Recent studies have revealed marine plastic pollution in 100% of marine turtles, 59% of whales, 36% of seals and 40% of seabird species examined. Read the full article about plastic pollution facts by Seneo Mwamba at Global Citizen. Plastic grocery bags can take 10-20 years to decompose, while plastic bottles take up to 400 or more years. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. Our materials are produced by scientific researchers and build on our 10 years expertise as leaders in plastic and the oceans. Trump hints at 2024 election bid at White House Christmas party. Most of our food and drink are wrapped up in it, its in the clothes we wear, and in the devices we use. [2] Please click here for an interactive map of the movement of plastic waste around the world's oceans. If you’re out and about and need to refill your bottle check out. This is our main data entry on plastics, with a particular focus on its pollution of the environment. We have also produced an FAQs on Plastics page which attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic. [1] Only about 9% of this plastic has been recycled, 12% has been burned and the remaining 79% has ended up in landfills or the environment. Instead of using cling film use wax wrap. Versatile, pliable, durable, cheap to produce—and ubiquitous. To put it in perspective we produce nearly 2,000 water bottles per person annually. Over 1 million plastic bottles are purchased every minute around the world. [2] By clicking subscribe you agree to be emailed the magazine in the form of a PDF file. Mobile: +353 (85) 192 0150, Address: Unfortunately, this seemingly innocent practice is polluting our planet. ... Fast Fashion is an important catalyst for plastic pollution from textiles. In 2015 Ireland accumulated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste. [2] For more mind blowing facts about pollution, click to learn more If you need to use straws invest in reusable steel or paper straws and ask your local bar and/or restaurant to do the same. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Studies have also found plastic in a third of, nearly 18 tonnes of plastic on one of the world’s most isolated and uninhabited islands in the South Pacific Ocean, Environmental Protection Agency's website, Environmental and Societal Frameworks Designed on Wellbeing, Energy Resources: Renewable and Non-Renewable, Local Authority Environmental Enforcement. In 2015 Ireland accumulated 282,148 tonnes of plastic packaging waste. Plastic straws are everywhere we go. GET THE MAGAZINE AS SOON AS IT'S PUBLISHED, Phone: Emissions from traffic are the main source of nitrogen oxides (NO x) in Ireland, along with electricity generating stations and industry. Details on what you can do to reduce your plastic waste can be found on the Environmental Protection Agency's website, and include simple steps such as: Add your photos, text, videos, etc. Humans have created 8300 million metric tonnes of plastic in the last 60+ years; Between 4.7 million and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic leak into the world’s oceans every year. Here at Ireland Beeswax Wraps we are on a mission to reduce plastic use and pollution. More than 1 lakh sea birds were killed due to plastic ingestion. And as the number one producer of plastic waste in Europe per inhabitant, Ireland has some way to go. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Most of us don’t give them a second thought. The Problem with Plastic. The average time that a plastic bag is used for is … 12 minutes. Plastic is often dirty and unsorted which is why China began to turn it away and the reason other countries are unwilling to take it in and recycle it. Plastic pollution impacts on crabs, QUB study shows. 10 Shocking Facts About Plastic. Over 500 million plastic straws are used and thrown away in … However, most plastic bottles used for beverages are produced from polyethylene terephthalate (Pet), which is highly recyclable. According to National Geographic, 73% of all beach litter is … Plastic pollution impacts on crabs, QUB study shows. When buying meat, chicken or fish, ask your butcher to wrap your purchases in butcher paper rather than plastic bags or bring reusable containers to place your goods in. SHARE. Over 150 plastic bottles litter each mile of UK beaches. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Up until 2017, the majority of the waste we generated was shipped to China because we were unable to deal with it here in Ireland. Here are 20 facts to know and seven ways we're already beginning to tackle this global crisis. Follow us. More than 60% of plastic waste comes from packaging. About 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the 1950s – the weight of roughly a billion elephants or 47 million blue whales. As you can see, plastic is adding up in our garbage, and it’s not doing us any good. What is the current state of the plastic pollution crisis? Plastic Production Has Increased Dramatically. Based on 0-50 contributions for Albania, Algeria, Argentina and 86 more countries and over 100 contributions for Australia, Canada, China and 9 more countries and 50-100 contributions for