Every year, about 8 million tons of plastic waste is released into the oceans from coastal nations. These plastics are broken down by sunlight, wind and wave action into small particles known as microplastics, which have been found in every corner of the globe, from the highest peak (Mount Everest) to the deepest trough (the Mariana Trench [1]. If current trends continue, our oceans could contain more plastic than fish by 2050 [2].
Image from: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
Plastics are often hard to recycle. It is estimated that, of the 8.3 billion tonnes of virgin plastic produced worldwide, only 9% has been recycled. Therefore, the best way to tackle plastic pollution is avoidance where possible and attempting to shop plastic free. Our society doesn’t make this an easy task with plastic packaging in abundance at UK supermarkets.
Image from: https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/
Guide to Low-Waste Shopping
Visit the Plastic Free July website to find an abundance of tips and resources including where to start, next steps, tips for at work, at school, at events and for businesses.
Try find alternatives to plastic wrapped food products. There are a number of easy swaps to make including:​
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Dried goods
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Fresh fruit and veg
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Dried fruit and nuts
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Baking Ingredients
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Cleaning products