WWF Report 2019 on plastic waste pollution: critical issues and action plan
by Paolo Pirotto, 27 May 2019
“Plastic is not an intrinsically bad material, it is an invention that has changed the world. The plastic became bad due to the way that industries and governments use it.” These are the opening words of the WWF Report 2019 (World Wildlife Fund) on plastic waste pollution on our planet.
The Report describes a rather alarming scenario:
- 75% of the plastic ever produced in the world is already waste and almost half of the plastic that exists today was produced after the year 2000,
- In 2016, the production reached 396 million tons (53 kg/person), resulting in the emission of 2 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, and it is expected that by 2030 plastic production could increase by a further 40%,
- Given that only 20% of plastic waste is recycled, CO2 emissions from burning – one of the most popular methods of disposal for end-of-life plastic, could triple.
The WWF Report also outlines the guidelines for an action plan in which Governments, Industries and Citizens are invited to make their own contribution, in the belief that we can solve the global problem of plastics if “everyone takes responsibility for their own actions and if we work together.” It is recommended, in particular to the industries, to use recycled plastic and to promote the circular economy in order to minimize environmental impact, while to citizens it is advised to responsibly use their consumer power in their behaviors and purchasing choices on different markets.
Geoplast was founded in 1974 as a company for the collection and recycling of plastic waste and even today this activity represents the first phase of our production process.
All our products – manufactured with 100% recycled Polypropylene and Polyethylene – are created from a design vision that aims to offer alternative solutions to traditional construction methods, in order to reduce the impact of human activity on the environment, for example:
- Geoplast products for the lightened slabs and foundations reduce concrete consumption and CO2 emissions into the atmosphere deriving from its production (300kg per m3),
- Reusable formworks prevent the tree cutting and the emission of pollutants for steel and iron production.
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