Why do we need to reduce plastic waste ?
Plastic is everywhere. It is strong, light, cheap and very versatile. The majority of plastic waste does not get reused or recycled and experts believe that 50% of plastic is single-use, meaning it is used once before being discarded. Single-use plastic includes plastic water bottles, plastic packaging, plastic grocery bags etc .
While getting rid of plastic waste is the primary environmental problem, the production process is a leading cause of carbon emissions contributing to global warming. It takes a lot of energy and resources to make plastic, with more than 90% being produced from fossil fuel resources. Experts believe that if current trends continue, in 30 years time 20% of global oil consumption and 15% of global carbon emissions will be associated with plastic production. Creating bottled water takes 2000 times the energy than it does to produce tap water ! Source: emsolutions UK
