1 The massive expansion of plastics began in the second half of the 20th century when it was discovered that a waste product from the petrochemical industry could be used to make PVC (polyvinyl chloride).
2 A total of 9.2 billion tons of plastic were produced between 1950 and 2017. Based on the current global population, this means that more than 1 ton of plastic is used per capita. The highest percentage of this is for single-use products and packaging, with less than 10% of human-produced plastic being recycled.
3 In 1978, Coca-Cola first decided to replace its iconic glass bottles with plastic. To this day, items such as disposable cups and plastic dinner plates have become an integral part of our fast-paced lives.
4 Plastics pose many health risks. Humans have also added a range of chemicals to basic plastics in order to obtain desirable properties. However, these chemicals are harmful to health and can accumulate in indoor air and dust.
5 Plastic trash and plastic particles floating in the world's oceans are a much-discussed issue, yet few people realize that plastic pollution in the soil can be 4 to 23 times greater than in the oceans.
6 In 2018, food and beverage packaging (mostly plastic) alone reached 1.13 trillion pieces in the EU alone. It's not just the packaging industry:Global agriculture uses about 6.5 million tons of plastic per year.
7 We also wear plastic on our bodies. Synthetic fibers such as polyester are made from oil or natural gas, and making a polyester shirt can emit between 3.8 and 7.1 kilograms of carbon dioxide.
8 Plastics contribute to climate change. On current trends, carbon dioxide emissions caused by plastics will reach about 56 billion tons by 2050.
9 The global plastics market, controlled by a handful of multinational corporations, is flooded with plastics produced from cheap U.S. shale gas. Europe's largest plastics producer, INEOS, has invested hundreds of millions of dollars in importing raw materials from the United States to produce plastics in Europe.
10 For decades, the plastics industry has refused to limit the production of plastics and the damage it causes, and has spent billions of dollars employing a large number of lobbyists to help it win subsidies, prevent regulation, and also shift the blame to consumers and poor Asian countries.
11 The world's four largest waste exporters are the United States, Japan, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
12 The “Get Rid of Plastic” campaign holds consumer product companies and plastics producers accountable for the waste they produce, while promoting zero-waste communities and lifestyles. More than 1,500 organizations and thousands of individuals have joined the movement.
