Where Does our Plastic go?

-
  • The U.S., Japan and Germany are all at the top of the list when it comes to exporting their used plastic.
  • Some 106 million metric tons — about 45 percent — of the world's plastics set for recycling have been exported to China since reporting to the United Nations Comtrade Database began in 1992(China would benefit because they took certain ingredients from our plastics to make other materials and it was a cheaper way to get the plastics from the US)
  • Other nations can buy and recycle these plastics and manufacture more goods for sale or export, as China did, making it profitable for them as well
  • in 2017, China passed the National Sword policy banning plastic waste from being imported — for the protection of the environment and people's health — beginning in January 2018. China is banning certain waste that is contaminated making it a very small amount of waste that can actually be imported so the U.S. cannot import most of its plastics to China anymore.(China is trying to reduce its own waste and help clean up its environment)
  • Because of this law many plastics end up in landfills
  • By 2030, an estimated 111 million metric tons of plastic waste will be displaced because of China's new law
  • it is estimated that of all the world’s waste, 40 percent ends up in uncontrolled dump sites. Many of these dumpsites are so poorly regulated that the waste in them overflows directly into the ocean. This phenomenon is the main source of the problem of plastic pollution in our oceans.
  • Plastic waste has three fates — recycling, thermal destruction and landfills
  • less than 10 percent of plastic waste is recycled in the U.S.

(https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/05/china-ban-on-some-recyclable-materials-means-americans-recycling-is-going-into-landfills.html)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Different types of plastic

-
Image
Plastic is an essential component of many items, including water bottles, combs, and beverage containers. Knowing the difference, as well as the SPI codes, will help you make more informed decisions about recycling. The seven types of plastic include: Polyethylene Terephthalate (PETE or PET) High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Polypropylene (PP) Polystyrene or Styrofoam (PS) Miscellaneous plastics (includes: polycarbonate, polylactide, acrylic, acrylonitrile butadiene, styrene, fiberglass, and nylon) For the sake of the environment, it’s important to know the different types of plastic and their uses, as well as the resin identification codes found on each. Some of the different types of plastic can be recycled regularly, some others require special places to recycle them and some cannot be recycled at all. (https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/promo-university/different-types-of-plastic.htm)
Read more

Plastic Alternatives

-
Image
We were once a world without plastic so it is possible to completely get rid of plastics all together which means that we as a nation must work together to find more environmentally friendly alternatives. Instead of constantly using plastic water bottles, we can use reusable bottles that we can carry around and refill. We can also begin to use and take reusable bags around with us instead of using plastic bags at stores. Becoming more aware of the products you buy and how you discard of them is important for the environment and people’s health. Always check the type of material and plastic something is made out of before you throw it away.
Read more

Effects of Plastic to the Environment and Wildlife

-
Image
50 percent of the plastic we use, we use just once and throw away. Plastic accounts for around 10 percent of the total waste we generate. The production of plastic uses around eight percent of the world's oil production ( bioplastics are not a good solution as they require food source crops). Annually approximately 500 billion plastic bags are used worldwide. More than one million bags are used every minute. It takes 500-1,000 years for plastic to degrade. If burned it can pollute the air affecting and destroying the ozone layer and effecting the air we breathe, and can pollute the groundwater if in a landfill and wildlife Recycling does not cut down on plastic, it is reused but that process releases more toxins into the air It costs millions of dollars each year to clean affected areas after exposure, not to mention the loss of life to plants, animals, and people. As land becomes more valuable, just finding a place to put garbage is becoming a problem in ma
Read more