Getting ready: Preparing to solve the plastics problem
By Susan Glick
Single-use plastics are filling up our landfills, choking our rivers and contaminating our oceans. About 150 million metric tons of plastic are already floating in our oceans, with tons more entering the water each year. Researchers say most of the plastic dumped into the ocean likely ends up on the coasts, rather than on the ocean s surface or floor.
The Center for International Environmental Law produced an extensive report, Plastic & Health, The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet. The report paints a toxic picture: each stage of plastic manufacture creates significant risks to human health. The same features that make plastic a desirable material with many uses – its light weight and durability – also cause it to disperse widely and present a serious threat to human health and the natural systems on which we depend.