Plastic-free Christmas: the time for conscious shopping has come

91% of the plastic produced globally is never recycled, and the waste is a huge environmental pollutant. A single plastic toy or kitchen utensil can remain in nature for hundreds of years, breaking down into microplastics that we eventually consume through the food chain. In addition, recent research has shown that black plastic kitchen utensils – such as spatulas and spoons – often contain harmful chemicals, such as banned flame retardants. According to researchers, these chemicals can end up in plastic products during the recycling of electronic waste. They can be carcinogenic and cause hormonal disruptions.

Clothes made of plastic – such as polyester, nylon, acrylic or spandex-based textiles – are widespread because they are cheap, durable and easy to maintain. However, they pose a significant environmental burden both during their production and use. 60% of global textile production is made from synthetic fiber materials, and millions of tons of plastic fibers are released into nature every year due to washing or wear. A significant part of the microplastics found in the oceans originate from textiles.

Hundreds of thousands of tons of plastic end up in landfills in Hungary every year, and the country’s plastic pollution is increasing year by year. According to the European Environment Agency, nearly 32 million tonnes of plastic waste is generated in Europe every year, a significant part of which ends up in the seas and oceans, seriously endangering marine life. A UN report also showed that marine plastic pollution causes the deaths of more than a million birds and 100,000 marine mammals every year.