the problem with plastic
Plastic. That useful, ubiquitous material that you just can’t escape!
But what exactly IS plastic?
Originally just a word that meant “pliable and easily shaped,” it only more recently began to refer to a type of material known as polymers. While nature is full of polymers (cell walls in plants, for example, are made of cellulose, a natural polymer), humans have created and become dependent on synthetic polymers made from petroleum and other fossil fuels.
That’s right, our plastics come from fossil fuels!
In fact, plastics are responsible for emitting around 1.8 billion tonnes of CO2e per year. In this month’s article, we’re going to talk about plastic pollution, its negative effects on biodiversity and ecosystems, and why recycling isn’t always the solution it’s cracked up to be.
What's the deal with plastic?
As mentioned, plastic is made from fossil fuels. About 4-8% of global oil consumption is for plastic production, which may not seem like much, but we use a lot of plastic. According to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), over 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced every year, and that’s only growing. For some perspective on just how much plastic that is, it’s more than the weight of the entire human population!
Global plastic production has skyrocketed in the last half century!
Unfortunately, because of the nature of its composition, plastic never biodegrades. It simply breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces that are then integrated into ecosystems, where they pollute our waterways and often end up in the food chain. These small pieces, called microplastics, are less than 5mm in length, about the size of sesame seeds.
Plastic is EVERYWHERE!
When we talk about plastic, there are a lot of different kinds, each with its own purpose.
Reusable Plastics: Think Tupperware and other food storage containers. These are often made from a combination of plastics for durability and are intended for multiple uses.
Plastics in our Clothing: Many fabrics, like nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex, (all used in sportswear!) are surprisingly plastic-based. When washed, these clothes release tiny microplastics that pollute our waterways.
Single use Plastics: As the name describes, these are meant for a single use. Think plastic bags, cutlery, straws, balloons, takeaway food containers, cigarette butts, and drink containers. These items are usually used for a matter of minutes and many of these types of plastic then stay in the environment forever, getting smaller and smaller but never completely disappearing.
Plastics have been found everywhere on Earth, from the summit of Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. They’ve been detected in our food, our water, our lungs, blood, and even breast milk. It is a pervasive problem that is only worsening.
Reusable Plastics: Think Tupperware and other food storage containers. These are often made from a combination of plastics for durability and are intended for multiple uses.
Plastics in our Clothing: Many fabrics, like nylon, acrylic, polyester, and spandex, (all used in sportswear!) are surprisingly plastic-based. When washed, these clothes release tiny microplastics that pollute our waterways.
Single use Plastics: As the name describes, these are meant for a single use. Think plastic bags, cutlery, straws, balloons, takeaway food containers, cigarette butts, and drink containers. These items are usually used for a matter of minutes and many of these types of plastic then stay in the environment forever, getting smaller and smaller but never completely disappearing.
Plastics have been found everywhere on Earth, from the summit of Mount Everest to the Mariana Trench. They’ve been detected in our food, our water, our lungs, blood, and even breast milk. It is a pervasive problem that is only worsening.
This graph shows the breakdown of global plastic waste generation by sector. Packaging produces, by far, the most waste, at over 142 million tonnes per year.
Why is plastic so bad?
Humans eat, on average, 250g (0.55lbs) of plastic per year. That’s about a heaped plate’s worth of shredded plastic, or a bit more than the weight of a single deck of playing cards (200g).
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Dangers to Human Health
Well, for starters, we’re actually consuming quite a bit of plastic! Humans eat, on average, around 70,000 pieces of microplastic every year. A recent study by WWF found that we might be ingesting up to a credit card worth of microplastics every week, mainly through drinking water but also through fish, particularly shellfish. This equates to about 20kg (44lbs) in a lifetime! Because microplastic consumption is a relatively new phenomenon, there aren’t a lot of studies showing the extent of the effect on human health. However, a landmark study published last year found plastics to be responsible for a wide range of human health consequences, from birth defects to cancers. This study analyzed plastic’s health hazards across its entire life cycle, from extraction to manufacturing all the way to disposal in landfills and oceans. |
This photo shows the contents of a sea bird's stomach that died as a result of mistaking plastic for food.
