Here’s a scary statistic for you: if current trends continue, by 2050, plastic in the ocean will outweigh fish. In fact, there’s so much plastic in our oceans, there exists an area of the Pacific Ocean called the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’, that is now four times the size of France. But where is it all coming … Continued
The truth is, nobody knows for sure how long cigarette butts will take to decompose. Because they contain plastic, they will not biodegrade in the same way as organic material. Instead, they break into smaller and smaller pieces, eventually being classed as microplastics. It has been estimated that cigarette filters will take between 500 and … Continued
Recent news reports have put the issue of microplastics and their effects on the human body squarely in the limelight. From seafood to bottled water and tap water, alarming new studies are showing that more plastic is entering the human body than first thought. Whether or not ingesting plastic is harmful to human health is … Continued
Ghost gear is the name given to lost or discarded fishing gear. It is responsible for killing thousands of marine animals every year. Due to most fishing fear being made from plastic, ghost gear can go on trapping and killing animals for years or decades after it was first abandoned. What kind of equipment is … Continued
In September 1987, countries from around the world came together to sign the Montreal Protocol. The goal of the protocol was to reduce the damage being done to the Earth’s ozone layer, which at the time was seen as one of the most pressing dangers facing humanity. Over 98% of ozone-damaging substances have been phased … Continued
They are so ubiquitous in South Africa, people have joked they are the new national flower. In Ireland, when they flap in the wind, stuck on a tree, they are known as ‘witches knickers’. They have been found on polar ice caps, at the summit of Mount Everest, and at the deepest parts of the … Continued
The dictionary definition of ‘biodegradable’ is “capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms”. Plastic, being a man-made material, is not biodegradable. Bacteria that will happily munch through food, paper or wood, will ignore plastic because it does not recognise it as food. Rather than biodegrade, plastic decays when exposed to sunlight, in … Continued
Plastic Island, The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, Trash Island: whatever you call it, this massive accumulation of plastic debris located between Hawaii and California is growing bigger day-by-day. But what is it made from? Where does it come from? And what can be done about it? For answers to these questions and more, keep reading… … Continued
In the modern world, plastic is everywhere. Durable, lightweight and cheap to manufacture, plastic has become the go-to material for single-use items. And while some products are unmistakably made of plastic, in others the plastic is harder to spot. In this article, we’ve compiled a list of some common products that it might surprise you … Continued
