The environmental damage

The UNEP, the United Environmental Program of the United Nations, has identified six areas of high risk induced by the dispersion of plastic

01

Plastic bags can block water routes and multiply the catastrophic effects of natural events such as floods.

02

By clogging sewers and creating habitats for mosquitoes and parasites, plastic bags can encourage the development of insect vectors of disease, such as malaria anopheles mosquito

03

The aquatic fauna mistakes the plastic for food and ingests it, suffering damage of various kinds, such as reduced stomach capacity, intestinal blockages, ulcers, necrosis, perforations and injuries. The project "Plastic Buster" promoted by the University of Siena, shows that in the world 267 marine species have ingested plastic, 80% of turtles, 44% of birds, 43% of all mammals

04

There is scientific evidence to show that the toxic chemicals used during the plastic production process are transferred to animal tissues, and consequently to the food chain.

05

The economic damage caused by plastic waste is numerous. Just the cost of marine litter in the area of the Asian countries bordering the Pacific Ocean is estimated to weigh on the industries of tourism, fishing and boating for 13 billion dollars a year. In Europe, cleaning up coasts and beaches of plastic waste costs EUR 630 million a year.

06

In poor countries, plastic is often burned to produce heat and to cook, exposing populations to toxic emissions. The disposal of plastic waste by uncontrolled burning in the open, in the absence of adequate and controlled technological installations, releases harmful gases such as furans and dioxins