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Dangers to Ecosystems
Plastic’s dangers don’t stop at human health. Plastic pollution is a major cause for concern in the natural world and has serious negative effects on biodiversity, especially in marine ecosystems. The Ellen McArthur Foundation, in partnership with the World Economic Forum, published a report that found that, if patterns continue as they are, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050! So how does this plastic kill marine life? Marine mammals, fish, seabirds, and sea turtles often mistake plastic for food or become entangled in it, causing drowning, suffocation, and starvation. In fact, by 2050, nearly all (99%) of seabirds will be eating plastic. |
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Research has also shown a strong correlation between plastic pollution and coral reef disease and death. Under normal conditions, about 4% of coral reefs suffer from disease, however when corals are subject to plastic pollution, that number jumps to 89%. There are several reasons why plastic pollution can be so detrimental to coral ecosystems. Plastic can cover the corals, blocking sunlight and allowing diseases that flourish in the shade to sprout. Sharp bits of plastic can also cut corals. Since corals are living animals, these cuts can become infected and eventually kill the coral.
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Although we mostly think of marine ecosystems when it comes to plastic pollution, mountains aren’t immune to its dangers. Mountains are a critical and vulnerable ecosystem, as they host half of the world’s biodiversity hotspots and serve as important water repositories across the globe. Visitors to the mountains leave trash, intentional or not, which can litter the trails, pollute the ecosystems, and make their way into the waterways. Because of their remoteness, plastic waste in mountainous regions is particularly difficult to manage, and can often lead people to be less careful with their waste.
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Across our planet, a truckload of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute. Most of it stays close to the shore, however there are several marine trash vortexes across our planet’s oceans with tons and tons of plastic debris. The largest is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which measures three times the size of France and is made up of 1.8 trillion pieces of trash, of which 99.9% is plastic. This is roughly 79,000 metric tonnes of trash!
While globally speaking, most plastic that ends up in the ocean comes from rivers, a study in late 2022 found that between 75% and 86% of the plastic found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from fishing-related activities. This includes fishing nets, lines, traps, and pots. Most of this plastic comes from industrialized countries and 94% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is now microplastics, making it all the more difficult to clean up.
While globally speaking, most plastic that ends up in the ocean comes from rivers, a study in late 2022 found that between 75% and 86% of the plastic found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch comes from fishing-related activities. This includes fishing nets, lines, traps, and pots. Most of this plastic comes from industrialized countries and 94% of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is now microplastics, making it all the more difficult to clean up.
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Recycling - Silver Bullet or Not That Simple?
Recycling is often touted as the best solution for plastic products. However, according to UNEP, only 9% of all plastic produced is ever recycled, with just 12% incinerated; that means that the remaining 79% ends up in the environment or landfills, where its chemicals can also leach into the soil and local waterways. Incineration isn’t a good solution either, as it releases carbon dioxide and pollutes the air. While recycling is a better option than incineration or landfill when it comes to energy use and global warming potential, there are caveats.
Unfortunately, less than 10% of all plastic waste gets recycled, while about half is landfilled and nearly ¼ is mismanaged.
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Firstly, most plastics can only be recycled once or twice before they must be either incinerated or disposed of in landfill. This means that companies such as Coca Cola and Nestlé (two of the world’s biggest plastic polluters) are using that classic tactic of greenwashing (read more about greenwashing here>>>) when they claim their drink bottles are made with recycled plastic or are 100% recyclable. In reality, recycling only delays final disposal. Additionally, recycled plastic often is of a lower quality and can be more expensive to produce, meaning there is less incentive to use it.