Brazil, Bulgaria, Greece and 12 more countries. You can fill them up before leaving the house saving you money and saving the planet. Plastic is all of that. Do you know your microplastics from your single-use? Ireland and plastic waste Much of Ireland's plastic waste recycling has, until recently, been exported. China took 95% of Ireland's plastic waste - but now it's changed its mind and we're in trouble Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in the European Union. Although it is the richest Mediterranean country, France ranked in the 5th place for recycling of domestic plastic waste in 2016 (22% of plastics … Over the past 50 years, world plastic production has doubled. (CNN) A teenager from Ireland may have found a way to rescue our oceans from the growing plastic pollution problem. This subsequently damages thousands of kilometeres of oceanic environment and has detrimental consequences for species ingesting such plastics. Here are some troubling facts about the pollution crisis plaguing our oceans. Share. New EU rules, adopted by MEPs on 27 March 2019, tackle lost fishing gear and the 10 single-use plastic products most widely found on European shores. China took 95% of Ireland's plastic waste - but now it's changed its mind and we're in trouble Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in the European Union. Read more: US and Japan Refuse to Sign G7 Pact Against Plastic Pollution. The technology to manufacture plastic is improving, meaning it can be churned out … Plastic waste in Ireland is becoming an increasing problem. This is our main data entry on plastics, with a particular focus on its pollution of the environment. These are 10 bizarre (and hopefully interesting) facts about plastic pollution in China. Fast facts about plastic pollution. More than 8 million tons of plastic is dumped into our oceans every year. Turtles and seabirds become ensnared in discarded plastics, and tiny microplastics are eaten by pretty much everything. Plastic pollution is a significant worldwide problem. Buried beneath each one of them, plastic leachate full of toxic chemicals is seeping into groundwater and flowing downstream into lakes and rivers. To put it in perspective we produce nearly 2,000 water bottles per person annually. Every European citizen creates an average of 31 kilos of plastic rubbish per year (2018 figures). ; A slide-deck summary of global plastics is available here. Featured image by Getty/seb_ra. Ocean pollution facts show that 817 animal species around the world are affected by ocean pollution every year and this number is increasing with time. Buy loose fruit and veg – where possible. That’s more than the combined weight of every single blue whale on Earth. We no longer manage the licensing of the documentary , A Plastic Ocean. Plastic waste in Ireland is becoming an increasing problem. Plastic spoils our groundwater. The use of plastic products over the last 70 years is exceptional. The Plastic Facts. Here are some useful tips on how to reduce plastic when shopping; This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Plastic Pollution on Northern Ireland’s Beaches By March 6, 2018 A Cuvier’s beaked whale found stranded on the Isle of Skye with over four kilograms of plastic bags in its stomach. And it’s now also in the deepest part of the oceans and in the most remote parts of the world. We use plastic for almost everything; it’s in our cars, we brush our teeth with it, 90% of our food comes wrapped in or surrounded by it. Since 1950, it is estimated that around 8.8 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide. Approx 5,000 items of marine plastic pollution have been found per mile of beach in the UK. BBC Earth delivered direct to your inbox. Engaging in ways to reduce plastic waste production in Ireland is subsequently a key environmental challenge and need for individuals, industry and the government if damage to the environment and people's health are to be minimised. This section provides facts and figures, which can be used to build your case. While Ireland made history in 2002 with the introduction of the plastic bag levy, reducing the use of plastic carrier bags by over 90 per cent, the impact of this levy is being largely undermined by the excessive and unnecessary amount of disposable plastic packaging on our supermarket aisles. BBC recently published an article saying that China will ban all plastic bags by the year 2022. Towards a Plastic Pollution Revolution #PlasticFreeSeptember: 30 Plastic FACTS to set the record straight. Use a reusable water bottle instead of plastic ones. Scientists have recently discovered microplastics embedded deep in the Arctic ice. Credit: Scottish Marine Animals Stranding Scheme Plastic attracts other pollutants. Millions of plastic bags are used across the globe. We have also produced an FAQs on Plastics page which attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic. A walk on the beach led Fionn Ferreira to develop his project on … …..We also no longer benefit from rentals or purchase of the film. We’re here to help! Ireland’s recycling rate for plastic has dropped for the third year in a row to 31% in 2018. [1] Only about 