End Plastic Pollution

Since the 1950s, the production of plastics has outpaced other materials. Many of the plastics that are produced are meant to be thrown away after just one use. These include items such as grocery bags, food packaging, bottles, straws, containers, cups, cutlery, etc. According to the US EPA, in 2018 landfills received 27 million tons of plastic!

Reusable Bags

Reusable Water Bottles

Reusable Straws

Plastic Pollution

Most plastics do not biodegrade. Instead, they slowly break down into smaller fragments known as microplastics. A single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade! Plastic waste causes a plethora of problems when it leaks into the environment.

Plastics can block waterways and exacerbate natural disasters.
By clogging sewers and providing breeding grounds for mosquitoes and pests, plastics such as single use bags can increase the transmission of vector-borne diseases like malaria.
High concentrations of plastic materials have been found blocking the airways and stomachs of hundreds of species including turtles and fish which mistake them for food and ingest the plastic.
There is evidence that the toxic chemicals added during the manufacturing of plastic transfer to animal tissue, eventually entering the human food chain.

What Can You Do?

Making small changes to reduce plastic in our everyday lives can help the plastic situation. Here are some ways that you can help reduce your consumption of plastics in your household:

Bring your own reusable straw with you to use in restaurants.
Use a reusable bottle or mug for your beverages.
Use reusable produce bags and grocery bags and keep them in the car ready for use.
Choose products that are boxed instead of bottled.
Reuse containers for storing leftovers or shopping in bulk.
Pack your own reusable fork, spoon, and knife.

When you cannot eliminate plastic completely, make sure to recycle plastic when you are finished with it. Many options exist for recycling materials either through your municipality or other organizations. From terracycling wrappers to recycling specialty plastics, make sure to contact your local solid waste district to find out local recycling options.

The Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub is a local resource that recycles non-traditionally recyclable materials. You can visit their website to learn about where traditionally hard to recycle materials can be taken in order to prevent them from entering the landfill.

Links By County

Adams & Clermont County