contact me for any query on this email haleemullah3456@gmail.com

2. WHAT IS PLASTIC:
• A SYNTHETIC MATERIAL MADE FROM A WIDE
RANGE OF ORGANIC POLYMERS SUCH AS
POLYETHYLENE, PVC, NYLON, ETC., THAT
CAN BE MOLDED INTO SHAPE WHILE SOFT,
AND THEN SET INTO A RIGID OR SLIGHTLY
ELASTIC FORM. POLYMERS ARE LONG
CHAINS OF ATOMS BONDED TO EACH
OTHER. IN MOST PLASTICS, THE LONG
CHAIN IS A CHAIN OF CARBON ATOMS WITH
OTHER ATOMS ATTACHED TO THEM.

3. PLASTIC POLLUTION:
• PLASTIC POLLUTION IS WHEN
THERE IS A LOT OF PLASTIC IN
THE ENVIRONMENT AND IT
NEGATIVELY AFFECTS ON WILD
LIFE, MARINE LIFE OR
ITS HABITATS OR HUMANS.
PLASTICS THAT ACT
AS POLLUTANTS ARE
CATEGORIZED INTO MICRO-,
MESO , OR MACRO DEBRIS,
BASED ON SIZE

4. WHY DO WE USE SO MUCH PLASTICS?
• LOW COST
• FLEXIBLE
• LIGHTWEIGHT
• MOISTURE RESISTANT
• EASE OF MANUFACTURE
• VERSATILE

5. HOW PLASTIC REACHES THE OCEAN
• 80% OF THE PLASTICS THAT ENTER THE OCEANS
EVERY YEAR COME FROM LAND-BASED ACTIVITIES
AND NOT FROM WHAT IS THROWN OR LOST
OVERBOARD FROM SHIPS.
• LITTERING AND DIRECTLY DUMPING GARBAGE INTO
OCEANS, RIVERBEDS, AND BEACHES IS STILL A
WIDESPREAD PRACTICE ACROSS THE GLOBE. RAIN
OR STORM WATER AND WIND CAN CARRY THE
PLASTIC WASTE INTO THE SEA OR INTO DRAINS
THAT LEAD TO THE SEA. ILLEGAL DUMPING OF
TRASH IS A SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTOR.

6. WHO ARE ALL AFFECTED?
CAUSES:
THEY MAY INGEST THE TOXIC CHEMICALS
LEACHED FROM PLASTICS WHEN SMALL
FISH EAT PLASTIC AND A BIGGER FISH EATS
MANY OF THESE LITTLE (CONTAMINATED)
FISH, THE BIG FISH ENDS UP WITH AN
ACCUMULATION OF PLASTIC IN ITS SYSTEM
CONSEQUENCES:
INDIGESTION OF PLASTIC CAUSES
INTESTINAL INJURY AND DEATH

7. WHO ARE ALL AFFECTED?
CAUSES:
JELLYFISH ARE A TURTLE’S FAVORITE FOOD! BUT,
TURTLES CAN’T TELL THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A
JELLYFISH AND A FLOATING PLASTIC BAG TURTLES
ALSO INGEST PLASTIC ROPES, STYROFOAM, AND
OTHER PLASTIC FISHING EQUIPMENT
CONSEQUENCES:
PLASTIC INGESTION CAUSES BLOCKAGE IN THE GUT,
ULCERATION, INTERNAL PERFORATION, AND DEATH
TURTLES MAY FEEL FULL BECAUSE OF THE PLASTIC,
CAUSING THEM TO STARVE TO DEATH

8. WHO ARE ALL AFFECTED?
CAUSES:
• PLASTIC MAY SOAK UP TOXIC CHEMICALS BEFORE EVEN MOVING INTO THE SEA WHEN FISH CONSUME PLASTICS
AND TOXIC CHEMICALS LEACHED BY PLASTICS, WE EAT THOSE CONTAMINATED FISH EVEN IF A FISH IS CLEANED
BEFORE COOKING, WE MAY STILL BE CONTAMINATED WITH TOXIC CHEMICALS IN ITS FLESH
CONSEQUENCES:
• CHEMICALS HUMANS ARE EXPOSED TO DUE TO PLASTIC POLLUTION (DRINKING CONTAMINATED WATER OR
EATING CONTAMINATED FISH) ARE ASSOCIATED WITH
• CANCERS
• BIRTH DEFECTS
• IMMUNE SYSTEM PROBLEMS
• HEART, BRAIN, AND LIVER DISEASES

9. GENERAL FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC POLLUTION
• IT TAKES 500-1,000 YEARS FOR PLASTIC TO DEGRADE.
• PLASTIC MAKES UP 10 PERCENT OF ALL OF THE WASTE WE GENERATE IN THE WORLD.
• 50 PERCENT OF THE PLASTIC WE USE IS SINGLE-USE OR DISPOSABLE PLASTIC WHICH INCLUDES
DISPOSABLE SPOONS, CUPS, PLATES, AND MANY MORE.
• 1 MILLION PLASTIC BOTTLES ARE PURCHASED EVERY MINUTE, MOST OF WHICH END UP POLLUTING
WATERBODIES.
• NEARLY TWO MILLION SINGLE-USE PLASTIC BAGS ARE DISTRIBUTED WORLDWIDE EVERY MINUTE.
• 91% OF PLASTIC WASTE ISN’T RECYCLED.
• WE CURRENTLY RECOVER ONLY FIVE PERCENT OF THE PLASTICS WE PRODUCE.
• 500 MILLION PLASTIC STRAWS ARE USED EVERY DAY IN AMERICA.

