- Target:
- Danes
- Region:
- Denmark
- Website:
- saravlckova.com
Even though Denmark is number 4 in the sustainability Index, we could be better and ranked even higher.
Annually we use more than 260 million tons of plastic. That is 10 times more than 40 years ago and by 2050 it will probably reach 500 tons if we won’t do anything about it.
Just 40% of all the plastic produced is going to be re-used again, and another 60% is staying on the earth as waste. From this waste 4% leak into the ocean annually, which is equivalent to around 8 million tons of plastic. And the final rest 56% of plastic waste ends up at incineration plants.
“Denmark is very, very bad (regarding) reusable plastic, and that is because, for many years, we have burned our waste using incinerator plants,” Innovation Fund Denmark director Peter Høngaard Andersen said.
“The problem is that plastic is not being reused, so we are producing more CO2 than we should,” Andersen added.
(https://www.thelocal.dk/20190117/denmark-throws-away-too-much-plastic-recycling-could-save-millions-report)
We use plastics daily without even realizing the amount and effect that it has on the environment. From all the plastic we use, mainly we recycle drinkware. But that is only 23% of all plastic that we could actually recycle. Around 17% is going from Agriculture, Electrical and Automobile industry, 20% from Construction and unbelievable 40% from the packaging.
When we look at the annual average of plastic per person, we will get unbelievable around 60 kilograms per person. And we, as a people, can influence 40% of that just by making a change in packaging of hygienic and care products like shampoos, soaps, hand-soaps, dishwashing detergents or fabric softener. Per person, it equals approximately around 24 kilograms of plastic packaging annually, and that is a lot!
Maybe 24 kilograms don’t sound that much, but if we multiply it by the danish population we will get 140 thousand tons - that is something that we can change!
Economy:
Reports also showed up that up to 1.6 billion kroner could be earned annually if all plastic in the country was recycled. Source: https://www.thelocal.dk/20190117/denmark-throws-away-too-much-plastic-recycling-could-save-millions-report
Did you know, that annually we produce over 260 million tons of plastic? Just 40% of that is going to be reused, 8% end in the oceans and 52% in incineration plants what is going as Co2 in our air.
We as people cannot influence the whole production, but if each of us does small things, we can do a lot!
Annually usage per person is around 60kg of plastics, from that it around 24 kilograms annually per person just from packaging which we use daily but never think about it - for example, hand soaps, shampoos, dishwashing detergents or fabric softener.
I know that 24 kilograms per person don’t sound that bad but try to multiply it by the danish population and you will bet 140 thousand tons of plastic early, what we can influence together!
And what is our solution? Meet refilling machines that are serving shampoo, shower gel, dishwasher or fabric softener.
These refilling machines are already in operation in countries like the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Austria, and Romania and they are effectively reducing unnecessary plastic waste.
Why it’s important?
Reduce packaging plastic will be effective not just for the environment, but even for the danish economy, where this reduction could bring around 1.6 billion koroner annually. And introducing refill machines in Denmark will make a better future for us as a consumer, for habitants, for the country, the environment and the waters flowing through it and also the creatures living there.
99% of Danes agree, that one of the biggest problems in Denmark is over usage of plastics, so the motivation for Denmark is pretty high. Let's be better together!
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Denmark without plastics! petition to Danes was written by Sara Vlckova and is in the category Environment at GoPetition.