The planet turns into a huge dump – scientists

The researchers calculated how clogged our planet.

American scientists have calculated that the total volume of plastic ever manufactured by mankind, amount to 8.3 billion tons.

Moreover, this impressive mass was made during the entire 65 years. 8300000000 tons is, for Example, 25 000 new York skyscrapers, “Empire state building” or a billion elephants. The big problem here lies in the fact that the majority of plastic products used within a short period of time before to be in the garbage, like plastic bags or packaging.

More than 70% main products plastic is now garbage in the drains, which are mostly sent to landfills – even though most of them still pollute the environment, including the oceans. “We are moving quickly to becoming” planet Plastic “, and if we don’t want to live in such a world, then they need to change their attitude to how we use certain materials in particular plastic, ” – said in comments to BBC News, an industrial ecologist of the University of California, Dr. Roland Heer.

My new study appeared in on Mr. the journal Science Advances. He was named one of the first truly global assessment of how much plastic has developed humanity, as this material in various forms is used and how it all might end.

Here are some key figures: throughout history, mankind has produced 8.3 billion tons of plastic; half of these volumes made over the past 13 years, about 30% of these volumes are still in use; With plastic that was in the garbage, less than 9% was recycled, 12% was burned, and another 79% are in landfills ; the Shortest ISP stavyatsya packaging plastics – an average of less than a year; Longer plastic products used in construction and machinery; Current trends predict that by 2050 humanity will produce 12 billion plastic; In 2014, Europe was processed 30% of the plastic in China – 25% USA – 9%.

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