10. SHOCKING FACTS ABOUT PLASTIC POLLUTION IN OCEAN
• BILLIONS OF POUNDS OF PLASTIC CAN BE FOUND IN OCEANS
MAKING UP ABOUT 40 PERCENT OF THE WORLD'S OCEAN
SURFACES. 80 PERCENT OF POLLUTION ENTERS THE OCEAN FROM
THE LAND.
• ONE MILLION SEA BIRDS AND 100,000 MARINE MAMMALS ARE
KILLED ANNUALLY FROM PLASTIC IN OUR OCEAN
• IF PLASTIC PRODUCTION ISN’T CURBED, PLASTIC POLLUTION WILL
OUTWEIGH.
• 44 PERCENT OF ALL SEABIRD SPECIES, ALL SEA TURTLE SPECIES AND
A GROWING LIST OF FISH SPECIES HAVE BEEN DOCUMENTED WITH
PLASTIC IN OR AROUND THEIR BODIES

11. WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR PLASTIC CONSUMPTION
• SAY NO TO PLASTIC STRAWS.
• BRING A REUSABLE SHOPPING BAG WITH YOU
• GET RID OF THE PLASTIC WATER BOTTLE
• PACK YOUR LUNCH IN SILVER CONTAINERS INSTEAD OF PLASTIC
• GIVE UP GUM. GUM IS MADE OF A SYNTHETIC RUBBER, AKA PLASTIC.
• STOP USING PLASTIC CUTLERY(SPOON, FORK…)
• AVOID SNACKS/FOOD WITH EXCESS PACKAGING
• RECYCLE. IF YOU MUST USE PLASTIC, TRY TO CHOOSE #1 (PETE) OR #2 (HDPE), WHICH ARE THE MOST COMMONLY RECYCLED
PLASTICS. AVOID PLASTIC BAGS AND POLYSTYRENE FOAM AS BOTH TYPICALLY HAVE VERY LOW RECYCLING RATES.

12. BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS
• BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS ARE PLASTICS
THAT CAN BE DECOMPOSED BY THE ACTION
OF LIVING ORGANISMS, USUALLY MICROBES,
INTO WATER, CARBON DIOXIDE, AND
BIOMASS. BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS ARE
COMMONLY PRODUCED WITH RENEWABLE
RAW MATERIALS, MICRO-ORGANISMS,
PETROCHEMICALS, OR COMBINATIONS OF
ALL THREE.

13. HOW LONG DOES BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC TAKE TO
DECOMPOSE
• BIODEGRADABLE PLASTICS TAKE THREE TO SIX MONTHS TO DECOMPOSE
FULLY. THAT'S MUCH QUICKER THAN SYNTHETIC COUNTERPARTS THAT
TAKE SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS. EXACTLY HOW LONG A BIODEGRADABLE BAG
TAKES TO BREAK DOWN DEPENDS ON VARIOUS FACTORS, SUCH AS
TEMPERATURE AND THE AMOUNT OF MOISTURE PRESENT.

14. CAN ANIMALS EAT BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC
• IF A “BIODEGRADABLE” PLASTIC BAG ENDS UP IN THE OCEAN, IT'S UNLIKELY TO ACTUALLY BREAK
DOWN FOR YEARS–AND EVEN IF IT DOES, THE TINY PIECES THAT REMAIN CAN HARM WILDLIFE. ...
THE BAG IS DESIGNED FOR COMPOSTING. BUT IF IT'S LITTERED AND MAKES IT WAY TO THE OCEAN,
THE COMPANY CLAIMS THAT IT'S SAFE FOR WILDLIFE TO EAT.
• WHAT DOES BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC BREAK DOWN INTO?
• BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC CAN BE BROKEN DOWN COMPLETELY INTO WATER, CARBON DIOXIDE
AND COMPOST BY MICROORGANISMS UNDER THE RIGHT CONDITIONS. “BIODEGRADABLE” IMPLIES
THAT THE DECOMPOSITION HAPPENS IN WEEKS TO MONTHS.

15. THINGS YOU CAN DO TO ENCOURAGE OTHERS TO JOIN I
• ENCOURAGE YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS, WORKPLACE, SCHOOL OR GROUP TO GET INVOLVED.
SHARE WHAT YOU’VE LEARNED ABOUT REDUCING SINGLE USE PLASTICS AND ENCOURAGE
THEM TO JOIN WITH YOU.
• ENCOURAGE YOUR LOCAL CAFE OR FAVORITE RESTAURANT TO PROVIDE A DISCOUNT FOR
THOSE BRINGING RECYCLABLE CUPS AND CONTAINERS.
• PROMOTE RECYCLING AT WORK OR IN YOUR SCHOOL BY SETTING UP OR REQUESTING
RECYCLING BINS FOR ORGANIC (KITCHEN) WASTE, GLASS, PAPER, PLASTICS, WASTE INCLUDING
BATTERIES AND PHONES.
• SHARE YOUR ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES ON SOCIAL MEDIA WITH THE HASHTAGS
• #WORLDENVIRONMENTDAY #WED18 #BEATPLASTICPOLUTION

16. “IF YOU CANNOT RE-USE IT, REFUSE IT”