Basics About Plastics

Posted by Kira Chatterton
4
Nov 26, 2010
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Plastic is forever

Plastic is a material that the Earth cannot digest. Every bit of plastic that has ever been created still exists, except the small amount that has been incinerated, and has become toxic air and particulate pollution.

 

Plastic is poisoning our food chain

In the environment, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller particles that attract toxic chemicals. These particles are ingested by wildlife on land and in the ocean, and contaminate our food chain.

 

Plastic affects human health

Harmful chemicals leached by plastics are already present in the bloodstream and tissues of almost every one of us, including newborns.

 

Single Use plastics and Disposable plastics are the main source of plastic pollution

Consumption of single use and disposable plastics has spiraled out of control. They are used for seconds, hours, or days, but their remains will last hundreds of years.

 

Recycling is not a sustainable solution

Unlike glass and metal, recycling plastic is costly and does not stem the production of virgin plastic product. Most of our plastic waste is landfilled, downcycled or exported to other countries.

 

The oceanic gyres

Patches of plastic pollution cover millions of square miles of ocean in the North Pacific and in the North Atlantic. Scientists expect to find similar accumulation areas in the remaining oceanic gyres. There is no known way to clean up the plastic pollution in the oceans: the plastic particles are very small and circulate throughout the entire water column. The amount of plastic pollution in the oceans is expanding at a catastrophic rate.

 

It is plastic pollution, not marine debris?

We believe that the term ?marine debris? (used consistently by the plastics industry) is euphemistic, vague, and ineffective. We are here to talk about plastic pollution in the oceans, plastic pollution on land, and plastic pollution in our bodies. Let?s call it what it is.

 

 

Thank you plasticpollutioncoalition.org for this information.

 

 

For more information, please visit my website and blog.

www.GoGreenWaterFilter.com

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