Plastics: something Earth cannot digest

In July 2019 we released an evidence summary and additional resources on plastics in the environment, which is a topic of growing concern. The resources set out how kirihou plastics are made, used and disposed of, how plastics enter the environment and the risks plastics pose to wildlife and humans. They introduced concepts about how we can reduce plastic pollution, such as switching to a circular economy instead of continuing to rely on single use plastics.

New Zealand has a high per-capita use of plastics and, like the rest of the world, we are witnessing large amounts of plastic pollution, even in remote places like Stewart Island’s Mason Bay. Most plastic is produced from fossil fuels, consuming 4-8% of global oil production. The amount of plastic produced each year has doubled over the last 20 years and is still growing rapidly, despite growing concerns about plastic pollution and climate change. The report outlines that we have thrown away three-quarters of the volume of plastics ever produced. Less than 20% of the waste plastic generated each year is recycled worldwide. Of the remainder, about 70% goes to landfill and 30% is incinerated. Much of this waste plastic is entering our moana oceans, says environmental chemist Associate Professor Sally Gaw from the University of Canterbury, who contributed to the report. Waste plastic in the environment breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces, known as microplastics, and scientists are concerned about the effects of these entering the food chain.

The Society acknowledges a bequest from Ian Baumgart’s estate that made this work possible.

“It has been estimated that the equivalent of a garbage truck-load of plastic waste has been dumped into the ocean every 38 seconds over the past decade. Unless we do something, it is estimated that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. In addition to entrapping and killing animals, plastic waste in the ocean can provide rafts for invasive species to move around the world and plastic debris has also been associated with decreased health of coral species. However, most of the concern is now focussed on microplastics.”

SALLY GAW

SEE MORE ON PLASTICS IN THE ENVIRONMENT: TE AO HURIHURI – THE CHANGING WORLD