PLASTIC’S CONTRIBUTION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

The problem with plastic isn’t only about the visible pollution that’s evident everywhere we look today.

Plastics also make a significant – and growing – contribution to man-made climate change.

How do plastics contribute to climate change?

All plastic is made from carbon, but while biopolymers or bioplastics use carbon derived from natural materials, man-made plastic uses carbon derived from oil.

Most plastics are produced by a process of ‘cracking’ and refining crude oil, natural gas and other petroleum products, otherwise known as fossil feedstock. The feedstock is broken down into various constituent hydrocarbons such as ethylene, propylene and styrene. These are further processed to make plastic pellets known as ‘nurdles’, ready to be extruded or molded into a wide range of plastic products.

The processes used to extract the oil or gas from the ground use huge quantities of fossil fuel energy, releasing greenhouse gases and other pollutants into the air. More energy is used to transport the raw materials to manufacturing facilities, and subsequently to produce, transport and dispose of the end products.

The entire process is fuel intensive and carbon heavy; around 4% of current global oil consumption is turned into plastic, and another 4% is used to power plastic manufacturing processes[i], emitting many billions of tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year. The process of making each kilogram of virgin plastic releases 2-3kg of carbon dioxide.

Trucost, a research arm of the financial-information provider Standard & Poor’s, has put the overall social and environmental cost of plastic pollution at $139bn a year, half of which arises from the climate effects of greenhouse-gas emissions linked to producing and transporting plastic.

What types of plastics are causing the biggest problem?

Although there are many types of plastic, the five most common make up around 85% of the world’s plastic consumption by weight. These five plastics are:

• Polyethylene (32% of global demand)
• Polypropylene (23%);
• Polyvinyl chloride or PVC (16%)
• Polystyrene (7%)
• Polyethylene terephthalate or PET (7%)

Propylene is the primary feedstock for polypropylene; ethylene is the primary feedstock for the other four[ii] – but all are derived from fossil fuels.

We shouldn’t forget that it’s not just production of plastics that accelerate climate change; a large proportion of the waste plastic that is thrown away is incinerated (around 36% in Europe[iii]).

Where this takes place in an energy-from-waste plant, it can be argued that it is a form of renewable energy and more sustainable than some other energy sources. This type of combustion does, however, still emit carbon dioxide (and other airborne pollutants) and contributes towards global warming.

How much of a problem is this for the climate?

Plastics can be made from other raw materials including biomass in the form of starch, cellulose, sugars, organic waste and vegetable oils. In fact, the very first plastics were made well before oil was used as a feedstock.

However, the convenience of hydrocarbon cracking and availability of oil means that today, more than 99% of plastics are produced from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels[iv].

And the problem is likely to get worse. The availability of cheap shale gas in the US is driving new investments in plastics manufacturing facilities, with 264 new or expanded factories planned in the US alone[v].  

In just five years’ time, these developments could increase global plastics production capacity by one third, locking-in manufacturers to produce ever greater volumes of plastics for years to come.

The World Economic Forum estimates that by 2050, plastics will be responsible for nearly 15% of global carbon emissions, making it a bigger climate polluter than aviation, which is currently accountable for 12% of global carbon emissions.

Should be concerned for the future?

At a time when the world’s nations are attempting to cut harmful greenhouse gas emissions, the continued increase in the use of fossil fuels in the plastics industry is unsustainable.

To limit global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, in accordance with the 2015 Paris Agreement, we need to reduce the amount of fossil fuels used to produce single-use, disposable plastic, in particular.

If we fail to achieve the Paris goals, we face the consequences of catastrophic climate change; is our addiction to plastic really worth the risk?

It seems we are hearing about plastic a lot these days. The environmental impact of disposable bags, the nearly 20 billion pounds of plastic entering our oceans each year, the rising amount of sea life whose lives are endangered from plastic – The list goes on and on.

But just how pervasive is this plastic problem? New research has found evidence of plastic pollution ranging from the deepest depths of the ocean all the way up to the remote Swiss mountains. Our plastic problem is, in all actuality, all around us.

Scientists have begun extensive research into plastics and their effect on the environment, and their research is becoming truly alarming. The most recent findings take us all the way down to the Mariana Trench, up through Point Nemo, the most remote point in the ocean, to the nature reserves of the Swiss mountains.

