#PlasticFreeJuly is a global movement that challenges people to be part of the plastic pollution solution—for cleaner streets, oceans, and communities. The United States is both a major producer and consumer of plastic products, with the largest plastic waste footprint of any country in 2019, generating about 486 pounds of plastic waste per capita.
Plastic containers and packaging, including single use products (e.g., bags, wraps and bottles), constitute the majority of plastic waste in the U.S. municipal solid waste system. In 2018, only 9% of plastic waste generated in the U.S. municipal solid waste stream was recycled (U.S. EPA, 2020).
Globally, the annual production of plastic products has more than doubled over the last 20 years. Plastic waste generation has similarly doubled during that time. The production, use, and disposal of plastic products also contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, and there are significant human health concerns associated with plastic pollution across the lifecycle of plastic products.
Plastic products constitute a significant portion of marine litter, with estimates suggesting that, globally, nearly 9 million tons of plastic enter the ocean every year. Marine and freshwater life become entangled in and ingest plastic materials leading to injury or death. Plastic products tend to break down over time to form very small pieces called microplastics, which can also pose serious threats to human health and wildlife.
The EPA’s “National Strategy to Prevent Plastic Pollution” focuses on actions to eliminate the release of plastic pollution into the environment. It has six main objectives that address plastic pollution throughout the lifecycle of plastic products:
A. Reduce Pollution from Plastic Production.
B. Innovate Material and Product Design.
C. Decrease Waste Generation.
D. Improve Waste Management.
E. Improve Capture and Removal of Plastic Pollution.
F. Minimize Loadings and Impacts to Waterways and the Ocean.
The report includes opportunities for businesses, academia, industry, public and governmental organizations, and consumers to reduce their plastic waste generation and shift to a circular approach to materials management.
If you want to reduce your individual plastic consumption and waste generation, perhaps the single most impactful action you could take might be to choose one single-use plastic to avoid, and see if you can build a replacement into your daily life. For more tips on how to do this while shopping at Moonflower, check out our blog post on tips for zero-waste living.
Learn more about the Plastic Free July movement by following @plasticfreejuly or visiting plasticfreejuly.org!