Before discussing the issues with plastic waste, it’s worth noting that plastic is a useful substance, which most of us use daily in some capacity. It’s found in everything from clothing to crisp packets, bottles to buckets and coffee cups. It’s very popular because there are many types and it can be moulded into all shapes, colours and sizes. The problem with plastic arises when we throw it away, because most plastic is not biodegradable. It won’t rot like paper or food so it hangs around in the environment for hundreds of years. It’s causing a catastrophe for our planet and according to Greenpeace (greenpeace.org.uk) ‘Our planet now faces a biodiversity and climate emergency’. Single-use items is one of the biggest parts of the plastic issue – that’s plastic that is utilised for a few moments, but stays on the planet for at least several hundred years, such as plastic bags, nappies, bottles, cutlery and take-away cups.
A population of plastic