Over 10,000 m below sea level lies the Mariana Trench. Located just east of the Philippines, the Mariana Trench is the deepest section of the world’s oceans. A study published by the Global Oceanographic Data Center (GODAC) in Japan in April 2018 documented single-use plastic debris found in the trench as early as 1998.

The study also found that 92% of the plastic analyzed at depths greater than 6,000 m were made up of single-use plastics. Scientists claim to have found more chemical pollutants in parts of the Mariana Trench than some of China’s most polluted waterways, and as much as 17% of the debris was found with at least one organism – entangled, covered, or “attached”.

Another remote ocean area, Point Nemo, was discovered to have up to 27 microplastic particles per cubic meter. Point Nemo is nearly 1,700 miles from an inhabited island and deemed the “oceanic pole of inaccessibility”, yet plastics have seemed to find their way there.

And lastly, a study conducted by the Geographic Society of the University of Bern found that even in the most remote, unsettled mountain areas of Switzerland, whose recycling rate is nearly 100%, microplastics still pervade. Of the 29 floodplains studied, 90% of the soils contained microplastics, evidence of wind transport of plastic particles.

Evidence from this study has spurred even further research into microplastics, with increased concern with traces of plastic in soil, domestic livestock, and even agriculture.

It is becoming more and more apparent through studies such as these that action against plastic needs to happen immediately.

The extent of our plastic problem continues to expand and public concern is continuing to rise. There are many plastic alternatives out there to substitute for single-use plastics and regulation is continuing to expand, including the EU and the U.K.’s strategies to cut plastic pollution.

However, much and more needs to be done if we are to truly remedy the permeating and ubiquitous presence of plastic around the world.

In the late 1980’s, large islands of floating trash seen by satellites were reported in the global news. Swirls of trash concentrated by the movement of the oceans’ gyres gave another hint to the then naïve public that our planet is finite after all. The world population—as of early 2018—is estimated at 7.6 billion; all contributing waste and debris to some extent.

Only one hundred years ago—when the world population had not yet reached 2 billion—trash was at worst unsightly or smelly but it was relatively harmless. Back then it eventually degraded and was not ultimately toxic to life.

In the early 1900’s, the first synthetic plastics were invented, giving way to the “plastic revolution”. As we found more uses for these new lightweight, cheap, and strong wonder materials, plastics rapidly found their way into most industries.

Today, plastics are a part of our daily lives and their prevalence can be a little overwhelming, especially when we are not welcoming them.

Our natural areas, waterways, and oceans have been polluted by plastic waste at an alarming level. It is at such an extent that gyres of plastic can be seen from space! It’s estimated that every square mile of ocean contains around 46,000 pieces of floating plastic.

While plastic debris is an eyesore and a threat to wildlife, the majority of the trash in the ocean is not even visible and poses its own threats.

A large portion of the plastic in the oceans is microplastics, composed of synthetic plastic particles so small they can barely be seen with the naked eye. The minute debris is so small and often suspended under the surface, making it invisible to satellites or even from the deck of a passing ship.

Microplastic pollution comes from countless sources, most prominently from cosmetic and household products, synthetic clothing fibers and industrial abrasives. Microplastics also result when larger pieces of plastic eventually break apart—not degrade, but break into smaller and smaller pieces.

Thin, single use plastics like disposable bags are one of the biggest offenders finding their way into our oceans.

Most plastics, when hit with UV radiation from the sun, begin to break down and gradually become microplastics over time.

A significant enough amount of microplastics now exist in marine environments to be detected in the bodies of fish sampled from different parts of the ocean. Fish and other marine creatures consume the microplastics, concentrating them in their bodies up the food chain. Humans included! People have tested positive as well for microplastics in their bodies.

Why does this matter?

Plastics are created from petroleum—hydrocarbons that when concentrated in the body are toxic. The liver and digestive system struggle and depending on the type and concentration of the synthetic particles many are known carcinogens. Synthetic substances, when regularly consumed, potentially contribute to disease due to a toxic cellular environment. The introduction of synthetic molecules into the Earth’s environment has created a toxic soup in the air, water and soil of the planet. The microplastic issue is just one aspect of the global pollution problem caused by humans! Life in many ways is now marinating in toxins.