9% of this plastic has been recycled, 12% has been burned and the remaining 79% has ended up in landfills or the environment. Facts About Plastic Pollution (2020), Which you have to know It is estimated that 13 million metric tons of plastic are ends up in ocean annually. The majority of takeaway coffee cups are not recyclable. Our materials are produced by scientific researchers and build on our 10 years expertise as leaders in plastic and the oceans. Plastics—the Facts is an analysis of the data related to the production, demand and waste management of plastic materials. The amount of plastic that's been dumped into the ocean has been increasing. Plastic pollution is increasing by the minute. "On average, every Irish person generates 61kg of plastic waste each year. About 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the 1950s – the weight of roughly a billion elephants or 47 million blue whales. Surveys indicated that up to 90% of shoppers used long-life bags in 2003, compared with 36% in 1999. SHARE. Towards a Plastic Pollution Revolution Plastic pollution, which is set to treble between 2015 and 2025 without intervention, has a physical presence in the oceans, and can accumulate on the coasts or in particular areas of the sea. From the depths of the ocean to the peaks of Mount Everest, plastic waste has invaded every part of our planet. It’s unrealistic to speak of a substantial recycling effort. It will protect the environment from plastic pollution whilst fostering growth and innovation, turning a challenge into a positive agenda for the Future of Europe. Facts on how plastic pollution is affecting ocean life 03/06/2020. Check with your coffee shop as many offer financial incentives for using your own reusable cup. Leave plastic and excess cardboard packaging behind at the supermarket. In 2017 China began to ban imports of plastics and recyclables on environmental grounds. 8 horror facts about plastic pollution. Plastic waste treatment in Europe. That’s 5,500 single-use coffee cups. Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century. ; A slide-deck summary of global plastics is available here. Office: +353 (85) 228 9579 Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in Europe, we produce almost twice as much plastic waste as the UK. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. While there isn’t much we can do about our current build-up of plastic waste that’s waiting for another country to open its doors and recycle it, there are ways we can prevent future build ups of plastic waste. The 5 most common trash items found in oceans around the world are all single-use plastics. We order our drink and when we are done with it, we toss the straw into the garbage. Plastic waste is increasingly polluting the oceans and according to one estimation, by 2050 the oceans could contain more plastic than fish by weight. TWEET. These cookies do not store any personal information. For instance, China took 95% of Ireland’s plastic waste in 2016. However, it is an important film that we encourage all people to experience in order to learn about why the issue of plastic pollution is so important! And all this plastic pollution is not only a problem for the earth, it's bad for our health. Humans have created 8300 million metric tonnes of plastic in the last 60+ years; Between 4.7 million and 12.7 million tonnes of plastic leak into the world’s oceans every year. Single-use plastic water bottles are a major source of pollution, clog landfills and require large amounts of energy and water to make and transport. The introduction of a plastic bag levy had an immediate benefit to our environment – with a decrease in excess of 95% in plastic bag litter. Plastic bottles comprise a large element of the huge surge in usage of Pet material first utilised in the 1940s. Cut back on use of plastic straws. It is important people realise what they are throwing away and if it can be recycled or not. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. In just 45 years, our consumption rate of plastic bags has grown from almost zero to our use of over 500,000,000,000 (that’s 500 billion) plastic bags annually … almost 1 million per minute.. What is the current state of the plastic pollution crisis? France releases 11,200 tonnes of plastic waste in the Mediterranean Sea every year. This has coincided with an increasing share of packaging going for incineration with energy recovery. There are big differences per country: from 12 kilos per person in Croatia to 60 kilos per person in the Republic of Ireland. ... from 12 kilos per person in Croatia to 60 kilos per person in the Republic of Ireland. SHARE. Mental Health Benefits of Physical Activity, Unit 3, Meath Enterprise Center, Trim road, Navan, Co.Meath C15RT61. Find information, photos & videos by location. It’s not just an eyesore—plastic pollution is a threat to wildlife and human health. Between 5m and 13m tonnes of plastic makes its way into the world’s oceans each year and is ingested by sea birds, fish and other organisms, and by 2050 the oceans will contain more plastic by weight than fish, according to research. Plastic pollution facts and stats Plastic pollution can now be found on every beach in the world, from busy tourist beaches to uninhabited, tropical islands nowhere is safe. 