How does plastic actually find its way to our oceans?

How does plastic actually find its way to our oceans?

  • Published: 13/03/2019
  • Updated: 02/10/2019
  • PlanetWood
  • Plastic Waste

Plastics that find their way to sea are not just caused by people attending a beach.

Yes sadly tourists and local beach goers leave behind plastic bottles of drink and food packaging and that causes no end of harm to our oceans

Marine conservationist Charles Moore displays a plastic toothbrush found in the ocean – image © GreenPeace

Marine conservationist Charles Moore displays a plastic toothbrush found in the ocean – image © GreenPeace

But not all recyclable plastic will be recycled

When rubbish is being collected from your home and taken to landfill, plastic is often blown away because it

Here are some stats

From data given between 1950 and 2015, cumulative production of synthetic fibres, polymers, and additives accumulated to a total of 8.3 billion tonnes.

Of this, 4.6 billion tonnes (55 percent) went straight to landfill or was discarded, whilst 700 million tonnes (8 percent) was incinerated.

Only 500 million tonnes (6 percent) was recycled with 100 million tonnes of recycled plastic still in use; 100 million tonnes was later incinerated; and 300 million tonnes was later discarded or sent to landfill.

Amount of plastic remaining:

2.5 billion tonnes (30 percent) of primary plastics was still in use in 2015.

Of the 5.8 billion tonnes of primary plastic no longer in use, only 9 percent has been recycled since 1950.