RECYCLING SYSTEMS ALONE WON'T SOLVE THE WORLDWIDE WASTE/POLLUTION CRISIS - WE NEED  A MASSIVE EDUCATION EFFORT, A CHANGE OF HABITS AND HEART/MENTALITY  TOO!(Published 1-12-19, last updated 4-16-21)

 

According to a 2015 article in SCIENCE MAGAZINE, it is ESTIMATES THAT PLASTIC DEBRIS (TRASH/ plastic waste) THAT WAS ENTERING THE OCEAN IN 2010, WAS 275 million metric tons (MT)- generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT entering the ocean.

THIS AMOUNT OF TRASH WILL LIKELY INCREASE UNLESS WASTE MANAGEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE/SYSTEMS ARE IMPROVED- however, I believe that THIS WILL NOT BE ENOUGH TO STOP/REDUCE PLASTIC WASTE. 

Dumping lots of plastics into our oceans

Considerable progress has been made in determining the amount and location of plastic debris in our seas, but how much plastic actually enters them in the first place is more uncertain. Jambeck et al. combine available data on solid waste with a model that uses population density and economic status to estimate the amount of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean. Unless waste management practices are improved, the flux of plastics to the oceans could increase by an order of magnitude within the next decade. Source: Science, this issue p. 768

Abstract

Plastic debris in the marine environment is widely documented, but the quantity of plastic entering the ocean from waste generated on land is unknown. By linking worldwide data on solid waste, population density, and economic status, we estimated the mass of land-based plastic waste entering the ocean. We calculate that 275 million metric tons (MT) of plastic waste was generated in 192 coastal countries in 2010, with 4.8 to 12.7 million MT (metric tons) entering the ocean. Population size and the quality of waste management systems largely determine which countries contribute the greatest mass of uncaptured waste available to become plastic marine debris. Without waste management infrastructure improvements, the cumulative quantity of plastic waste available to enter the ocean from land is predicted to increase by an order of magnitude by 2025."

Source: http://science.sciencemag.org/content/347/6223/768

Plastic waste inputs from land into the ocean

Science  13 Feb 2015:
Vol. 347, Issue 6223, pp. 768-771
DOI: 10.1126/science.1260352

JR Jambeck, R Geyer, C Wilcox, TR Siegler… - …, 2015 - science.sciencemag.org

… A Report of the Study Panel on Assessing Potential Ocean Pollutants to the Ocean Affairs Board …
RC Thompson,; CJ Moore,; FS vom Saal,; SH Swan. , Plastics, the environment … DKA Barnes,;
F. Galgani,; RC Thompson,; M. Barlaz. , Accumulation and fragmentation of plastic debris …

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What I Think the Solutions are

I am a public-school teacher who became interested in ocean plastic pollution since  the spring of 2016. Since then I have tried to learn as much as possible and taught this topic to my students, in addition to Earth Day and World Ocean Day. These are my ideas, the things that I think we need to do collectively, together as a local community, but also as worldwide community, because plastic waste is a global issue, a huge problem, a big threat to our planet and survival.

In my opinion, in order to reduce the plastic waste threat, habits need to change; all must take responsibility and change habits and products; consumers, producers and/or corporations of plastic and other harmful products (chemicals, herbicides, pesticides, synthetic clothes, etc.), must be regulated/mandated (by the government) to reduce the amount of single-use plastic and Styrofoam/plastic packaging/products. The government must gradually direct industry to phase them out all harmful products, at least within the next 5 years or so (before things get out of control with irreparable damage to our planet). Industry must come up with biodegradable, sustainable, and/or natural products, that do not harm/pollute the environment.

In addition, we are going to need the government's leadership and assistance in leading and regulating these changes with a carrots and sticks approach. 

The carrots are incentives/rewards for following environmental etiquette/norms, and the sticks are the enforcement/punishment for not following environmental norms aimed at reducing the plastic/chemical pollution. 

