Beijing, July 21, according to Malaysia's "Sin Chew Daily" reported, American researchers revealed on the 19th that humans have produced more than 9.1 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s, most of which have been thrown into landfills or the sea, and only 9% have been recycled. 9.1 billion tons is equivalent to 1 billion elephants, or 25,000 New York Empire State buildings.

A "Global Analysis of the World's Mass Production of Plastic" report in the journal of the American Association for the Advancement of Science warns that with current plastic use, "the amount of discarded plastic in landfills and the environment will exceed 13 billion tons by 2050."

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"Most plastics do not biobreak down in a meaningful way, so the plastic waste that humans create can be with us for hundreds or even thousands of years," said report co-author John Jabek, an associate professor of engineering at the University of Georgia. "Our estimate underscores the need for people to think carefully about the materials we use and how we practice waste management."

The report shows that in 2015, our planet generated nearly 7 billion tons of plastic waste, of which 79 percent was buried in landfills or the natural environment, including the ocean. Despite growing global awareness of environmental protection and the promotion of the concept of recycling, only 9 percent is recycled and another 12 percent is incinerated, which is also harmful to the natural environment.

Plastic waste harm the oceans

The report pointed out that the recycling of plastics, the protection of the environment does not play a role, because the plastic itself can not be decomposed in nature, and the various plastics widely used at present, none of them can do biological decomposition.

In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Marine debris program director Wallace pointed out that discarded plastic waste in the water has harmed more than 600 species of Marine life, causing injury or death to whales, turtles, dolphins, fish and seabirds.

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