Objectives: To provide useful tools to rethink the use of plastic in our daily lives, and to improve our own efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle the plastics we consume.
Expected results: Improved knowledge in order to reduce the use of plastic products; positive action taken to reduce plastic waste; developed skills on how to recycle plastic.
UNIT 1
Introduction
Plastic reduction has finally entered the agenda of European governments and, to some extent, our lifestyles as well. But it is worth mentioning that plastic production has increased exponentially in just a few decades; in fact, it has risen from 1.5 million tons in 1950 to 359 million tons in 2018. Then, after a significant drop in production in the first half of 2020 due to Covid-19, production picked up again in the second half of the year.
If we really want to reduce this waste, we must be aware that its reduction cannot be delegated to national or supranational laws and fines. The morsel lies in our hands! It's up to us to give up and replace plastic, as for many sectors it remains a key material (automotive, construction, electronics) but in our daily and massive use of it, we can absolutely take action! In fact, 39.9% of plastic production in Europe is used for packaging and single-use items, which can be easily replaced or we can easily give up.
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