Every year, Americans use millions of tons of plastic just once, before throwing it away – and much of it ends up in our oceans. Together, we can change this habit and find better solutions to reduce our reliance on plastic.
- The equivalent of a garbage truck full of plastic is dumped into the ocean every minute.
- Nearly all plastic ever produced still exists.
- Nearly all ocean pollution comes from land.
- By 2050 it is projected that there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean (by weight).
- One in four fish tested contain plastic. This plastic is entering the food chain and ends up on our plates.
- Tens of thousands of marine animals are killed every year from plastic bag litter when they mistake plastic bags for food such as jellyfish.
- Plastic is linked to cancers, impaired immunity, endocrine disruption and other ailments.
- Exposure to plastic can impact fertility, pregnancy, and can affect the fetus by interfering with testosterone, disrupting normal sexual development. This disruption is not often apparent until adulthood and includes the increased risk of cancer.