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> Plastic waste really isn’t a big problem unless you’re talking about developing nations. North America is responsible for about 3% of mismanaged plastic waste

> Plastic waste really isn’t a big problem unless you’re talking about developing nations. North America is responsible for about 3% of mismanaged plastic waste. Asia and Africa account for 86% of it. Because North America sends all its plastic to be recycled in Asia. See Canada-Philippine waste dispute: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada–Philippines_waste_dispute https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canada–Philippines_waste_dis...

refurb 5y ago
Unless it’s our plastic waste that’s ending up in the ocean I’m not sure this matters.
- Voloskaya 5y ago
  It is. > The United States generated the largest amount of plastic waste of any country in the world (42.0 Mt). Between 0.14 and 0.41 Mt of this waste was illegally dumped in the United States, and 0.15 to 0.99 Mt was inadequately managed in countries that imported materials collected in the United States for recycling. https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288
inglor_cz 5y ago
I haven't seen any reliable data yet on what portion of the plastic waste that ends up in the water originates in NA/Europe and what portion comes from the population of Asia and Africa themselves. But given that several billion people live there and one-time plastic use is really widespread (just travel there and see), plus the waste management systems are subpar, I would be very surprised if local waste wasn't a majority of those 86 per cent. Have you been to places like the Philippines? Everything comes wrapped in plastic and waste plastic is not really managed at all. IDK about Indonesia or India, but perhaps HN users from there can chime in.
- Voloskaya 5y ago
  https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 > The United States generated the largest amount of plastic waste of any country in the world (42.0 Mt). Between 0.14 and 0.41 Mt of this waste was illegally dumped in the United States, and 0.15 to 0.99 Mt was inadequately managed in countries that imported materials collected in the United States for recycling.

refurb 5y ago

Unless it’s our plastic waste that’s ending up in the ocean I’m not sure this matters.

Voloskaya 5y ago
It is. > The United States generated the largest amount of plastic waste of any country in the world (42.0 Mt). Between 0.14 and 0.41 Mt of this waste was illegally dumped in the United States, and 0.15 to 0.99 Mt was inadequately managed in countries that imported materials collected in the United States for recycling. https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288

inglor_cz 5y ago

I haven't seen any reliable data yet on what portion of the plastic waste that ends up in the water originates in NA/Europe and what portion comes from the population of Asia and Africa themselves. But given that several billion people live there and one-time plastic use is really widespread (just travel there and see), plus the waste management systems are subpar, I would be very surprised if local waste wasn't a majority of those 86 per cent. Have you been to places like the Philippines? Everything comes wrapped in plastic and waste plastic is not really managed at all. IDK about Indonesia or India, but perhaps HN users from there can chime in.

Voloskaya 5y ago
https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 https://advances.sciencemag.org/content/6/44/eabd0288 > The United States generated the largest amount of plastic waste of any country in the world (42.0 Mt). Between 0.14 and 0.41 Mt of this waste was illegally dumped in the United States, and 0.15 to 0.99 Mt was inadequately managed in countries that imported materials collected in the United States for recycling.