We’ve become dependent on single-use plastic products.

And the reason why isn’t hard to find. Plastic is cheap, convenient and was made to last forever – but as plastic pollution has severe environmental and health consequences for our blue planet.

Understanding key facts about plastic pollution is the first step to rethinking our relationship with it, and ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future all life on Earth.

We’re breaking down 15 facts about plastic pollution – backed by science and our expertise as experts in Ocean health since 2009. Find out how plastic enters the environment, its impact on wildlife, what microplastics are, and how it effects our health below. 

15 Plastic pollution facts you need to know:

1. Up to 422 million tonnes of plastic are being produced each year.

The amount of plastic produced every year weighs more than all of humanity (estimated at 316 million tonnes in 2013).

2. Up to 12.7 million tonnes of plastic enter the Ocean every year.

If waste management practices don’t improve, scientists predict this amount could increase tenfold by 2025.

Single-use plastic items are the biggest contributors to marine litter (it is estimated that 1 – 5 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year).

3. Plastics make up to around 75% of marine litter, although this can be up to 100% at some sites. 

Plastic in the Ocean breaks up into smaller fragments called microplastics, which have been identified in commercial fish and thus, consumed by humans.

4. Plastic in the Ocean breaks up into smaller fragments called microplastics.

Plastic will never go away. These microplastics have been identified in commercial fish consumed by humans.

What are microplastics?

Microplastics are small plastic pieces measuring less than 5 millimetres.

While some microplastics are intentionally made small (like microbeads in facial scrubs and industrial abrasives used in sandbags), others have been formed by breaking away from larger plastic products.

Due to large amounts of plastic pollution, microplastics can now be found everywhere on Earth – from Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench; the deepest part of our Ocean.

5. Half of all plastics are single-use applications, meaning they’re used just once and disposed of.

We are all guilty of using single-use plastic items. From shampoo bottles to make-up products, plastic forks, and straws – single-use plastic is part of our daily lives.

Small behaviour changes can make a massive impact in reducing the flow of plastic pollution to the Ocean.

The next time you’re at the store, reaching for a single-use plastic item, stop and consider: Is there a more sustainable product I can use? If not, think of ways you can reuse your plastic items instead of discarding of them once you’re done.

6. Plastic was invented 150 years ago.

When we see the stat, ‘Plastic takes 450 years to decompose’ we reply, ‘How is that known?’ Plastic hasn’t been around long enough for us to confirm that.

Instead of breaking down, it’s more accurate to say plastic breaks up.

Plastic is indestructible; it was designed to defy nature, and designed not to decompose. Plastic just gets smaller, making it harder to remove from the Ocean.

7. Birds are highly susceptible to plastic ingestion.

It is estimated that over 90% of all seabirds have ingested plastic.

8. There is no giant floating island of plastic at the centre of the Pacific or any other parts of the Ocean.

The so-called Great Pacific Garbage Patch is invisible from the surface.

Plankton nets, however, reveal the true nature of the plastic problem: An accumulation of microplastics that fill up each net in concentrations that increase towards the Ocean’s centre.

9. Plastic acts as a sink for chemicals in the environment, and transports them.

When plastic is mistakenly consumed by marine life, plastic chemicals are released and stored in the fatty tissue of the animal. 

Those chemicals travel up the marine food chain, magnifying in concentration on their way up. Eventually, the plastic in fish reaches and gets consumed by people.

10. Chemicals are added to plastic during its production.

Chemicals are added to plastics to give the products certain properties. Some of the chemicals, known endocrine disruptors, have been linked to critical diseases including birth defects, cancer, autoimmune disease, infertility and cognitive and behavioural disorders.

So, plastic isn’t just polluting our Ocean – it’s polluting our bodies.

11. Crustaceans tested at the deepest point of our Ocean have ingested plastic.

Animals from the deepest places on our blue planet have been found with plastic in their stomachs, confirming fears that man-made fibres have contaminated the most remote places on Earth.

12. People living along rivers and coastlines are the most impacted by plastic pollution.

It’s been reported that China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam are the most impacted by plastic pollution.

13. Low-income communities face more health impacts near plastic production sites.

Communities with low incomes have greater exposure to toxins and plastic waste, and bear the brunt of the impacts of improper plastic disposal and incineration.

