Plastic & Land
Today, millions of tons of plastic that are swirling around the world’s oceans have grabbed a lot of media attention. But many are not aware that plastic pollution arguably poses a bigger threat to the plants and animals – including humans – who are based on land.
Only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled. About 12% has been incinerated, while the rest — 79% — has accumulated in landfills, dumps or the natural environment.
A tiny part of plastic used is actually being recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to decompose, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water.
Modern life would be impossible without plastic – but we have long since lost control over our invention. Why has plastic turned into a problem and what do we know about its dangers?
Microplastic
Few researchers from Germany are warning that the impact of microplastics in soils, sediments and freshwater could have a long-term negative effect on such ecosystems. They say terrestrial microplastic pollution is much higher than marine microplastic pollution – estimated at four to 23 times higher, depending on the environment.
On the down side, not enough research is been carried out in this area, however the results to date are very concerning: fragments of plastic are present practically all over the world and can have many adverse effects to the environment and human health.
The study estimates that one third of all plastic waste ends up in soils or freshwater. Most of this plastic disintegrates into particles smaller than five millimetres, known as microplastics, and these break down further into nanoparticles (less than 0.1 micrometre in size). The problem is that these particles are entering the food chain.
Microplastics are not just a threat to the marine environment, they also threaten the land environment. The long-term impact of microplastics in soil can have all kinds of negative effects on terrestrial ecosystems, in other words on land, with even greater impact than at sea. The researchers point out that much more plastic finishes up on land than at sea, four to 23 times as much. Worldwide around a third of all the plastic produced finishes up in soils or freshwaters.
Even though, as we said, there is no concrete research on the impacts of plastic waste on land-based wild-life, there is concern that incorrectly managed landfills could lead to the escape of plastic waste or the escape of landfill leachate containing chemicals associated with plastic decomposition.
Some of the key chemicals are Bisphenol A (negative impact on reproductive systems), Phthalates (endocrine disruptors), and Brominated Flame Retardants (hormone disrupting effects that impairs development of the reproductive and nervous system). A study in 2009 found evidence that more industrialised countries, such as Malaysia and Thailand, had higher BPA concentrations in landfill leachate than less industrialized countries.
Chlorinated plastic can release harmful chemicals into the surrounding soil, which can then seep into groundwater or other surrounding water sources, and also the ecosystem. This can cause a range of potentially harmful effects on the species that drink the water and of course, us. .
Plastic is in the air?
A new study was conducted, which took place in the mountains of the French Pyrenees, far from civilization. It was investigated the amount of microplastics that fall out of the air onto the ground every day. Samples were taken over a five-month period, and measured both dry and wet (carried by raindrops) deposition. On average 249 plastic pieces were found per square meter per day, 73 pieces of film and 44 fibers. Calculations showed that the wind could transport these microplastics easily over a distance of 95 kilometers, and presumably over much longer distances.
What’s more, a study done in Paris in 2016, microfibre fallout was measured for the first time. Between two and 355 microfibers per square meter per day were counted.
An earlier French study showed that plastic microfibers are not just in outdoor air, they are also present inside buildings and in particular in dust on the floor. An analysis of fibers in the air shows that 29% is plastic. Research has already shown that people breathe in microfibers.
Last year, Chinese researchers found that the daily fallout in the Chinese city of Dongguan was between 175 and 313 microplastics per square meter. Most of the microplastics there were synthetic microfibers.
CNN's Nick Paton Walsh travels to Midway Atoll in the Pacific Ocean to investigate how the plastic we throw away everyday enters the food chain and possibly, our bodies.
Solutions
The first step to take would be to reduce the amount of plastics you use. If you have a choice at the grocery store, aim for foods that come in larger single packages rather than individual ones. And try to avoid produce wrapped in plastic bags or packaged in plastic trays.
Second, eliminate your single-use plastics and opt for reusable sustainable products in their place. You can cut plastic beverage containers from your life by using cups, mugs, reusable water bottles, or even a mason jar to tote your water, juice and tea around with you.
Finally, for the plastic you can’t eliminate from your life, try to be mindful of how you dispose of it to reduce the chances it may endanger an animal later on down the line. Cut those plastic drink holders so the rings won’t entangle an animal.
Plastic Attack
Another great way to create awareness of the insane amount of plastic wrappings used is by joining the plastic attack movement. Just strip your groceries of plastic and leave it for the store to clean up.
Shoppers demanding Tesco use less unnecessary packaging staged a 'plastic attack' - by stripping their groceries of it and leaving it for the store to clean up. The unusual protest involved 40 shoppers going to the branch of Tesco in Keynsham, near Bristol, and cutting through the excess packaging after doing their shopping.
Plastic Free Shopping
Support your local green grocery buy plastic free fruits and vegetables and bring your own bag! Not all biodegradable plastic bags are a good option as they still remain the same after 3 years in the ground. There are some great initiatives for plastic free shopping and solutions to empower the plastic-free movement, such as the ban of plastic bottles in San Fransisco and the zero waste supermarket in Amsterdam and Berlin, plastic free shampoo bars by Lush, water capsules from seaweed, there is still so much to be gained!
2014 opened the FIRST Zero Waste Store in Berlin-Kreuzberg where they sell a wide range of food and non food related items without any packaging! We brought our own glass jars, reusable bags and containers to do some eco-friendly shopping here!
Afroz Shah, a young Indian lawyer from Mumbai, is synonymous with the world’s largest beach clean-up project. And for the same has been honoured with 'Champions of the Earth award' by United Nations.
Plastic Soup / Clean Rivers
The ‘Clean Rivers’ initiative is a collaboration between IVN, Plastic Soup Foundation and Stichting De Noordzee to stop the flow of plastic through rivers at the source. The next five years these three organizations aim not only clean up the riverbanks of the Meuse and Waal, but will also, with the help of volunteers, start a large-scale waste research. The goal of Clean Rivers is to gain more insight into the amounts, composition and source of the waste along rivers. The Netherlands has never seen such a large research into river waste with the help of ‘citizen science’: data collection for research purposes by volunteers. Join to support their mission.
"Streams of Plastic" is a short film about the impact and rivers have on the quality of our water in the ocean, and what we can do about it.
Plastic Whale / COME FISHING…. FOR PLASTIC!
Help make Amsterdam’s canals plastic-free with the first plastic fishing company in the world! Plastic fishing has become a very popular activity in Amsterdam. More than 20.000 people have already gone plastic fishing with us. The plastic they collect is recycled into furniture and more boats—the same kind of boat they will use on their outing. Join to help eliminate plastic from the canals.
Amsterdam Clean Water
In September 2016, seven parties entered into a cooperation agreement to reduce the amount of floating waste in Amsterdam's waters. In a three-year program, the municipality of Amsterdam, Waternet, Federation of the Dutch Rubber and Plastics Industry (NRK), PlasticsEurope Netherlands, the Plastic Soup Foundation, Port of Amsterdam and Berenschot are committed to projects that promote clean waters in the city. The program launches activities and projects every year to create awareness about clean water and to develop structural solutions.
Currently, Amsterdam hosts around one million visitors per month. Considering the fact that this number is growing rapidly, it becomes increasingly important to keep our city clean. For this reason, Amsterdam Clean Water launched a promotional video about the importance of clean waters in Amsterdam.
Don’t forget, on an individual level, every time you see plastic, make a little effort to pick it up and dispose it properly.
What do you do to use less plastic? By tagging us with #theconsciouschallenge you can share your ideas!
Want to contribute to our Ecological Footprint Bible? Submit us your scientific articles! Mail us at info@theconsciouschallenge.org
Sources
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