Plastics – the Last Straw podcast is produced by UNE's TuneFM and features experts working in the field of plastics pollution, new and emerging research, and how we as individuals can play a part to solve this global issue.
The world now produces nearly 400 million tonnes of plastic a year. Each year, millions of tonnes of plastic becomes environmental pollution, fouling oceans and land.
The full impact of microplastic waste in the environment on human health is still unknown.
Episode one of Plastics – the Last Straw features UNE expert in environmental pollution Dr Sue Wilson, who says today 36 per cent of plastics is used in packaging, which is primarily single use, and 85 per cent of that goes to landfill or ends up in the environment.
“As the plastics break down, they're moved in the environment easily and we find them in our soils, oceans, rivers and air. We even find microplastics in pristine environments like Antarctica because they're moving with global air currents,” Dr Wilson said.
“The science on this is really quite recent. We know that in the environment it causes problems with re-production and growth, immunosuppression and also inflammation. But in humans, we really don't know the extent of the problem that we have created.”
Associate Professor of Environmental Pollution Susan Wilson discusses the impact of plastics on our environment and what we can do to help address the problem
The NSW Environmental Protection Authority has taken important steps towards curbing plastic pollution in this State, and incrementally break the grip that plastics have on our lives.
UNE has partnered with EPA to support the transition away from single use plastics. The ban will pre-vent almost 2.7 billion items of plastic litter from entering the State’s environment over the next 20 years.
In July 2022, lightweight plastic shopping bags were banned.
From November, single-use plastic items like straws, plates and polystyrene containers will be banned. These items make up about 60 per cent of litter in NSW.
Professor Wilson says the future without plastics polluting our environment would look much better.
“Plastics are everywhere. It's a huge global issue and single use plastics are a really important part of this.
“But there is hope. We do have the solutions and it's up to each of us as individuals to do our part.”
Listen to the four part podcast series “Plastics – the Last Straw” here.
Plastics – the Last Straw was produced in partnership with the NSW Environmental Protection Authority as a part of their Sustainability Partnerships Program. These partnerships aim to support the phase out of harmful and single use plastics in NSW. More on NSW EPA’s move to limit the use of harmful plastics can be found here.
Contact
- UNE Media – 02 6773 2551 (media@une.edu.au)