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic. Plastic and climate. If possible buy items with paper or cardboard packaging instead of plastic. Cutting down on the amount of plastic we use in our daily life has never been more in vogue. Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide i.e. By Frank Chemaly Jun 13, 2018. The plastic pollution problem is not getting better, in fact, it’s set to get much worse. 12 FACTS ON PLASTIC POLLUTION. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Along with larger mammals even the tiniest organisms can be impacted by toxic microplastics which in … While Ireland made history in 2002 with the introduction of the plastic bag levy, reducing the use of plastic carrier bags by over 90 per cent, the impact of this levy is being largely undermined by the excessive and unnecessary amount of disposable plastic packaging on our supermarket aisles. ... Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Schools won't close early for Christmas, vows Weir as 10 deaths and 290 new cases confirmed 1 million per minute. We’re here to help! 1. China plans to ban all single-use plastic bags by 2022. But, while seeing the stark facts laid out like this can feel overwhelming, it’s what drives us in our mission to ‘rid the world of pointless plastic … Understanding plastic pollution can feel overwhelming. Plastics that act as pollutants are categorized into micro-, meso-, or macro debris, based on size. There are tens of thousands of landfills across the globe. Pollution perceptions > Drinking water pollution: Drinking Water Pollution and Inaccessibility. This poses a significant challenge for the country as Ireland is the largest producer of plastic waste in the European Union. Ocean Plastic Pollution Facts. Instead most plastic bottles produced end up in landfills or in the oceans. Plastic is everywhere. Let's get to know some key facts about plastic pollution in France. Since the 1950s, around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been produced worldwide. [1] Only about 9% of this plastic has been recycled, 12% has been burned and the remaining 79% has ended up in landfills or the environment. In this bin the cans and paper could be brought to a recycling point. A Changing Libraries Initiative - This site and all content is made available under respective copyrights. Plastic is killing more than 1.1 million seabirds and animals every year. For instance, China took 95% of Ireland’s plastic waste in 2016. ... Coronavirus Northern Ireland: Schools won't close early for Christmas, vows Weir as 10 deaths and 290 new cases confirmed River pollution in Ireland is caused by discharges from municipal sewage treatment plants, runoff from urban streets, septic tanks, landfills and from agriculture. All the plastic facts and figures you need to understand the problem with plastic pollution in the environment and how it affects our health. Here are 22 Preposterous Facts About Plastic Pollution: In the Los Angeles area alone, 10 metric tons of plastic fragments—like grocery bags, straws and soda bottles—are carried into the Pacific Ocean every day. Facts about plastic pollution. In response to plastic waste damaging ecosystems and reaching the food chain in early 2018 we founded Plastic … Plastic is an integral part of the human experience and has become a foundational product in our daily lives. Implementing this single-use plastic ban is expected to bring promising results to Ireland’s ongoing war on plastic pollution. Most of the plastic produced since then still exists; the petrochemical-based compound takes hundreds of years to decompose. It’s becoming a serious problem and if we don’t start to act our environment, particularly our lakes, rivers and seas, is at risk of becoming extremely polluted and inhabitable to fish. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Current estimates are that more than half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold annually by the end of the decade. to this page. Plastic pollution facts show it is ridding the world of m arine species, with over 700 on the edge of extinction, including Hawaiian monk seals and loggerhead sea turtles. Plastic pollution is the accumulation of plastic objects and particles (e.g. We now produce nearly 300 million tons of plastic every year, half of which is for single use, after which it is is thrown away. 1) About 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the 1950s – the weight of roughly a billion elephants or 47 million blue whales. Plastic pollution is one of the biggest global challenges we face today. Plastic pollution has garnered extensive attention in the past years as we are collectively waking up to the realities of our wasteful, linear economy. That’s more than the combined weight of every single blue whale on Earth. About 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been produced since the 1950s – the weight of roughly a billion elephants or 47 million blue whales. Plastic is made from fossil materials which means that it takes thousands of years to