A new study has found that even if we began a global initiative to significantly reduce plastic pollution today, there would still be a whopping 710 million tons of plastic waste by 2040. Unfortunately, that is the best case. If we do nothing, plastic pollution will be unmanageable.
Now you may be wondering, how significant of a plastic reduction are we talking about to still have such a large amount? The report found that the best-case scenario was to reduce plastic pollution by a whopping 78%. However, even with such large reduction, there’s simply too much plastic in the world.
If there’s one thing to take away from this report, it’s that doing nothing is not an option.
Why Is There So Much Plastic Pollution
Have you ever wondered why there is so much plastic pollution compared to anything else?
To put it simply, there are simply too many plastic products on the market. Almost everything we use is made out of plastic, and many areas of the world do not have a proper waste collection system in place.
This is the reason why in many developing nations, people can make a living collecting plastic. Plastic has value because it can be reused via recycling.
If residents and businesses took the time to just at the very least throw their plastics into a recycling bin (or garbage can if one is not available), the problem simply wouldn’t be as bad.
Is It Too Late?
Sadly, if our supply lines and products continue to rely on this material, even an unrealistic 78% decrease in plastic is not good enough.
However, while it is unlikely, there is still hope.
No, instead, we need to stop the production of new plastic altogether. Instead, plastic products must use 100% recyclables. This is important because it adds value to collecting existing plastic waste.
Instead of just being trash, it becomes a valuable resource that can and should be utilized.
