1.5 MILLION TONNES OF PLASTIC IN 1950 => 8,000 MILLION TONNES IN 2017 – IN 65 YEARS WE HAD AN INCREASE OF OVER 5,000%.
Plastic production has exploded since the 1950s. We produced about 1.5 million tonnes back then. In 2017, we made 8 billion tonnes of plastics. If development continues at the same pace, production is estimated to reach 34 billion tonnes by 2050. At this point, we are talking about 1,000 kg of plastic per person.
It can take up to 400 years for plastic to decompose. Materials like polyester, acrylic, and nylon, which are commonly found in your wardrobe, are types of plastic. When you wash your clothes or even wear them, they release tiny micro- and nano-plastic particles that ultimately find their way into the environment, primarily through water or the air. These plastic particles may not always be visible, but they are present and impact all forms of life.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
WE THINK LIKE THIS: WE START THE JOURNEY OF GETTING YOU TO RETHINK – RETHINK BY STRENGTHENING YOUR OWN COMMON SENSE. COMMON SENSE IS BUILT THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND USING THE HELP OF KNOWLEDGE TO DRAW ONE’S OWN CONCLUSIONS. HERE IS AN EXAMPLE: WHEN WE RAISE OUR CHILDREN, WE TEACH THEM HOW TO DO THINGS, LIKE HOW TO TIE THEIR SHOES SO THEY CAN DO IT THEMSELVES. WE GIVE AND TEACH THEM KNOWLEDGE, PRACTICAL OR THEORETICAL.
Here at ReThink, we provide knowledge about textiles—everything from how they are grown to how we discard them. With the knowledge we offer you, you will soon draw conclusions based on your own common sense and your values. Then, you can evaluate and make the “right” decisions for yourself and probably for the future.
Get more knowledge about textiles and their impact. We continuously build the website’s knowledge bank, and we will refer to the source whenever possible. The reference group behind the page consists of researchers, professors, and other experts in various subjects.
About plastics [1]:
Microplastics are particles and fibres from 1 micrometre to 5 millimetres.
Nano-plastic particles are smaller than 1 micrometre.
We get microplastics through inhalation, food and drinks.
Its chemicals can also be absorbed by the body through skin contact. Nanoplastics can migrate from the stomach and gut to the bloodstream.
Primary microplastics are particles produced in micro size, such as cosmetics and paints.
Secondary microplastics are particles that are broken up from larger plastic products.
The resistance of the plastic is an advantage while the product is in use. As a microplastic, resistance becomes a disadvantage. The length of time required for complete degradation is uncertain. Some varieties take several hundred years.
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