By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish. Photo: Wildoceanssa.
BUSINESS NEWS - Plastic pollution has become a global crisis and it comes as no surprise that Consumers International (CI), an international consumer organisation, chose “tackling plastic pollution” for International Consumer Rights Day.
Although plastic can be a highly useful material, our production and consumption of plastic has become unsustainable. According to the Pew Charitable Trusts & SystemIQ report,
Breaking the Plastic Wave, released in August last year, the flow of plastic into our oceans will triple by 2040 without major innovations and changes in policy and behaviour.
The report estimates that:
By 2050 there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.
100,000 marine mammals and turtles, as well as 1 million sea birds are killed by marine plastic pollution annually.
8 million tons of plastic enter our oceans every year.
Single-use plastics account for 50% of the plastic produced every year.
Half of all plastics ever manufactured have been made in the last 15 years.
40% of the plastic produced is packaging which is discarded after being used once.
The Pew Report makes it clear that tackling plastic pollution is a global challenge which requires coordinated, international solutions.
Consumers International says as a global consumer movement it is prepared to play a critical role in tackling the issue and promoting the sustainable consumption and production of plastic.