Global hunger for plastic packaging leaves waste solution a long way off

[xchrom]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/dec/29/plastic-packaging-waste-solution?intcmp=122

Five hundred tonnes of Christmas tree lights and at least 25m bags of plastic sweet wrappers, turkey coverings, drinks bottles and broken toys will be thrown away by UK homes this Christmas and new year. But only a tiny proportion of this waste will be recycled.

Even at other times of year, only a little under a quarter of the UK's plastic waste is recycled, but over the festive period still less escapes the tip according to a survey by home drinks maker SodaStream. Globally, recycling of plastics is even smaller.

The outcome is a belief that the Earth is being slowly strangled by a gaudy coat of impermeable plastic waste that collects in great floating islands in the world's oceans; clogs up canals and rivers; and is swallowed by animals, birds and sea creatures.

In many parts of the developing world it acts as a near ubiquitous outdoor decoration, along roads in India, around villages in Africa and fluttering off fences across Latin America. And when it is not piling up, it is often burned in the open, releasing noxious smoke.

[madokie]

1. I believe most of our plastic could be made biodegradable

the technology is there the will not so much

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. We need a whole new way to package things. Biodegradable plastic isn't gone, it's just smaller bits.

[huntpeter]

3. Waste Plastic

It is well known fact that plastic can't be degrade by environment naturally. It is also a fact that today proper recycling facilities for plastic are available, it doesn't mean plastic is not harmful for us. We should try to use minimum plastic products. It will be good to keep environment and human being healthy.
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