Disposable plastic straws are not recyclable, therefore they often end up in landfills, oceans, or the environment. Americans throw away half a billion of them every day, according to the National Park Service.
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Strawless in Seattle —
The city of Seattle will be one of the first to impose a ban on plastic straws and utensils starting in June 2018. In the UK, pub chain Wetherspoons has stopped serving plastic straws across 900 outlets, switching to a biodegradable alternative.
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Drowning in plastic —
Plastic pollution has rapidly accelerated, with eight million tons entering the marine environment each year, according to scientists. This figure is set to rise as production of the material is set to double over the next 20 years.
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More than fish —
Some researchers estimate there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by the year 2050.
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End of the line —
Endangered species such as sea turtles could be driven to extinction by the plastic plague.
NOAA
Burning problem —
In many of the worst affected countries such as China and the Philippines, local people lack the infrastructure to properly dispose of plastic waste. In some cases they burn it, releasing dangerous gases associated with cancer.
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Plastic people —
There are also concerns that people are consuming dangerous plastic through contaminated fish. A recent survey, published in Scientific Reports journal, revealed that a quarter of market fish in Indonesia and California contain plastic.
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A plastic ocean —
British producer Jo Ruxton and her team have spent four years documenting the effects of plastic pollution for the upcoming documentary "A Plastic Ocean." She hopes the film will challenge people and societies to stop thinking of the material as disposable.
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No safe haven —
The crew visited dozens of sites from the Arctic to the Mediterranean and Hawaii, without ever finding a plastic-free location. The average square kilometer of ocean contains around 20,000 microplastic pieces.
There are different ideas about how to address the crisis. The U.S. National and Atmospheric Association favors beach cleaning and public education at local level, combined with challenging policymakers and plastic producers to promote conservation.
NOAA
Recycling —
Recycling efforts are becoming more creative. Plastic waste is now converted into building materials in Cameroon and the Philippines. Charging for plastic bags and bottles and bags has helped to reduce waste.
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Far out —
Dutch entrepreneur Boyan Slat has a more ambitious vision. The 21-year-old has designed a huge trash-eating machine that he intends to deploy at the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. He believes it can remove 99% of the debris within 30 years.