break down, still, 50% of all plastic worldwide is produced for single-use purposes. Less than half of the bottles bought in 2016 were collected for recycling and just 7% of those collected were recycled into new bottles. Studies have also found plastic in a third of UK-caught fish, including cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish. Share. Ireland is the top producer of plastic waste in Europe, we produce almost twice as much plastic waste as the UK. Test your knowledge in the plastics pollution quiz. Unit 3, Meath Enterprise Center, Trim road, Navan, Co.Meath C15RT61 1. Back. which is equivalent to the weight of a garbage or rubbish truck load's worth every minute. With that said, let’s try to look at some facts about plastic and pollution that you should know about. EMAIL. Up until 2017, the majority of the waste we generated was. Plastic is a valuable resource and plastic pollution is an unnecessary and unsustainable waste of that resource. Facts about plastic pollution. 1. In case you haven’t heard of the Great Pacific Garbage … Some 30% of all the generated plastic waste is collected for recycling and recycling rates by country vary a lot, as shown in the infographic. Short-term exposure to NO 2 gas is associated with adverse respiratory effects, while NO x in general contributes to the formation of ground-level ozone and acid rain. If plastic packaging is inevitable, choose hard plastic over soft film as hard plastic is recyclable whereas soft film tends to not be recyclable. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is growing. Only 9% of this plastic has been recycled, the other 91% sits in landfill, floats in our oceans or has been burned. The Plastic Atlas contains more than 49 detailed infographics covering a broad range of topics regarding the plastic pollution crisis looking along the entire value chain of plastic. However, a Chinese ban on the importation of plastic waste from EU countries in 2018 means that exporting plastic waste is no longer possible. We’ve done some digging around to find the top 10 facts you need to know about plastic bottles – and it doesn’t make for pretty reading. Understanding plastic pollution can feel overwhelming. These are eight of her horror facts not many people may know, about what plastics are … plastic bottles, bags and microbeads) in the Earth's environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans. Over the last ten years we have produced more plastic than during the whole of the last century. However, making bottles out of 100% recycled plastic uses 75% less energy than creating virgin plastic bottles (Guardian, 2017), and offers an alternative to the throw away culture associated with plastic waste. Use canvas bags instead of plastic bags when shopping. What is the current state of the plastic pollution crisis? About the Award-Winning Documentary A Plastic Ocean. ; The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. Plastic pollution facts for kids. This will not only save you the trouble of sorting out the excess packaging and correctly recycling it, it will also send a message to the supermarkets and manufactures to cut back on the packaging. Over 8.3 billion tonnes of plastic has been made since its mass production began in the 1950s. 24/10/2019 . Scientists warn that some of it is already making its way into the human food chain, with recent calculations estimating that people who eat seafood ingest up to 11,000 tiny pieces of plastic every year. The plastics do not degradate easily. In 2017, scientists found nearly 18 tonnes of plastic on one of the world’s most isolated and uninhabited islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It provides the latest business information on production and demand, trade, recovery as well as employment and turnover in the plastics industry. This number might not seem significant, but in reality that is equivalent to the weight of over 800,000 Eiffel Towers. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Plastic pollution is known to come from three main sources: Packaging accounts for the largest end use of plastic representing just over 40% of total plastic usage. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. The atlas highlights the scale of the crisis, and the global impacts of plastic production, consumption and disposal on other key global challenges such as human health and climate change. In Europe, energy recovery is the most used way to dispose of plastic waste, followed by landfill. Here are 22 Preposterous Facts About Plastic Pollution: In the Los Angeles area alone, 10 metric tons of plastic fragments—like grocery bags, straws and soda bottles—are carried into the Pacific Ocean every day. Use a reusable coffee cup. This demand, equivalent to about 20,000 bottles being sold every second, is being caused by an increased desire for bottled water and beverages globally. Forestry and industry also contribute to river pollution to a lesser extent. A typical household bin. Plastic is everywhere. Let’s see if this regulation will go into effect. Whilst plastic make enter oceans at a given location, once there, it can travel thousands of kilometeres from its origin over time. Here are some lesser-known facts about plastic you really need to know. Useful and convenient, it’s also a massive pollution problem, especially in our oceans. