Whats the Problem with

1. We have poor recovery practices. When we recover something, we regain it, we get it back. Though

recycling programs exist, not everyone recycles, and not every plastic is recyclable. We actually only
recover about 5% of the plastics we produce. About 50% is buried in landfills. This means about 45%
is unrecovered and unaccounted for.

So where do the plastics go???

2. Plastics go everywhere! This is because they get into watersheds, which carry water that is shed from

the land. Watersheds carry debris, like plastics, from the land. Watersheds connect to different bodies
of water, and eventually to the ocean, into our aquatic systems (aqua=water, and system meaning all
of our water sources being connected. So by way of our aquatic systems, plastic is able to travel all
over.

Some of the plastics collect into huge floating heaps, within Ocean Gyres which are enormous
gyrating (swirling) ocean currents. Plastics become trapped within our aquatic systems.

3. Aquatic systems

are an important part of

ecosystems. The Greek word eco=home, and
systems refers to all non-living and living organisms
working together as a system, everything is
connected and dependent on each other. Unnatural
plastics, becoming a part of an ecosystem alter the
natural flow of the members of the ecosystem. The
fact that plastics arent biodegradable cause
problems for ecosystems.

4. Plastics are non-biodegradable. They are not able to

degrade (break-down) for life (bio=life). When

biodegradable substances are broken down they

become a part of the natural environment and used
by living things. Plastics arent built to biodegrade,
they are built to last forever! The fact that plastics are
non-biodegradable means they are disruptive
to ecosystems.
One problem
with small pieces of
plastic is that they
look edible to animals,
and they get sick from
eating the plastic.
Another problem with
large pieces of plastic
is that animals get
trapped within them.

Our poor recovery practices cause these non-biodegradable plastics

to enter into our Aquatic systems, and affect our ecosystems.