Plastics are all around us – in our cars and our cabinets, our offices and computers. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reports 13 percent of all municipal solid waste, by weight, came from plastic in 2012. In 1960, plastics made up less than 1 percent of waste. [1]

Plastics are made from refined petroleum and natural gas. In many ways, increased use of plastics has made life easier. Because plastics are lighter than wood or glass, they reduce the fuel needed for transportation. Increasingly, though, discarded plastic finds its way into our landfills, waterways and oceans. Because most plastics are not biodegradable, this hurts our environment.

There are now vast patches of litter and debris funneled together by ocean currents in all the Earth’s oceans. According to some estimates, the “Great Garbage Patch” in the Pacific is the size of Europe. Most of the debris in those patches is small bits of plastic. Whales and sea turtles often mistake plastic bags for squid. Birds think plastic pellets are fish eggs. Studies show around 36 percent of seabird species and 43 percent of whale and dolphin species worldwide have ingested marine garbage, mostly plastic bags, bottle caps and Styrofoam.[2]

Governments and businesses are taking steps to recycle more materials, including plastic. For example, in North Carolina it’s now against the law to send No. 1 and No. 2 plastics – and aluminum cans – to landfills.[3]

Recycling can benefit us all – environmentally, socially and economically – leaving our communities a better place for future generations.