How much plastic is wasted?
But what exactly do we mean when referring to this issue and how big is the problem of the fact that plastic is an integral part of our daily life?Plastic waste, or plastic pollution, can be defined as:
“the accumulation of plastic objects in the Earth’s environment that adversely affects wildlife, wildlife habitat, and humans.”
It also refers to the significant amount of plastic that isn’t recycled and ends up in landfill or, in the developing world, thrown into unregulated dump sites. The three quarters that aren't recycled enters our environment, polluting our oceans and causing damage to our ecosystem. In less developed countries, the majority of plastic waste eventually ends up in the ocean, meaning that marine animals are especially at risk. In particular, plastic accumulates in body fat, causing side effects throughout the food chain, all the way down to humans.
