In Your Hands
Fast Facts
- Every year, Canadians throw away over 3 million tonnes of plastic waste. That is the equivalent of 87 kg per person, or 570 full garbage bags every minute.
- We only recycle 9% of this waste, the rest makes its way into landfills, our environment, and our oceans.
- Globally 8 million tonnes of plastic end up in the ocean yearly, that’s the weight of 6 blue whales every hour. What’s worse, this is expected to triple by 2040.
- A staggering 47% of this waste are single-use plastics. These include plastic bags, bottles, straws, and utensils.
- We use 5 trillion plastic bags per year globally, that's 160,000 every second, or 9.6 million every minute.
- Canadians alone use almost 15 billion plastic checkout bags every year, and 16 million straws every day.
- These single-use plastics are used for only minutes but take over 400 years to degrade.
- When exposed to the sun, wind, and waves, plastic breaks into tiny fragments invisible to the naked eye called microplastics.
- These microplastics are entering our food chain, contaminating the water we drink and the food we eat.
- The average person unintentionally consumes the equivalent of a credit card of microplastics every week.
Do One Thing
- Change your shopping habits. Buy in bulk, purchase items in glass or metal containers, and bring your own cloth bag to the store. These steps will greatly minimize your contribution to plastic waste.
- Avoid plastic cutlery. If ordering takeout, request to opt out of plastic utensils, and use your own metal or reusable ones at home.
- Recycle correctly. Be diligent about properly disposing of plastics that do come into your home. Check with your local recycling program to make sure you're recycling effectively.
- Support companies and brands that have committed to reducing single-use plastics.
- Beware of greenwashing! Environmentally friendly products aren’t always what they seem. Access Oceanic Global’s Greenwashing Guide to learn how to choose truly plastic-free products that won’t pollute the planet.
Oceanic Global
Replace One Thing
Replace single-use plastics with reusable alternatives. Consider using products such as water bottles, straws, coffee cups, and bags that can be used repeatedly to limit plastic pollution.
Support One Thing
Donate to Oceana Canada and sign a petition calling on the government to stop the plastic disaster that is devastating our oceans and marine life.
Oceana Canada
Oceana Canada
Donate to Environmental Defence Canada and sign their petition calling on the government to lead global and domestic efforts to address plastic pollution.
Environmental Defence Canada
Environmental Defence Canada
Learn More
World plastic production has been growing exponentially, ballooning from a mere 2.1 million tonnes in 1950 to a staggering 406 million by 2015. Such massive plastic proliferation threatens our wildlife; by 2050, it's projected that every seabird species on the planet will be ingesting plastic.
This global issue manifests visibly on our beaches, where an alarming 73 percent of the litter comprises plastic materials—everything from cigarette filters, bottles, and bottlecaps… to food wrappers, grocery bags, and polystyrene containers. This waste poses a significant threat to marine creatures, many of which become trapped, swollen, or asphyxiated by the debris.
Plastic pollution is a pressing environmental challenge that requires urgent attention and action at all levels – from individuals to governments and industries. By understanding the scale and impact of this issue, we can better appreciate the urgency of finding sustainable solutions.