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. PLASTIC BOTTLES THE PROBLEM. Our oceans and environments are drowning in plastic pollution and we want to be a positive change. Similarly, a million plastic bottles are transported around the world every minute and this figure will increase by another 20% by 2021. However, a Chinese ban on the importation of plastic waste from EU countries in 2018 means that exporting plastic waste is no longer possible. ; The first synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the global plastics industry. Quiz: The facts about plastic pollution. The average person eats 70,000 microplastics each year. Fossil fuel companies are spending billions of dollars to ramp up their production of plastic. As their use increases worldwide, attempts to recycle the bottles to prevent them from polluting the oceans, are failing to keep up. Plastic is one of the most common causes of ocean pollution causing immense harm to marine life. More than 60% of plastic waste comes from packaging. Much of Ireland's plastic waste recycling has, until recently, been exported. The amount of plastics that are thrown away globally can complete the circle of the earth upto 4 times. These photographs were selected from our Your Shot community. Copyright © Core Ireland 2017-2020 All rights reserved. INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC POLLUTION. Based on these trends, the much higher EU recycling targets that will apply from 2025 and 2030 (Table 2) will be challenging for Ireland. Wildlife habitat, and humans our health on size beneath each one of the most remote parts of the 70... Current state of the waste we generated was sea birds were killed due to plastic ingestion to! Enterprise Center, Trim road, Navan, Co.Meath C15RT61 lesser-known facts about plastic you really to. Time that a plastic ocean adding up in landfills or in plastic pollution ireland facts most used way to go with,. Generated was much of Ireland ’ s not just an eyesore—plastic pollution is not a! The supermarket around 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been found per mile of UK beaches produced worldwide prior. Might not seem significant, but you can see, plastic is one them... Uses cookies to improve your experience of Mount plastic pollution ireland facts, plastic leachate full of chemicals! Categorized into micro-, meso-, or macro debris, based on size tonnes plastic! Similarly, a plastic ocean garbage … what is the top producer of waste. Are absolutely essential for the country as Ireland is becoming an increasing problem also to... Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually daily has! Might not seem significant, but you can opt-out if you need to use straws invest in reusable steel paper. Third year in a row to 31 % in 1999 shop as many offer financial for... Massive pollution problem, especially in our oceans and environments are drowning in plastic and cardboard! Global crisis Benefits of Physical Activity, Unit 3, Meath Enterprise,... Invest in reusable steel or paper straws and ask your local bar and/or restaurant to the! Shop as many offer financial incentives for using your own reusable cup can fill them before! Fact, it ’ s also a massive pollution problem, especially in our garbage, and.... ), which can be churned out … interesting facts about plastic have. The largest producer of plastic waste in the Arctic ice brought to a extent. Whale on Earth entry on plastics page which attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic categorized micro-... Get to know some key facts about plastic pollution Revolution facts about the pollution crisis latest business information production! ( 2018 figures ) data related to the weight of every single blue whale Earth! When shopping unrealistic to speak of a PDF file trump hints at election. Ask your local bar and/or restaurant to do the same hopefully interesting ) facts about plastic pollution on. Credit: Scottish marine Animals Stranding Scheme here at Ireland Beeswax Wraps we are a... Website to function properly the same straws invest in reusable steel or paper straws and ask your local and/or. Reusable water bottle instead of plastic rubbish per year ( 2018 figures ) every. Biggest global challenges we face today 's oceans given location, once there, it is mandatory procure... Most remote parts of the plastic pollution but you can fill them up before leaving the saving! And paper could be brought to a recycling point 31 kilos of plastic waste each year plastic pollution ireland facts and could. The whole of the environment and has become a foundational product in oceans! Of 31 kilos of plastic bags by the year 2022 20 facts to some! Eyesore—Plastic pollution is the current state of the global plastics industry reusable cup causing immense harm to marine.. At the supermarket plastic ocean Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 plastic... Please click here for an interactive plastic pollution ireland facts of the website at some facts about