Plastic Pollution

 

It is estimated that nearly 10 million tons of plastic are dumped into our oceans every year. Plastic is made from a mixture of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as their main ingredient. Plastic is used every day, every minute, and every second. According to Plasticoceans.org, approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. That is more than one million bags that are used every minute. Plastic has a slow decomposition rate in natural ecosystems and is a valuable resource we use every day. With plastic is unsustainable and frequently used it is the result of plastic pollution.

Plastic Pollution:

Plastic is designed for a single-use purpose. We use plastic one time, throw it away and never think about where it ends up. Single-use plastic products contribute to environmental, social, economic, and health consequences. According to the UN environment program, between 1950 to 1970 plastic waste was relatively manageable due to only a small quantity of plastic being produced. Plastic wasted production tripled between 1970 and 1990. In a single decade, plastic production rose more than it did in 40 years in the early 2000s.

If growing trends in the production of plastic continue to grow, we are forecasted to reach 1,100 million tons of plastic by 2050. This is a frightening trend as plastic production has grown faster than any other material.

Single-use plastic products are part of our everyday routine. Roughly 36 percent of all plastics produced are used in packaging and roughly 85 percent of it ends up in landfills or as unregulated waste. A large percentage of single-use plastic products are made from fossil fuel-based chemicals such as natural gas.

Less than 10 percent of the seven billion tons of plastic waste produced globally has been recycled. Plastic waste is either lost to our environment or shipped to destinations that dump or burn it. The most common plastic waste found in our environment is cigarette butts. Cigarettes have a filter that contains tiny plastic fibers. Items we use every day, such as food wrappers, plastic bags, and straws, cause plastic pollution, and with every use, we are unaware of where the plastic waste will end up.

 

In-conclusion:

At Stetho Health Systems we promise sustainable materials, healthy ingredients, and beautiful designs. We are looking at the whole of our value chain to improve our manufacturing and innovate to leave no plastic bound for landfills or oceans.

The products we use and the choices we make every day affect not only our health but our environment. By being cautious and aware we can limit the amount of plastic that pollutes our landfills and ocean. By taking actions such as choosing sustainable products, passing on a straw with your drink, and switching to reusable bags you can help take a step towards limiting plastic pollution. Also, choosing products that you can get more than one use out of can help play a role in reducing plastic pollution. Remember to reduce, reuse, and recycle so that we can keep our health and our environment healthy for generations to come.