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Scary plastic numbers from Discover magazine
Discover magazine’s October edition features some pretty shocking numbers about plastic use:
Image source: Wikimedia Commons
In the U.S. each person produces 63 pounds (28.5 kilos) of plastic destined for landfills every year.
50-80% of ocean and beach litter in America is plastic.
In 2007 only 6.8% of plastics were recycled, including 37% of soda bottles and 28% of milk and water jugs.
300 million metric tons of plastic will be produced worldwide in 2010, half of which will be disposable.
93% of humans over the age of 6 have detectable levels of bisphenol A (BPA) – a chemical used in plastic production – in their urine.
It takes 450 years for a plastic bottle to degrade in the ocean.
Isn’t it time we all listened to that charming Edward Norton when he says ‘Bag the bag’?
Read the entire ‘Numbers’ article in the online edition of Discover magazine.
By Graham Land
Additional resources:
Discover magazine – Environment
Earth 911 – Plastic Recycling Facts
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