEAP POLLUTER. Producers know exactly where their products are ending up but they literally do nothing about it.
- Over 9 billion tons of plastics have been produced since 1950 and the majority of that are made in the form of everyday packaging products. Plastics have overgrown most man-made materials.
- With over 8 million tons of plastics entering the ocean annually, it is projected that there will be more plastics in the ocean than fishes by 2050 if no effective measures are put in place NOW.
- Of the huge amount of plastic waste generated daily, only 9% get to be recycled (thus in developed countries but lower in developing countries), 12% get incinerated in some countries especially in Europe, and 79% end up in landfills or in the natural environment.
So, the question is why are we still producing and why is the demand so high? Very simple, it is CHEAP. Plastic is the CHEAP POLLUTER. Producers know exactly where their products are ending up but they literally do nothing about it. Recycling was the hope, but all it did was to extend the time “potential waste” could end up as waste. Unfortunately, the current recycling approach is not efficient enough to control plastic waste issue we see now. And this makes it a very questionable industry.
Tomorrow is not certain, as I don’t know the number of microplastics I have on my plate because someone in charge will not take actions now and am sure the fishes feel the same. Those who are willing to take action say “we will ban single-use plastics by 2025”, really? 5 more years of this mess?
I am looking out for alternatives, how about you?
References
- R. Geyer, J.R. Jambeck, K.L. Law, Production, use, and the fate of all plastics ever made, Sci. Adv. 3 (2017) 25–29. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700782.
- https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
- https://www.sciencehistory.org/the-history-and-future-of-plastics
Environmental Engineer with excellent skills in R & D, quality assurance, wastewater treatment and Environmental sustainability demonstrated in the history of working in the Environmental consulting and services industries including research facilities. Currently, a PhD research candidate reading Environmental Engineering. Research focus: Wastewater treatment, microbial technology and sustainable bioenergy production.
Great article!