As World Environment Day and World Oceans Day are both this week, 5^th June and 8^th June respectively, we at WasteTrade would like to take this as an opportunity to highlight the urgency surrounding the plastic pollution crisis and the devastating effects it is having on our oceans and our landscapes.

The Plastic Pollution Crisis

Globally, the production of plastic has surpassed a colossal 380 million tonnes annually, according to a 2017 statistic. From this staggering figure, approximately 50% of the plastic is single use only, thus exacerbating the issue of plastic waste. Tragically, an estimated 200 million tonnes of plastic pollution can be found in our oceans, with an additional 8-14 million tonnes added each year – that’s equivalent to more than a rubbish lorry full of plastic being dumped into the ocean every minute.

On land, the situation presents a similarly concerning picture. While comprehensive statistics specifically for landscape pollution are not easily available, research suggests that about two billion people around the world are currently living in areas without waste collection, contributing significantly to land pollution. A significant fraction of the plastic waste we generate does not get properly disposed of or recycled and ends up littering our landscapes. This waste not only disrupts local ecosystems but also poses a significant threat to our planet’s biodiversity.

Additionally, a recent report suggests that around 91% of plastic is never recycled, meaning most of our plastic waste ends up in landfills, incinerated, or simply discarded into the environment, causing wide-scale pollution on both land and sea. This growing issue calls for immediate and decisive action.

The Oceanic Impact

Plastic pollution poses significant threats to marine ecosystems. Approximately 100,000 marine animals are killed by ingesting or becoming entangled in plastic each year. Additionally, an estimated one million sea birds fall victim to the same fatal consequences of plastic pollution annually.

It is perhaps most alarming that of the 200 million tonnes of plastic pollution in our oceans, only around 300,000 tonnes of it is visible on the ocean’s surface. When we see images of plastic islands three times the size of France floating in the Pacific and all the other instances of plastic pollution, we are looking at less than 0.15% of all the plastic that is in the ocean. The vast majority of the plastic pollution lies hidden beneath the waves, sinking to depths as far as 11 kilometres, disrupting marine ecosystems, threatening species survival, and damaging the overall health of our oceans.

Landscapes in Peril

The impact of plastic pollution extends beyond our oceans, wreaking havoc on terrestrial landscapes and habitats. Misguided animals often ingest plastic and, as they are unable to digest it, their stomachs become full; this leaves them unable to consume actual food and usually results in the animals dying by starvation or malnutrition.

As well as this, where it is so resistant to biodegradation, plastic leaches toxins into the soil, compromising its health and fertility. The harmful impact of this extends to humans as well, as the toxic substances released from the plastic can infiltrate our food chain and pose significant health risks to us.

WasteTrade

To combat this escalating crisis, we at WasteTrade are taking the fight to plastic pollution; protecting the environment as a matter of principle is at the very core of WasteTrade as a company. We are attacking the plastic pollution crisis at its roots by making it easier and more rewarding for businesses to access ethical and sustainable waste management solutions for their plastic waste than ever before.

Our free-to-use online waste marketplace makes it simpler, quicker, and more profitable for businesses to responsibly dispose of their plastic scrap. We connect the producers of these waste commodities to the recyclers in a secure online environment, enabling the materials to be recycled in the most environmentally conscious way possible.

The WasteTrade marketplace handles all compliance and logistics, making the process seamless and hassle-free for our users. In doing so, we are accelerating the transition towards a circular economy with net zero waste. Through increasing the rates of recycling for plastic waste, we are actively contributing to the protection of our oceans and landscapes.

Make a Change to Make a Difference

The escalating plastic waste statistics underscore an urgent need for action. The consequences on our oceans and landscapes are dire, from the loss of hundreds of thousands of marine animals and millions of sea birds to the widespread destruction of terrestrial habitats. The resulting effects on human health can also not be underestimated. However, through the WasteTrade platform, businesses have an unprecedented opportunity to contribute to the solution by recycling their plastic, reducing waste, preventing pollution, and supporting the transition to a circular economy.

Join us at WasteTrade in pledging to minimise plastic waste and to protect our natural environment from the devastating effects of plastic pollution. Let’s take these necessary steps together, for our oceans, our landscapes, and our future.