Recent estimates suggest that an alarming amount of plastic is dumped into the oceans every day, approximately 8 to 13 million tons per year. This translates to an approximate amount of 20,000 tons of plastic being dumped into the oceans every day. This plastic can take tens or even hundreds of years to degrade and can have a negative impact on marine ecosystems and human health.
Globally, the plastic recycling rate is relatively low, with only about 9% of the plastic produced being recycled. This means that most of the plastic that is produced ends up in landfills, in the environment or in the ocean.
However, the rate of plastic recycling varies widely from country to country and depends on factors such as the availability of recycling infrastructure, recycling education, and public policies that encourage environmental sustainability.
In Mexico, there is no exact figure that summarizes how much plastic a person uses per year, since it depends on many factors such as their lifestyle, consumption habits, geographic location, among others. However, according to some estimates, a person in Mexico can use between 70 and 200 kilograms of plastic per year. This number may be even higher if the use of plastic containers for food products, hygiene products and other products of daily use is taken into account. Additionally, much of the plastic used in Mexico ends up in landfills and is not recycled, contributing to a global plastic pollution problem.
In order to understand the origin and the main producers of plastic in the world, we obtained the following information.
The sectors that produce the most plastic globally are:
- Packaging: Packaging is the sector that produces the most plastic, since plastic is used in food containers and bags, cleaning products, personal hygiene products, etc.
- Construction: The construction sector is also a major producer of plastic, as it is used in construction materials such as PVC pipes, cladding, windows, etc.
- Automotive: The automotive sector is another important producer of plastic, since it is used in the manufacture of automobile components, such as door panels, windshields, etc.
- Since personal hygiene products are within the sector that produces the most plastics, it is important to delve not only into the use of bottles that carry skin and hair care products, but also the microplastics contained in them. In products like shampoos and conditioners, microplastics are used as mild abrasives or as fillers.
The impact of microplastics on human health is still a matter of research, but there are some concerns about their ability to release toxic substances and accumulate in body tissues. Some studies have found that microplastics can be found in blood, tissue, and breast milk, indicating that they can be absorbed by the human body.
It is important to reduce the amount of micro plastics in our environment, and one way to do this is to opt for solid personal care products made with natural ingredients and free of plastic. In addition, micro plastics can also be ingested by marine animals and enter the food chain, which can have negative effects on the health of the animals and potentially on the health of people who eat seafood.
That is why it is essential to take measures to reduce the amount of microplastics released into the environment and encourage the use of sustainable and plastic-free alternatives.
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