The ocean is one of the most important environments in the world, but it is treated like an enormous rubbish dump. Every minute, a garbage truck’s worth of plastic ends up in the ocean. Plastic has revolutionised many industries, but it is becoming a big environmental problem that threatens humans and wildlife alike.
Fortunately, it’s a problem that can be solved with the right action. Below are some key ways we can prevent plastic from having a dangerous impact on the environment.
Reduce Dependency on Single Use Plastic
As consumers, we use a massive amount of single use plastic items such as straws, bags, cups, plates and cutlery. All of these can be substituted for more sustainable products. An increasing number of countries are acting by banning disposable plastics or setting targets for reducing plastic waste.
Increased Waste Management in Problem Areas
The vast majority of plastic waste comes from developing countries. Rapid population growth and expansion of the middle class in countries like China and Indonesia means the consumption of plastic is much faster than the capacity to handle the waste, meaning a lot of the excess ends up in oceans.
International aid programmes may be necessary to help big polluters develop sustainable waste management and recycling processes and infrastructure. Clean-up operations are also crucial in these areas where natural environments like beaches and rivers have been impacted by pollution.
Eliminate the Production of Microbeads
Tiny plastic particles called microbeads are used in some face scrubs, toothpastes and body washes. The have become a huge source of ocean plastic pollution as they wash straight down the drain, into our sewer systems and then into the marine environment.
Consumers should avoid products containing plastic microbeads by looking for “polyethylene” and “polypropylene” on the ingredient labels of your cosmetic products. Governments should also take steps to ban the production of microbeads.
Ensure Plastic Producer Responsibility
Plastic production has doubled around the world over the past 50 years. The average per capita plastic consumption has jumped from 2 kg in 1974 for 43 kg today. There is not enough oversight for plastic producers in some countries who need to be targeted with producer liability arrangements and industry agreements for the reduction, reuse and recycling of waste.
At Dolphin Plastics & Packaging, we take our responsibilities seriously and are committed to sustainable plastic production. We have installed multiple ventilation machines that minimize the amount of carbon monoxide that is produced throughout the extrusion process. We also have a recycling and pelletizing machine to ensure any waste material produced is recycled and incorporated into other goods to minimize our contribution to landfill.
We also have an on-site recycling program, whereby any recycling of plastic materials that cannot be processed through our on-site recycling facility get sent to a specific recycling plant in Brisbane where they use the recycled material to manufacture a wide range of different plastic products.
Sustainable Plastic Packaging in Queensland
Dolphin Plastics & Packaging is a leading plastics manufacturer committed to producing sustainable plastic packaging solutions for organisations in a variety of industries across Queensland and the east coast of Australia.
To find out more about how we can help you, call Dolphin Plastics & Packaging today on (07) 5610 5278 or contact us online.