14. Annual plastic production has skyrocketed since the early 1950s, reaching 322 million tonnes in 2015.

These numbers do not include synthetic fibres used in clothing, rope and other products which accounted for 61 million tonnes in 2016.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) predicts a 3.5 – 3.8% growth in plastic production per year through 2050. As of 2019, we’re seeing proof of this – with production of single-use plastics increasing despite our growing awareness of their negative impacts.

15. Bioplastics are not not as green as they seem. Approach with caution.

Though companies often market bioplastics under the same umbrella as biodegradable products, they are not necessarily biodegradable.

Most bioplastics require very specific conditions to break down effectively. They also do not solve the litter or throwaway culture problem.

What is plastic – really?

To ensure a healthy future for our Ocean and planet we must decrease our plastic dependency.

Breaking down 5 myths about plastic pollution 

There are many plastic pollution myths out there. We’re here to dispel myths about plastic pollution and provide science-backed facts about plastic pollution.

What equips Ocean Generation to bust plastic misinformation? Science underpins all of our work; we’ve been experts in Ocean health since 2009 and released an award-winning documentary ‘A Plastic Ocean’ in 2016. Learn more about us.

Fact VS Fiction: Here’s what you need to know about plastic.

Myth: ‘There is a huge floating island of plastic out in the Pacific Ocean, 3 times the size of Texas called, ‘The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.’

Simply, there isn’t.

This is a common myth about the Ocean.

There is no giant floating island of plastic at the centre of the Pacific or any other parts of the Ocean.

The so-called ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ is invisible from the surface. Plankton nets reveal the true nature of the problem which is an accumulation of microplastics that fill up each net in concentrations that increase towards the Ocean centre.

Myth: ‘A plastic bottle will take 450 years to break down.’

Plastic taking 450 years to break down is one of the biggest plastic myths.

The truth is: Plastic doesn’t breakdown; it breaks up into smaller and smaller pieces.

Plastic has only been around for 150 years – so, we also can’t put a timeframe on how long it will be around for. Read: The History of Plastic Pollution.

This statistic – about plastic breaking down – come from old educational materials released by the American National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The original source adds the caveat that “many scientists believe plastics never entirely go away. These decomposition rates are estimates for the time it takes for these items to become microscopic and no longer be visible.” As well as oversimplifying the risk, this irresponsible statistic about plastic pollution ignores the threat of microplastics.

Plastic is indestructible, it was designed to defy nature, designed not to decompose.

Myth: ‘By 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the Ocean.’

This statement first appeared on a report written by Ellen MacArthur Foundation and the World Economic Forum (WEF) and has since been used widely by the public and some organisations.

However, there are a few issues with it. 

The estimation number of fish (fish stock) in the Ocean is based on a prediction from a 2008 article. The statistic assumes that fish stocks will stay constant until 2050. This is incredibly unlikely due to pressures from overfishing, climate change, and plastic pollution itself. The authors have since predicted higher Ocean biomass than previously thought. 

Our concern is that we are destroying the deep Ocean bed before we even begin to know and understand the marine life there as new species are being discovered all the time. 

The projection for the amount of plastic in the Ocean by 2050 was drawn from the well-known 2015 study which only quantifies Ocean plastic up to 2025. According to BBC’s investigation, the lead author voiced their lack of confidence.  

Due to these uncertainties, it is best not to use this statement to get across the crux of the message, i.e., we cannot allow the current rate of plastic production to continue, and we must sever our reliance on plastic where possible.  

Myth: ‘We can recycle our way out of our plastic pollution problems.’

We need to stop thinking that we can recycle our way out of this mess. Recycling is not the answer to the our wide-scale plastic production and consumption behaviours.

The plastic recycling process is now a circular process.

Only 13% of plastic get recycled and only 1% of plastic produced goes through the recycling process twice. 

Plastic production must decrease, yet it is currently increasing exponentially and recycling does nothing to abate this. This is because most plastic decreases in quality each time it is recycled, until it loses its value entirely and virgin plastic must be created.

Myth: ‘We should replace tarmac with recycled plastic for our road surfaces.’

This is a measure supported by some of the biggest producers of plastic waste, yet it is rife with risks.

Studies have already revealed that the second biggest input of microfibres into our Ocean are the fibres that come from car tyres.

How might that increase if we start covering our roads with plastic too?

Research is only beginning into the nanoplastics in the air that we breathe. How might vast stretches of plastic-covered roads contribute to these, especially on hot days?

What can I do about plastic pollution?

You’re already taking action to protect our blue planet: You’re getting informed.

Tackling a problem as big as plastic pollution can feel overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to. 

Action you can take against plastic pollution right now

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