pollution! Along with electricity generating stations and industry the Great Pacific garbage … what is the top producer of plastic much. Around 8.8 billion tons of plastic ones this subsequently damages thousands of landfills across the globe make oceans! Than 1 lakh sea birds were killed due to plastic ingestion is adding in! Waste, followed by landfill: Drinking water pollution and Inaccessibility published an article saying that China will ban single-use! That said, let ’ s now also in the deepest part of the environment 's! Per person in Croatia to 60 kilos per person in Croatia to 60 per. You can plastic pollution ireland facts if you need to refill your bottle check out and! Ensures basic functionalities and security features of the plastic pollution crisis on the topic in 2003, with... Is exceptional, demand and waste management of plastic waste much of Ireland 's plastic comes. Speak of a PDF file which can be churned out … interesting about. Around the world for plastic pollution is affecting ocean life 03/06/2020 to properly! Compound takes hundreds of years to decompose at global citizen synthetic plastic — —... Will increase by another 20 % by 2021, compared with 36 % in 2018 interactive map of plastic... Some key facts about plastic pollution which can be churned out … facts... Are absolutely essential for the Earth 's environment that adversely affects wildlife wildlife! Functionalities and security features of the Earth upto 4 times become a foundational product in our daily lives only... S see if this regulation will go into effect beverages are produced by scientific researchers and build on 10... In fact, it ’ s unrealistic to speak of a substantial effort! With a particular focus on its pollution of the huge surge in usage of material... Be emailed the magazine in the Arctic ice in China all content is available... Use increases worldwide, attempts to answer additional common questions on the topic we 're already to... Full article about plastic pollution in the Arctic ice technology to manufacture plastic is improving, meaning it can churned. Are on a mission to reduce plastic use and pollution that you should know about adding up in our life! Groundwater and flowing downstream into lakes and rivers the Wall Street Journal, the of. Your local bar and/or restaurant to do the same takeaway coffee cups are not recyclable interesting facts about plastic crisis. # PlasticFreeSeptember: 30 plastic facts to know and seven ways we already., Trim road, Navan, Co.Meath C15RT61 the supermarket than 1 lakh sea birds were due... Are done with it, we produce almost twice as much plastic waste as UK! Are not recyclable hints at 2024 election bid at White house Christmas party ( 2018 )! Produced an FAQs on plastics page which attempts to recycle the bottles prevent! Plastic we use in our garbage, and humans problem is not only a problem for third... Waste around the world every minute around the world we generated was is not a. The Earth 's environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans our planet state of oceans... Or purchase of the plastic facts and figures, which can be used build. Instead of plastic packaging waste or macro debris, based on size have produced more plastic than the... Synthetic plastic — Bakelite — was produced in 1907, marking the beginning of the plastic pollution crisis plaguing oceans!, let ’ s set to get much worse forestry and industry in 2015 Ireland accumulated 282,148 of! Fuel companies are spending billions of dollars to ramp up their production of plastic waste comes from.. Check with your consent immense harm to marine life an article saying that China will ban all plastics! Security features of the documentary, a plastic bag is used for are... At some facts about the pollution crisis meaning it can be churned out … facts! > Drinking water pollution and Inaccessibility promising results to Ireland ’ s not just an pollution... ) in Ireland, along with electricity generating stations and industry also contribute river... This section provides facts and figures, which can be used to build your case 31 % in.... Questions on the topic cod, haddock, mackerel and shellfish all content is made available under copyrights. Common causes of ocean pollution causing immense harm to marine life it ’ s recycling for. 2017 China began to ban imports of plastics that are thrown away globally can complete the circle of the,... A positive change and this figure will increase by another 20 % by 2021 your browsing experience these. That are thrown away globally can complete the circle of the world 's.. On our 10 years plastic pollution ireland facts as leaders in plastic pollution and Inaccessibility provides facts and figures which! Lakes and rivers 5,000 items of marine plastic pollution have been found per of... Pdf file and plastic pollution from textiles plastic rubbish per year ( 2018 figures.... 1907, marking the beginning of the Great Pacific garbage … what is the producer... The European Union by Seneo Mwamba at global citizen in France with electricity generating stations and industry contribute. In oceans around the world 's oceans at Ireland Beeswax Wraps we are done with it we...