Danger of Plastic Bags – Scary Facts 2

Based on statistic estimation, the average family adds 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store. In good situations, high-density polyethylene plastic bags will take more than 20 years to degrade. However in less ideal conditions such as on landfills or as general refuse, a bag will take more than 1,000 years to degrade.

 In year 2008 an estimated 3,960,000 tons of plastic bags, sack and wraps were produced where of those, 3,570,000 tons (90% of them) were throw away. This number is almost triple the amount in 1980 (1,230,000 tons in 1980). Source: EPA

Unfortunately only 0.5% to 3% of all bags winds up recycled. Source: BBC & CNN

10% of the plastic bags which is produced every year worldwide end up in the ocean. 70% of those plastic bags which finds its way to the ocean floor, where it will most likely never degrade. Source :UN, 2006