In the UK, it’s estimated that 46% of plastic waste ends up being incinerated. When it burns, plastic releases greenhouse gases.
In 2019, the CIEL estimated that production and incineration of plastic would add 850 million metric tons of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere – equivalent to 189 coal-fired power plants. By 2050 this could rise to 2.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide per year – or 615 coal plants’ worth.
World Economic Forum
Plastic is incredibly useful for many products and industries, but it’s also quite damaging to the environment — particularly single-use plastics, which are thrown into landfills and into the natural environment. Plastic waste is often incinerated, causing millions of tons of greenhouse gas emissions per year. And some of it ends up in the sea, where it’s eaten by animals. Eventually, it goes the full cycle and humans end up eating the plastic contained within the fish.
Because plastic packaging is so popular, plastic pollution is reaching dangerous levels around the world and we don’t yet know the full impact on food chains and ecosystems. To make you realize how much plastic you throw away per day, live the next 24 hours without throwing away a single piece of plastic packaging. Keep every piece in your hands or pockets. Use this to help make you aware next time you’re buying food and drinks to try to avoid throwaway plastics.
Day 20
Day 18