We’re bombarded with so many different facts
and figures about plastic pollution, it’s hard to take stock of where we are
right now. Of course it takes time for official, trustworthy statistics to be
researched and published, but we’ve conveniently gathered all of the latest
global plastic waste facts we could find, as well as the latest UK numbers.
They don’t always make for easy reading.
7 scary
global plastic pollution stats
1: The global
annual production of plastics doubled from 234 million tonnes in 2000 to 460
million tonnes in 2019
2: The volume
of plastic waste has more than doubled, from 156 million tonnes in 2000 to 353
million tonnes in 2019
3: - 9% of all
plastic waste is recycled
- 19% is incinerated
- 50% is sent to landfill
- 22% is disposed of in “uncontrolled dumpsites, burned in
open pits or leaked into the environment”
4: In 2019, 22
million tonnes of plastic material leaked into the environment
6.1 million tonnes of which was leaked into rivers, lakes
and oceans
5: 88% of
plastic leakage is macroplastics, of which most comes from “inadequate”
collection and disposal
12% is microplastics
6: In 2019,
plastics generated 1.8 gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, with 90% coming
from their production and conversion from fossil fuels
7: In 2020
plastic usage fell by 2.2% from 2019 levels
During the COVID19 pandemic, there was a sharp increase in
the use of single-use protective personal equipment that led to a rise in
plastic waste.
9
unnerving UK plastic pollution stats
1: In 2020 486,000
tonnes of plastic was recycled in the UK
2: A further 688,000 tonnes of
plastic waste was exported out of the UK - we have no control over what happens
to it
3: England
missed its national recycling target to recycle 50% of household waste by 2020
It stalled at 45% in 2017.
4: In 2020,
the UK produced 99kg of plastic waste per person per year. That’s the second
highest in the world, after the US, which produces 105kg per person per year.
South Korea is third with 88kg per person per year.
5: 87% of people in the UK say they regularly recycle
6: 11% of
everything we put out for recycling in England is burned
by local authorities and their waste disposal contractors
7: Plastic
releases more c02 from incineration than coal
8: 60% of what
goes into Britain’s incinerators is recyclable
9: Wales has
the 4th best recycling rate in the world, behind Germany, Austria & South
Korea
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Once you add the Smart Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add the Smart Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add the Smart Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
Once you add a Package to your basket, and progress to the last stage of the checkout process, we will then add in your discount. So don't worry if you don't see it before then (such as in the cart).
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