Skip the Stuff Plastic Plastics Pollution Learn about the impact of plastics pollution and learn about the ways in which you can reduce your use of single use plastic

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“TAKE A PASS ON PLASTICS”

Change the way you think about and use single-use plastic

Our mission is to reduce single-use plastics waste among residents, businesses and organizations in Collier County through education and advocacy.

WHY PLASTICS ARE SUCH A PROBLEM

Global plastic production continues to grow.

Global production accelerated in the mid-1970’s and today is over 400 million tons annually. By 2060, plastic waste is projected to triple. Single-use plastic packaging creates more waste than any other sector of plastic production.
Plastic Atlas, Asia Edition 2021/Plastic Soup Foundation

Single-use plastic packaging is the largest sector of plastic production

at 36%. Packaging is used once and thrown away creating more plastic waste than any other sector.
Source: Adapted from “Production, use and fate of all plastics ever made,” Geyer, Jambeck, and Law, 2017 .

Plastics waste is huge, growing, and rarely recycled The US produces over 40 million metric tons of plastic waste annually. Only 9% of the plastic ever produced anywhere in the world has been recycled. In the U.S., about 85% went to landfills, and 16% was incinerated. Source: EPA 2018

Learn more: Recycling - Does It Work?

Plastics do not biodegrade and can take hundreds of years to decompose into small particles call microplastics. As a result, plastic waste accumulates. The Great Plastic Garbage Patch in the Pacific Ocean is twice as large as the size of Texas. Source: World Wildlife Fund

Microplastics plastics are everywhere—from the highest mountain tops to the deepest trenches in our oceans, in our air, water and soil. We eat, drink, and breathe them. They enter our food chains and leach from food packaging and containers. More worrisome, they are in our bodies.

Learn moe: Everything You Should Know About Microplastics

Plastics harm our oceans and marine life. Plastic harms our wildlife. Hundreds of birds, manatees, and turtles off Florida's coasts have swallowed or become entangled in plastic litter, which can be life threatening. Plastics eaten by fish and shellfish may find their way up the food chain and eventually be eaten by people.

Learn more: Plastic's Impact on Oceans and Marine Life

Human health may be impacted by microplastics and chemicals in plastics. Microplastics have been found in the human liver, kidneys and brain. Even more concerning - in breast milk and placentas. The health impact is still being researched. Unregulated toxic chemicals have been correlated to diseases such as cardiovascular disease, Type II diabetes, obesity, as well as lower IQ and diminished cognitive development in children. Image: MDLifespan

Learn more: Plastic's Impact on Human Health

WHAT YOU CAN DO