What can I do about microplastics?

Avoid products that include plastics, especially microplastic particles. Most common brands of face scrubs, such as Neutregena and other Johnson & Johnson products, contain tiny plastic beads acting as abrasives. Skip those types of products, read the ingredients and avoid chemicals like Polyethylene (PE). This will help to reduce the amount of plastics being flushed through water treatment facilities which eventually end up in our water systems and potentially in wildlife.

Purchase natural fibers derived from plants when possible (e.g. cotton, bamboo or hemp).

Remember to bring—and use—reusable grocery bags. If you don’t have a good alternative to plastic bags, you can reduce your impact by reusing your “single use” plastic as many times as possible. Even using plastic bags as trash can liners is a valid way to reuse them and slightly reduce your environmental impact.

When purchasing anything, choose merchandise with minimal packaging and with the least amount of plastics as possible. Remember that you’re not only reducing your use of plastic by being selective but you’re also voting with your wallet – telling brands that excessively use plastic that you’re going to find an alternative.

All of our individual actions add up over time. Don’t forget that your daily actions DO make a difference!

It has become common practice around the world to use disposable plastic bags to assist us in our every day lives. Out of mere convenience and utility, the plastic bag has become a go-to resource for in-store purchases, big or small.

However, in light of current of research pointing to the environmental impacts of plastic bags, many cities, states, and countries have sought to change this through regulation and legislation.

Impact of Plastic Bags on The Environment

According to the Earth Policy Institute, 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. For every 100 billion plastic bags being made, 12 million barrels of crude oil are being allocated to their production. Equivocally, a car could drive for one mile on the energy required to produce 12 plastic bags.

And most of these are not being recycled. Instead, they are ending up in lakes and oceans, on beaches, in landfills, and even in our own food chain. This is because rather than breaking down over time, they are simply breaking into smaller and smaller pieces.

Legislation on Plastic Bags Around the World

Due to the mounting environmental concerns, legislation is being passed across the globe to mitigate the manufacture and use of disposable plastic bags. The first plastic bag law went into effect in Denmark in 1993, which implemented a tax on the use of plastic bags. Ireland introduced the Bag Tax in 2002, reducing plastic bag use by 90 percent.

Bangladesh became the first country to outright ban thin plastic bags in 2002 after two major floods in 1989 and 1998, which were magnified due to plastic bag waste blocking drains and sewers.

China began enforcing plastic bag bans and regulations in 2008, just before hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics. This eventually caused their largest plastic bag factory to shut down.

Other countries that have enacted regulations on plastic bags include Kenya, the Phillippines, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, and more.

Legislation on Plastic Bags in the U.S.

As of 2016, legislation regarding plastic bag bans spanned 23 states and included 77 bills. Notable city-wide bans are now enforced in Austin, Chicago, Seattle, and Cambridge, Massachusetts.

In 2014, California became the first U.S. state to ban disposable plastic bags statewide. Since then, a de facto statewide ban on plastic bags has been enforced in Hawaii, and the District of Columbia has passed a law banning the distribution of disposable, non-recyclable plastic bags.

However, many states in the U.S. have passed legislation prohibiting regulations on disposable plastic bags. Preemptive legislation that prevents cities, towns, or counties from regulating the sale and distribution of plastic bags is enforced in nine different U.S. states, including Arizona, Michigan, Florida, and Wisconsin.

What you can do about plastic bags…

The ban on disposable plastic bag use is gaining momentum and there are many ways you can contribute to this movement.

The most effective way to impose change is by writing your state representative. It is the job of your legislators to pass laws based on the values of their constituents. Voice your opposition to disposable plastic bags directly to those who can enact change.

In addition to directly contacting your representative, you can also make your voice heard through one of the many campaigns started to ban plastic bags, such as Greenpeace or Clean Up (The Project).

Sometimes the politics behind such a significant change can seem daunting. If you’re looking to promote change on a more local level, contact your local grocer to express your concern.

And finally, bring your own bag! By bringing your own bag to the store with you, you are easily able to say “No, thank you,” to plastic disposable bags when offered. Just because they are not legally banned in your city or state, doesn’t mean you have to use them.