As much as we may not like it, plastic takes a central role in all of our lives. Used in food packaging, bags, toys and even clothes, the material is at the forefront of man-made materials. However, it also has a dark side: it’s incredibly difficult to decompose and takes up large amounts of room in landfill sites, and its creation does harm to the environment by releasing CO2.

What’s the issue?
When in landfill, there are many micro-organisms that can speed up the breakdown of plastic, however this process releases harmful methane into the air that contributes to the greenhouse gas effect. This is also the case when plastics are incinerated to prevent them taking up room in landfill. Nevertheless, plastics are even more harmful when not disposed of correctly, such as being dumped into the ocean from cargo ships to prevent it remaining on land.

The effects of this upon wildlife can be devastating, as animals such as sea turtles frequently mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, ingesting them, clogging their throats and ultimately killing them. This is also the case for animals that do not permanently live in the sea: seabirds were found to have an average of thirty pieces of plastic in their stomachs, which cause ulcers and infections.

Because plastic products do not decompose quickly, they can release harmful chemicals into the land and sea around them. It is estimated that it would take a plastic cup fifty years to decompose, and a plastic drink bottle around 400 years. Some researchers believe that by 2050 there may be more plastic than fish in the oceans for these reasons.

How can I help?
The simplest way to lower the amount of plastic created and disposed of is to recycle as much as you can. This means that more does not have to be created, as it can be melted and then reformed into a different product with a different use.

Making little swaps in your daily life can also have huge environmental benefits: buy a metal water bottle and reuse it (or at least recycle all the plastic ones you do use), avoid using plastic straws, including at restaurants, and use canvas bags instead of plastic ones when going to the supermarket, as bags for life are just as bad as the conventional plastic ones. Reuse tupperware, such as plastic takeaway boxes, instead of throwing them away, and try to buy food in cardboard boxes instead of plastic ones. Altogether, you’ll save money and you’ll help the environment.

No doubt you’ll be buying presents for loved ones this Christmas, so please do your best to recycle as much packaging and waste as possible, and avoid gimmick gifts that will only end up in landfill.