Fossil plastic pollution
Fossil plastic pollution: We have an island in the middle of the North Pacific Gyre, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – which is mostly composed of plastic. It’s the size of India, Europe and Mexico combined.
If we want to do something about it we have to act NOW. Below are several facts, rapports, and ideas to see what oil plastic is doing for the world.
-73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic.
-38 million plastic bottles go to landfill each year in America alone.
-Enough plastic is thrown away each year to circle the Earth four times.
-24,000,000 liters of oil is needed to produce these billions of plastic bottles.
-One million sea birds and 100,000 marine mammals are killed annually from plastic in our oceans.
-14% of all litter comes from beverage containers. When caps and labels are considered, the number is higher.
-Plastic bottles require up to 700 years to dissolve.
Dutch tv program about compostable packaging. (Dutch with English subtitle)
We make compostable PLA bottles differently. We use plant-based material. Not the toxic fossil plastic made from oil, sugarcane is our resource.
Assessment of measures to reduce marine litter from single use plastics. Final report and Annex. PDF file.
Rapport is made on request of the EU union.
-According to the Container Recycling Institute, 100.7 billion plastic beverage bottles were sold in the U.S. in 2014, or 315 bottles per person.
-93 percent of Americans age six or older test positive for BPA (a plastic chemical).
-Did you know that roughly half of the annual plastic production—in 2016, around 335 million metric tons—is destined for a single-use product?
Plastic & Health The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet
Despite being one of the most pervasive materials on the planet, plastic and its impact on human health is poorly understood.
The Hidden Risks of PET Bottles: Microplastics and Toxic Leaks
At PLA Bottles.eu, we believe in creating a healthier planet, free from the hidden dangers of traditional plastic bottles. While PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles are widely used for beverages and other products, they come with serious environmental and health concerns. Here’s why PET bottles are problematic—and how our PLA bottles offer a safe, eco-friendly alternative.
The Problem with Microplastics
PET bottles degrade over time, breaking down into microscopic fragments known as microplastics. These tiny particles are not only pervasive in the environment but are also entering our food chain and drinking water.
- Environmental Impact: Microplastics pollute oceans, rivers, and soils, harming marine life and ecosystems. Fish and other marine animals mistake microplastics for food, leading to bioaccumulation of these particles in the food chain.
- Health Risks: Humans inadvertently consume microplastics through contaminated water and food. Emerging research suggests that microplastics can carry harmful chemicals, disrupt hormones, and may pose long-term health risks.
Toxic Chemicals Leaking from PET Bottles
PET bottles can leach harmful substances into the liquids they contain, particularly when exposed to heat, sunlight, or reused multiple times.
- Release of Toxins: Chemicals like antimony, bisphenol A (BPA), and phthalates may leach from PET bottles into beverages. These substances are linked to hormonal imbalances, developmental issues, and even certain types of cancer.
- Reusability Concerns: While PET bottles are often reused, their porous surfaces can harbor bacteria and facilitate further chemical leaching.
The PLA Bottles Solution
Our PLA (polylactic acid) bottles are the answer to the challenges posed by PET bottles. Made from renewable, plant-based materials, PLA bottles are designed with both your health and the environment in mind.
- No Microplastics: Unlike PET, our PLA bottles do not degrade into harmful microplastics, making them a safer choice for the environment and future generations.
- Non-Toxic: PLA bottles are free from harmful chemicals. They do not leach toxins into your beverages, ensuring a pure, healthy drinking experience.
- Eco-Friendly: PLA is biodegradable under industrial composting conditions, reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact.
Read the article, showing PLA does not create microplastics:
Join the Movement for a Cleaner, Safer Future
Switching to PLA bottles is more than just a choice—it’s a commitment to protecting our planet and prioritizing health. By choosing PLA Bottles, you are helping to eliminate the dangers of microplastics and toxic chemical exposure, paving the way for a sustainable and healthier future.
Make the change today.
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10151227/
- https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/envhealth.3c00052
- https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-03-plastic-pollution-effect-heart-health.html
- https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/microplastics-are-in-our-bodies-how-much-do-they-harm-us
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7068600/
- https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/plastics-and-health/
- https://www.aamc.org/news/microplastics-are-inside-us-all-what-does-mean-our-health
- https://blog.cleanhub.com/how-does-plastic-affect-humans
- https://www.health.com/breathing-in-microplastics-cancer-infertility-8764745
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microplastics_and_human_health?utm_source=chatgpt.com
A surf photographer, business owner and father of two is seeing more and more plastic wash ashore his beloved home beach. In a bid to discover the route of this problem he embarks on a journey of discovery to educate himself and understand more about the problem. Along the way, he discovers some alarming issues.
Companies have long touted recycling as the solution to the plastics crisis, putting the responsibility on individuals to reverse it. But the truth is there’s only one way to tackle a problem this massive — and it requires immediate and drastic action from companies, not consumers.
Breaking the Plastic Wave, full rapport. As a step towards building that roadmap, The Pew Charitable. Trusts partnered with SYSTEMIQ to build on previous research and create this first-of-its-kind model of the global plastics system.
-In the North Pacific Ocean, there are 6x more plastic debris than plankton.
-We have an island in the middle of the North Pacific Gyre, the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – which is mostly composed of plastic. It’s the size of India, Europe and Mexico combined.
-There is more microplastic in the ocean than there are stars in the Milky Way.
-If plastic production isn’t curbed, plastic pollution will outweigh fish pound for pound by 2050
Applying circular economy principles to global plastic packaging flows could transform the plastics economy and drastically reduce negative externalities such as leakage into oceans, according to this new report.