CARING IS COOL
Not-so-fun facts about plastic
Did you know that only 9 % of global plastic production is recycled?
Did you know plastic is mainly made from fossil fuels – which is a non renewable resource?
Did you know that in Norway alone, the beverage industry produce about 22 000 tons of virgin plastic per year ?
Did you know that approximately 600 million plastic bottles are sold in Norway each year?
Did you know that approximately 50 % of all plastic bottles produced each year are being recycled?
Did you know that approximately 90 % of all plastic bottles are made from virgin plastic, which again is made from fossil fuels?
Did you know that climate gass emissions from production of plastic bottles, mainly comes from production of oil.?
Did you know that the average growth of virgin plastic production is about 4 % per year?
Did you know that approximately 32 % of plastic packaging escapes collection systems globally?
Did you know that study shows that forest and forest-based products remove a net 806 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalents annually? – And that this corresponds to 20 % of all fossil emissions in the EU.
WE NEED TO RETHINK PACKAGING
Recycling can help reduce the environmental impact of packaging, but recycling alone can’t eliminate this impact.
Renewable raw materials help meet demand for more sustainable packaging. Paperboard made from wood fibres and plastic made from sugarcane come from plant-based, renewable materials rather than from fossil-based or finite resources.
By increasing their usage, we can minimise the need for fossil-based materials.
Plant-based renewable materials are also better for the climate. As plants grow, they absorb CO2 from the atmosphere.
By contrast, fossil-based materials release CO2 that was stored in the ground for millions of years. When responsibly sourced, plant-based renewable materials can protect biodiversity and our natural ecosystems, including all the plants, animals and people they support.
Challenges that are related to plastic today
– Co2/greenhouse gasses
– Plastic waste
– Expanding landfills
– Finite/scarce resources
– Limited recyclability
SOURCES: Infinitum, WWF, UN Environment