Before anything else, you should do your best to refuse plastic. In response to these issues, many organizations like the Plastic Pollution Coalition are encouraging the addition of a fourth “R” to that famous saying: refuse. If recyclable waste is contaminated with non-recyclable products, it could all end up getting sent to a landfill. However, those numbers aren’t just a result of humans not recycling enough many types of plastic can’t be recycled, and it’s often not clear what’s recyclable and what’s not. It is estimated that only 6.5% of the 33.6 million tons of plastic we use in the United States each year is recycled. You’ve most likely heard the phrase “reduce, reuse, recycle” at some point in your life, but have you ever thought about the order in which those actions are usually listed? There is a reason “recycle” comes last, as it should really only be used as a last resort. “If I just recycle my plastic waste, it won’t harm the environment” So even though it is always important to dispose of your trash properly, the best way to ensure plastic won’t end up in the oceans is to stop using it. That same study estimated that anywhere from 4.8 to 12.7 million metric tons of mismanaged waste made its way into the ocean in 2010. It could fall out of a garbage bin, fly out of the back of a dump truck, or blowout of a landfill for example. There are many ways the plastic straw that you put in a garbage can could end up in the ocean. Mismanaged waste, as defined in this 2015 study, includes both littering as the obvious source of plastic pollution and the silent killer: waste that is disposed of correctly but finds its way to the ocean anyway. While it might seem like you can use a straw or other piece of plastic guilt-free as long as you don’t litter, due to “mismanaged waste” this is anything but true. But if I use a straw and make sure to dispose of it properly, there’s no way it will end up in a sea turtle’s nose, right? Wrong. This graphic demonstration of the extent of our plastic problem has acted as a rallying cry all over the world as people move to decrease the use of plastic products, particularly plastic straws. “As long as I dispose of my straw properly, it won’t end up in the ocean”Īnyone with an internet connection has probably seen this video of researchers excruciatingly pulling a plastic straw out of a sea turtle’s nose.
In honor of No Straw November, we’re here to break down some of the most common misconceptions about plastic straws and plastic waste.
Despite this increased awareness, a lot of misconceptions remain surrounding the issue of plastic in our oceans. Plastic bag bans are becoming common around the world and campaigns like “ Go Topless” and “ Strawless Ocean” have been successful in discouraging the use of plastic tops and straws for our beverages. Strawless SMEA, Part IV: 5 Myths of Our Plastic Pollution ProblemĪs the world becomes increasingly aware of our massive ocean plastic problem, more and more people seem to be on board with ditching their plastic products.
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