Plastics

Plastics are a wide range of synthetic or semi-synthetic materials that use polymers as a main ingredient. Because the chemical structure of most plastics renders them durable, they are resistant to many natural degradation processes. Plastic is a very useful material for getting our products to consumers safely and efficiently. It’s often the lowest carbon footprint option compared to other materials. However, plastic is ending up in our environment. This has to stop.

Good for Planet & Wellbeing topics related to plastics

• Microplastics
• Decomposition of plastics
• Recycling

What is plastic leakage?

Plastic leakage is the potential amount of macro- and microplastics that are not kept in a circular loop or properly managed at their end-of-life, and thus leak into the environment.

• Over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year for use in a wide variety of applications.
• At least 14 million tons of plastic end up in the ocean every year, and plastic makes up 80% of all marine debris found from surface waters to deep-sea sediments.
• Marine species ingest or are entangled by plastic debris, which causes severe injuries and death.
• Plastic pollution threatens food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change.
• There is an urgent need to explore new and existing legally binding agreements to address marine plastic pollution

Plastic leakage is altering marine and terrestrial ecosystems, whilst also posing substantial risks to human livelihoods that depend on the integrity of such environments, such as tourism and fishing. In 2019 alone, 6.1 Mt of plastic waste leaked into rivers, lakes and the ocean. As the bulk of plastics reach the ocean through rivers via a slow process that can take years or even decades, 109 Mt of plastics are estimated to have accumulated in rivers globally by 2019, with 1.7 Mt flowing into the ocean in 2019. While inflow estimates are lower than earlier studies that do not account for the residence time of leaked plastics in rivers, the amount is still alarming. With increasing plastics use and waste, the stock of plastics accumulating in aquatic environments is projected to more than triple from 140 Mt in 2019 to 493 Mt in 2060.

Cleaning up the plastics from the ocean will become more and more difficult each year. The plastic particles will become tinier and almost impossible to detect and clean. Because it becomes more difficult to take plastic out of the ocean, it will also become more costly. It will also become a bigger threath to human health and our watersources.

What are nurdles?

Nurdles are also called preproduction plastic pallets. Nurdles are very small (about 5 mm) and are used for the production and manufacturing of plastics. Nurdles are made of plastic or other synthetic resins. Nurdles are microplastics and are thermoplastics, which means they can always be recycled. Nurdles are the building block used for packaging and products that are being used in the everyday life. Such as water bottles, containers and bags.

Why are nurdles bad for the environment?

Nurdles are being found in nature since 1970. However, nurdles are being used for plastic product manufacturing for way longer. Nurdles are being polluted in nature and mostly the ocean via different ways, including 'accidental' spill in transport. Nurdles move quickly because they are lightweight and can easily be moved by wind or water. Nurdles are not eacily cleaned from the ocean because they are very tiny and become even tinier the longer they are leaked into nature.

In 2021 a ship called X-Press Pearl caught on fire and sinked close to the cost of sri lanka

Plastic leak project (PLP) by [[IUCN

It is important to tackle the plastic pollution because it threatens ocean health, the health of marine species, food safety and quality, human health, coastal tourism, and contributes to climate change. The Plastic leak project with a guideline to direct action where it will have the most impact when it comes to plastic pollution.

Plastic source

• Bio based plastic
• Petroleum based plastic

Goodness DataPoints related to Plastic usage:

• Less Plastic (grams used)
• Better Plastic
  • Part virgin vs Part recycled plastics used
  • Type of plastics?
    • Part microplastics (Grams)
    • recyclability of every component (packaging, durable, disposable)
• No plastic (replace with other materials)

Plastics can be used in any part of the product:

• Consumables (e.g. shampoo with microplastics)
• Disposables (e.g. diaper)
• Durables (e.g. toothbrush)
• Packaging
  • Primary/Consumer packaging (e.g. blister)
  • Shippers (e.g. cartons, displays, pallets)

Plastic soup refers to the huge accumulation of plastic waste that has been thrown away and has ended up in the ocean. As plastic does not degrade biologically, the plastic soup keeps growing in mass.

What is the carbon footprint of platics?

• Throughout their lifecycle, plastics have a significant carbon footprint and emit 3.4% of global greenhouse gas emissions

Beyond the hazards posed to the marine and terrestrial environment as well as to humans, plastics are also a substantial contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions. In 2019, plastics generated 1.8 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – 3.4% of global emissions – with 90% of these emissions coming from their production and conversion from fossil fuels. By 2060, emissions from the plastics lifecycle are set to more than double, reaching 4.3 billion tonnes of GHG emissions.

Furthermore, airborne microplastics have been found in remote regions, including the Arctic, where they may contribute to accelerated warming through absorbing light and decreasing the surface albedo of snow.

Organisations

• Sustainable Packaging Collation