5 Horrifying Fast About Plastic Pollution You Need To Know

It’s not really your fault that you don’t know about the dangers of plastic pollution. After all, it's not something mainstream media finds particularly sexy. Instead, they show us Barbie dolls and supermodels drinking out of plastic bottles at the gym. It’s hard to actually keep up with everything that is happening to our world. Sure, you've heard about the plastic island floating off the coast of Hawaii (it's twice the size of Texas), but have you heard anything about what that looks like from space? Well prepare yourself for a reality check as we explore 5 horrifying facts about plastic pollution you need to know.

1.There could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050

Plastic pollution in our oceans has reached catastrophic levels. If current trends of plastic production and consumption continue, our planet is expected to have more plastic than fish by the year 2050.

2. 99% of seabirds will be eating plastic by 2050

Due to the huge amount of plastic that has been dumped into our oceans, seabirds are consuming up to 12.7 million tons of the toxic substance every year. The shocking thing is that this number is likely to increase by 2050; meaning that 99% of these birds will consume plastic.

3. Every minute of every day a truckload of plastic is dumped into the ocean

A staggering amount of plastic is being dumped into the ocean every minute of every day. The result is a chain reaction of environmental consequences. It begins with plastic debris contaminating our waters. But the impact doesn’t end there, it also threatens our land masses.

4. The average person eats 70,000 microplastics each year

Think about it: 70,000 little pieces of microplastic that you’ve just swallowed will crowd your stomach and intestines. Plastic is great at trapping chemicals and other toxins. This means that all those toxins and harmful chemicals you’re eating through your mouth and skin every day will accumulate and stay with you your entire life.

5. 73% of beach litter worldwide is plastic

Plastic pollution is one of the biggest global issues facing our world today. Not only does it appear in almost all of our waterways, but it is causing serious damage to our marine environment.