THE PLASTIC CYCLE

THE CARBON CYCLE Nearly every piece of plastic begins as a fossil fuel, and greenhouse gases are emitted at all stages of the lifecycle. (1)
METHANE Immense methane emissions occur during fossil fuel extraction. Current methane emissions are at least 30 times higher than pre-industrial levels. Methane is 84 times more environmentally harmful than CO₂. (2)
MICROPLASTIC Plastic does not biodegrade, it fragments into tiny particles which can now be found everywhere on the planet. (3)
PLASTIC IS WASTE Only 9% of all plastic ever made has been recycled and only 0.9% has been recycled more than once. Around 59% of all plastic has piled up in landfills and the environment. (3)
RECYCLING IS DOWNCYCLING Recycling bottles to make textiles makes the problem worse. It results in even more new plastic fed into the primary cycle. (3)
INCREASING GROWTH Plastic textile production is almost three times higher than that of all natural fibres combined – and this number is increasing. (4)

SOURCES

1 Ciel, Center for International Environmental Law, Plastics & Climate, 'The Hidden Costs of a Plastic Planet' (2019), www.ciel.org/plasticandclimate

2 Nature, 'Methane emissions from upstream oil and gas production in Canada are underestimated' (2021), www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87610-3

3 Science Advances , 'Production, Use and Fate of All Plastics Ever Made' (2017), www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.170078

4 Changing Markets Foundation, 'Fossil Fashion: A New Look at the Fashion Industry', Report (2022), www.changingmarkets.org/portfolio/fossil-fashion