PLASTICS: A LIFE CYCLE FRAUGHT WITH PROBLEMS

Since plastic packaging is a major contributor to the global plastic waste stream, it is obvious that its use is a major contributor to the 4.7 to 12.7 million tons of plastic that reach the ocean each year. It is estimated that more than two-thirds of the plastic that reaches the ocean ends up on the seabed, creating a growing wasteland beneath the surface. The environmental impact of plastic packaging is not limited to the oceans; plastics and micro-plastics can be found in all ecosystems, where they can have equally harmful effects,...