The goal of these players, in our society, must be to get away from environmentally harmful/damaging products and habits, and  become more green, more sustainable; with the ultimate goal of becoming zero waste businesses. The carrots, the rewards from the government could be in the forms of tax breaks, low interest loans and/or grants.

Financial government incentives to industry, must be coupled also with public image rewards for those businesses/corporations who adhere and follow the government's environmental norms. These tactics/strategies will motivate industry to change toward a more sustainable, from the linear economy, which is the one we have now- which it makes products that eventually end up in the trash- to an economy that is circular- an economy that makes products that can be recycled and remade into new products, that can reenter the economy, therefore making a profit and producing zero waste!  throw away products one that will  economy need a massive education campaign to inform the public about the risks of throwing plastic in the trash. Therefore, collaboration at all levels of society will also be needed if we want to succeed in this effort. 

It will also be essential to have the collaboration of the governments (at all levels), and also the cooperation of the food and plastic industry will be needed in order to reduce this enormous amount of waste that is ominously, but gradually, surely, and inexorably destroying the environment and the world’s oceans, which are the biggest source of life on Earth.

Additionally, governments must do the following things:

I   Improve collection/recycling methods by following/improving upon the European circular economy model. Italy has been the leader in the last 3 years. See articles/sources in the next several pages.

 

BPAPER & CARDBOARD MUST BE RECYCLED SEPARATELY- it must not be mixed in single-stream recycling bins with metals, plastic, and glass, because  40% of it is often contaminated with liquids, food and/or trash/foreign products/materials (e.g., furniture!) so paper and cardboard must be recycled separately! must not include paper and cardboard.

 

CIMPOSE REFUNDABLE FEES ON ALL PLASTIC CONTAINERS! All bottles, cups, dishes, and/or any plastic containerlike ice-tea, milk, juices, peanut butter, mayonnaise and pickle jars, and all sorts of food/drink containers should have a refund fee attached to it- so that people/businesses will not throw away in the trash! This will increase the return and recycling rate, as it has been proven by Norther European countries. In fact, their return rate is close to 100%. I suggest that refund rates will start at 5 cents for the smallest plastic containers, say the 4 ounces ones, and gradually increase them to 10 cents for 8 ounces, 15 cents to 16 ounces, 20 cents for a quart or liter, 25 cents for 2 quarts or 2 liters, and 30 cents for a gallon or 4 liters, and so forth.  

 

D.IMPROVE THE SEWER SYSTEM to strain/filter plastic and chemicals from wastewater. Smaller holes are needed in outdoor sewer entrances (on roads/curbs, etc.) in order to stop plastic items from entering the sewer, so that these items will not reach bodies of water, creeks, rivers, lakes and eventually the ocean.  Nettings could also be used inside outdoor/road sewer  entrances.

 

EEDUCATING OUR STUDENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL ETIQUETTE/NORMS. Italy mandated an environmental curriculum in all of her public schools. America should follow this example because Italy has been now the leading European Circular Economy leader. See the articles/sources next page.

 

F.CREATE AN ENVIRONMENTAL BODY/POLICE/INSPECTORS who will enforce environmental/recycling standards/norms, educates the public on how to recycle correctly, rewards those who cooperate, but also impose fines/penalties when infractions are committed.

 

GREWARD INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES & INDUSTRY with financial rewards and public recognition, who follow environmental norms, and are leaders in sustainability and respect nature and all living things.

 

HMANDATE ALL, INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES, BUSINESSES, CORPORATIONS, GOVERNEMNT/PUBLIC ENTITIES/ORGANIZATIONS to RECYCLE! It is not enough to simply talk/preach about how to protect the environment. No, we must take concrete steps and apply solutions in our homes, at work and everywhere in order to reduce the threat of pollution and eventually stop it completely. We need to apply the 4Rs in all areas of our lives. The 4Rs are reduce, reuse, reuse and recycle.

I.       BAN SINGLE-USE PLASTIC AND STYROFOAM PRODUCTS, and eventually ban all unrecyclable plastic items. This will encourage the all of us and industry to turn to sustainable/natural products. Below are highlights of this article published in 2015.