End Plastics
Enough Is Enough: Why Plastics Have Got to Go
November 29, 2024
We live in a world dominated by plastic. It’s nearly impossible to avoid, so most of us just accept it as a part of our lives. But how much do you really know about this omnipresent material? Can you truly trust the plastic industry to have your best interests in mind? Spoiler alert — there’s probably a lot you’re not aware of and the plastic industry has worked hard to sell plastic to us as the perfect product!
EARTHDAY.ORG is dedicated to exposing the truth about plastics and spreading awareness of the dangers they pose to the environment and ourselves. Through our countless articles and in-depth research reports, we shed light on the sinister side of plastics.
Here are five of the most disturbing facts about plastic that we believe everyone has the right to know.
1. Plastics are fossil fuels in disguise
Over 99% of plastic is made from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels, like oil and so-called ‘natural’ gas. Producing one billion plastic bottles requires 24 million gallons of oil. Coca-Cola alone produces 200,000 plastic bottles per minute, for a total of 100 billion bottles per year. Clearly, our addiction to the convenience of disposable plastic is directly tied to skyrocketing fossil fuel use and catastrophic climate change.
Moreover, while plastic manufacturing accounts for only 12% of global oil consumption, as the world moves towards a clean energy transition, like solar and wind, and the fossil fuel industry loses its grip on electricity generation and transportation, it will likely cling desperately to plastic production as a way to maintain relevance and profits.
The devastating health effects of pollution from plastic production can be seen in Cancer Alley — an 85-mile region along the Mississippi River in Southeastern Louisiana. Due to the area’s numerous plastics manufacturing facilities and petrochemical plants, the predominantly Black residents are constantly exposed to hazardous chemicals including polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), vinyl chloride, and polychloroprene, which contaminate the air, water, and soil.
As a result, the risk of cancer in the region is 700 times greater than the national average, and residents suffer from respiratory problems and other illnesses.
2. Plastics are linked to infertility
With plastics as prevalent as they are, we all inevitably ingest tiny bits of plastic. These tiny pieces, called micro and nano plastics, may be a hidden culprit behind the infertility crisis. Once in the body, plastics leach out hormone-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA).
Studies on mice show that microplastic exposure decreases the survival rate of oocytes, the precursors to eggs. Researchers have also detected microplastics in human penises and linked microplastic exposure to decreased survival and DNA integrity in sperm, impeding egg fertilization.
Even after conception, the threats from plastic persist. One study found that pregnant women with the highest concentrations of phthalates in their urine were 60% more likely to miscarry in the first 20 weeks of pregnancy. Another found that women with the highest levels of BPA in their blood were 83% more likely to miscarry in the first trimester. Microplastics can even be detected in placentas, having permeated the protective membranes
3. Babies are especially vulnerable to ingesting microplastics
Last year, EARTHDAY.ORG released its Babies vs. Plastics Report. Among the report’s most concerning findings was that babies and infants have over 10 times higher rates of microplastics in their feces than adults.
Babies are exposed to microplastics in feeding bottles, formula, breast milk, clothing, and toys. Tiny particles can enter their bodies through inhalation, breastfeeding, dermal exposure, and oral intake, commonly called teething! Studies have found that infants can ingest up to 4.5 million plastic particles per day when fed from polypropylene baby bottles and that disposable storage bags release microplastics into breast milk.
Moreover, the most widely-used fabric in clothing, polyester, contains plastic. With young childrens’ habit of chewing and sucking on their clothes, this puts them at a greater risk of exposure to microplastics in textiles.
4. Our pets also face threats from plastic
Earlier this year, we published our second report, Pets vs. Plastics, which demonstrated that harm from plastic is not limited to the human members of our families. In addition to the fact that ingesting plastic chunks can cause broken teeth and lacerations or punctures to the digestive tract, plastic from chew toys, food bowls, and food packaging can leach out phthalates and BPAs that can enter your pet. Similarly, polyester bedding and collars release microplastics that they may ingest or inhale.
A major reason why pets are so exposed to plastic is that the pet product industry is inadequately regulated. There are no laws specifically regulating pet toys in the U.S. The FDA does not regulate non-food pet products, and the Consumer Protection Safety Commission claims to lack the authority to protect pets from unsafe plastic toys, bedding, and clothes. Globally, the pet food industry is largely left to regulate itself and microplastics are often processed directly into the food.
Unfortunately, this means we must take things into our own hands. See our top 6 tips for keeping your beloved pets safe from plastics.
5. Plastic recycling is a lie
Less than 10% of all plastic ever produced has been recycled. Just 5% of U.S. plastic waste and 9% of global plastic waste is properly recycled. If this comes as a surprise to you, you’re not alone. Beginning in the 1980s, the petrochemical industry spent hundreds of millions of dollars on a decades-long disinformation campaign to convince the public that plastic could be recycled.
Even Resin Identification Codes — the little numbers in the triangles on plastic products that are supposed to tell us something is recyclable — are an invention of the plastic industry. While 30% of numbers 1 and 2 plastic are recycled, numbers 3-5 are much more difficult, and numbers 6 and 7 are virtually impossible to recycle.
The plastics industry has also worked hard to shift the blame for plastic pollution off themselves and onto consumers with efforts such as the infamous anti-littering campaign from the 1970s, “The Crying Indian.”
Some have proposed chemical recycling as a solution to our plastic recycling problem. This process converts plastic waste back into oil, keeping it out of landfills and reducing our need to extract more fossil fuels. However, chemical recycling produces byproducts containing toxic chemicals such as benzene, lead, cadmium, and chromium. As processing facilities and disposal sites for hazardous waste are often located in low-income and minority communities, this presents a serious environmental justice issue.
Plastics have got to go
Clearly, we cannot rely on the oil and plastic industries to tell us the truth. The only way to ensure we are all safe from plastic is to cap plastic production.
That is why EARTHDAY.ORG is working to end plastic production. We invite you to join our fight by signing the Global Plastics Treaty petition to call on the United Nations and governments around the world to commit to a 60% reduction in all fossil fuel-based plastic production by 2040. Want to get outside and make an immediate impact? Use our Global Cleanup Map to find a cleanup near you!
Read the statement by the President of EARTHDAY.ORG, Kathleen Rogers, on the US government’s changing position on plastic production caps, HERE.
It’s time we take our health and futures into our own hands. Are you in?
