Plastic waste is one of the biggest environmental concerns of the 21st century. Millions of tonnes of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans each year. Plastic debris affects the ecosystems in the water and has been known to enter the food chain, with the potential to cause significant harm.
Solutions to plastic waste therefore need to be implemented on a global scale to prevent further damage being caused. Some facts and figures for plastic waste can be found in the embedded infographic.
Matthew Stone, Teysha Technologies’ Managing Director, has been working on the development of a new platform for generating bioplastics from waste products. These sustainable polycarbonates provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional plastics and can be broken down naturally at the end of their lifecycle, breaking down hydrolytically into biologically beneficial by-products.
Collective action and the implementation of a variety of solutions such as switching to biodegradable bioplastics are required to stem the tide of plastic waste and keep our oceans and all life within healthy.
Plastic Waste Hotspots
Modern technology can be used to identify those areas of the world that are plastic waste hotspots. [Five countries in one geographical region have already been highlighted as major contributors to plastic waste: China, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, and the Philippines.
These are typically developing countries that have recently benefitted from rapidly growing economies, resulting in increased GDP, better quality of life, and reduced levels of poverty. This creates nations of people who have disposable income for the first time, which results in rapidly growing demand for consumer products. This demand has not yet been counter-balanced with effective strategies for waste management.
One report suggests that addressing issues with plastic waste leakage in just these five countries could potentially reduce global plastic waste over the coming decade by as much as 45%.
A Global Approach
While addressing waste management practices in the five countries listed above would have a significant effect on plastic waste, a global approach needs to be taken if the solution is to be sustainable and long-term. Plastic has become an integral and essential part of modern industry. If it is to be replaced without causing economic collapse, the alternatives must be able to offer the same benefits as traditional plastics. Infrastructure must be out in place to prevent plastics from entering the oceans once they have reached the end of useful life, and more products must be developed using alternatives such as biodegradable bioplastics to minimise the total volume of plastic produced.
Diverse Benefits
Reducing or preventing plastic waste from entering the oceans has numerous and diverse benefits for both the environment and human society.
Economically, waste results in the loss of potentially valuable materials. Ocean productivity is harmed by plastic pollution, which has a significant impact on fishing catches and therefore revenues. Pollution of all forms creates health concerns and the aesthetic and economic value of coastal environments is degraded when waste is present.
It is predicted that, if things do not change, there will be double the amount of plastic waste generated by 2025 compared to that of 2015. This means the coming years are critical in terms of implementing sustainable solutions These solutions include developing viable alternatives to traditional plastics and implementing waste management infrastructure in the areas of the world where it is needed most.
You can learn about the first ever plastics in the short video attachment.