Finally, it’s important to bear in mind that not all plastics are recyclable. Unfortunately, just because we put something into the recycling bin, it doesn’t guarantee it will actually get recycled. This happens for a variety of reasons, the main one being that recycling streams get ‘contaminated’ by high concentrations of non-recyclable items or items such as food waste. This is why it’s very important to check with your local government or city council about what is actually recyclable in your area and not “wish-cycle”, aka put things you hope will get recycled into the recycling bin.
The fact of the matter is, we need to reduce our demand for and consumption of plastic. We must turn off the plastic tap.
Finally, it’s important to bear in mind that not all plastics are recyclable. Unfortunately, just because we put something into the recycling bin, it doesn’t guarantee it will actually get recycled. This happens for a variety of reasons, the main one being that recycling streams get ‘contaminated’ by high concentrations of non-recyclable items or items such as food waste. This is why it’s very important to check with your local government or city council about what is actually recyclable in your area and not “wish-cycle”, aka put things you hope will get recycled into the recycling bin.
The fact of the matter is, we need to reduce our demand for and consumption of plastic. We must turn off the plastic tap.
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Action on a Global Scale
Some countries, such as France, Kenya, Ecuador, and Bangladesh have taxed, banned, or partially banned single-use plastics. Many cities also have their own bans. The good news? It works! These kinds of bans have shown to be extremely effective. In the UK, for example, the introduction of a bag fee (5p, or 7 cents) has reduced plastic bag use by about 83%. But what’s happening on a global scale?
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In April of this year, the United Nations advanced negotiations for an international, legally binding agreement on plastic pollution due to be finalized this November. In addition to getting rid of single use and limited use plastics, the treaty also aims to address the need for reusable and recyclable materials. This is a major step towards reducing plastic pollution and the greenhouse gas emissions from its production, use, and disposal.
How can we help?
As trail runners, we have a special privilege of exploring miles and miles of beautiful trails all over the world. This also means that we have a unique responsibility to take care of our beloved trails. What, then, are some of the ways we can reduce our plastic consumption and reduce plastic pollution?
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Pack Your Trash!
First and foremost, when you’re out on the trail, pick up the trash you see! If you live in a high income country, the plastics most at risk of entering the waterways and eventually the ocean come from littering. Taking three for the trail is a great way to do a small act for nature on the run |
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Buy in Bulk
If you use them, buying electrolyte powders in one large bulk container rather than individual packs means less overall packaging and less plastic production. Buying in bulk is also a great way to reduce your plastic consumption for regular food, too, as many grocery stores have packaging-free bulk sections for nuts, seeds, grains, and more! |
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Reusable Pouches
In addition to taking your reusable grocery and produce bags to the store, it’s easy to bring mid-run fuel in reusable packaging too! If you use dried fruits, for example, simply pop them into a reusable baggie rather than a single-use plastic Ziploc bag. If you use purees, you can easily find reusable squeeze pouches that you can fill with your favorite apple sauce or energy puree! |
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Make your own Snacks
Because packaging makes up a huge proportion of global plastic production, making homemade energy balls, bars, and on the go bites is a delicious way to reduce your plastic consumption. Using dried fruits, nuts, and whatever else you fancy, you can make it to your taste and know you’re doing your part to leave just a little more plastic out of the environment. |
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Check your Local Recycling Centers or Waste Disposal Regulations
Knowledge is power! As we saw above, not all items are recyclable and nonrecyclable items can contaminate recycling streams. This is why it’s important to know exactly what is recyclable in your area. Additionally, much of our running clothes and gear is made with plastics (nylon and polyester), so it’s important to know how best to dispose of anything that can’t be given an extended or second life. |
Curious to Learn More?
Here’s a list of some of our favorite documentaries on the subject:
For more, check out Break Free From Plastic!
- Seaspiracy
- Blue Planet II
- The Story of Plastic
- Plastic Earth
For more, check out Break Free From Plastic!
In next month’s article, we’re going to dive into carbon offsets and credits, what it means on a global scale and for us as individuals.
Have a topic you want us to explore?
