Plastics: The Everlasting Pandemic

Extreme weather conditions due to global warming threaten all of us. This grave reality has re-energized the crusade to cut greenhouse gas emissions and take aim at the biggest polluters: the fossil fuel and petrochemical industries. 

More than 99% of plastic is created from chemicals sourced from fossil fuels. From fracking to manufacturing, packaging, transporting, retailing and consumer waste disposal, plastics and allied industries are key drivers of the Climate Crisis.

Each year, the folks at #breakfreefromplastic conduct world-wide brand audits of the plastic garbage found on land and sea and name their largest polluters. In 2020, Coke, Pepsi, Unilever, and Nestle topped the list of major polluters. We must demand corporate accountability for plastic polluting.

Every year, the US alone disposes of 32 million tons of plastic and about one quarter of it or 8 million tons ends up in our oceans

Of the 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic produced in the past 60 years, 6.3 billion metric tons have become plastic waste. Every year, the US alone disposes of 32 million tons of plastic and about one quarter of it or 8 million tons ends up in our oceans (beyondplastics.org). It is estimated that less than 10% of plastic ever gets recycled. Plastic pollution contaminates our soil, water and air. Plastics are in the fish we eat and microplastics are in the rain that showers even remote places like the Pyrenees Mountains.

Plastics Are Poison

Let’s look at the Plastic Production process. Facing an oversupply of fracked gas, fossil fuel companies are planning a 40% increase in plastic production over the next ten years. According to the Center for Biological Diversity there are 30 plastic plants in the pipeline, stretching from Ohio to the Gulf coast. Typically, these plastic plants are located in low-income communities of color that aren’t able to push back against corporate forces. The factories include large ethane “crackers” and methanol plants which use natural gas to create plastic. Over 100 chemicals of concern have been found in the surrounding air pollution, including carcinogens such as benzene, toluene and xylene. 

In addition, tiny plastic pellets from the manufacturing process find their way into neighboring rivers and are eaten by birds and fish. Plastic waste enters the food chain and will eventually affect our bodies.The grim truth is that plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces over hundreds of years. These microplastics are everywhere and never go away. 

The health risks of plastic products have been scientifically documented for years. PVC and PET plastics have been associated with cancer and birth defects. This coupled with the greenhouse gas emissions from manufacturing and transporting compounds the Climate Health Crisis. Studies suggest that humans swallow a credit card’s worth of plastic each week. 

A Brief History of Plastics

Remember jewelry made out of bakelite? This revolutionary fully synthetic material was patented in 1909.  Items like radios and bracelets made in the 20s and 30s are still collectable today. The modern-day plastic we all know, found its many uses in the 50’s. Plastic was inexpensive to make and could be molded into all sorts of items. Beginning In the 1970’s, companies transitioned to single use packaging and items that were once wood or glass went plastic. 

50% of the plastics ever manufactured were made in just the last 15 years!

When the negative impacts of plastic pollution began to surface, manufacturers promoted the solution of recycling. However, recycling has largely been an unfulfilled promise and the red flags have been ignored. As fossil fuel availability and pollution increased, so did plastic production and consumption. 

50% of the plastics ever manufactured were made in just the last 15 years! Due to their chemical properties, plastics cannot be easily melted down and reused. And at 2 cents a bottle, plastic manufacturers have no incentive to finance development of an alternative material. 

Each year, over 300 million tons of plastic bottles of spring water, straws, single-use utensils, takeout containers, coffee cups & lids and food packaging are produced globally. Synthetic materials like polyester used for “fast fashion”, are derived from fossil fuels. When washed, the fibers make their way into the ocean. The result of this Plastic Pandemic: amorphous aggregates of plastic the size of “countries” forming in the oceans. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to be between the size of Texas and Russia. 

Beyond Plastic Madness

It is imperative that we all do our part to reduce the amount of plastic that we buy and consume. Let’s all work together to clean up trash pollution around town and along the shoreline at designated “clean up” days or when we see a problem.

We must call out polluters and demand that they change their processes and be responsible for the end disposal of their products.

The moment is NOW for each and every one of us to shine a spotlight on the big fossil fuel, plastics and packaging corporations and hold them accountable. We must call out polluters and demand that they change their processes and be responsible for the end disposal of their products. The federal government needs to be a catalyst for innovation and must stop subsidizing the petrochemical industry. Policies, legislation, grants and subsidies should reward research and development of naturally biodegradable packaging alternatives so we can break free from plastics.

What We Can Do

• Join the fight to eliminate single-use plastic.

• Press for a local single-use plastics ban.

• Urge our congress people to support the “Break Free From Plastics Pollution Act.” 

  This bill will be reintroduced in Congress in March and will tackle the plastics pollution problem at multiple levels. Most notably, the BFFPPA puts the responsibility of collecting and recycling waste on the manufacturers instead of on consumers and local municipalities. 

• Follow the #PlasticFreePresident initiatives. We need to pressure our government for plastic bans and enforcement of these bans with fines, taxes and other measures. Since we love our families, neighbors and community; each one of us must take actions that make a future beyond plastics a reality.