Plastic Waste

Do you know where it comes from and where it goes?

The Real Problem with Plastic

In the past 100 years, humans have made and used a lot of plastic. It’s cheap, strong, lightweight, and useful for all kinds of things. But all of that plastic ends up somewhere - usually in the ground, the air, or the sea.

That’s where the real problem starts.

Why Is Plastic So Harmful?

Plastic waste is everywhere from mountain tops to the deepest parts of the ocean. Every minute, the equivalent of a rubbish truck full of plastic is dumped into the sea. It’s showing up in places we once thought were untouched. And marine animals like albatrosses, dolphins, and turtles are often the ones paying the price - they eat it, get tangled in it, and suffer or die because of it.

Plastic Lasts for Centuries

Plastic doesn't disappear. Instead, it breaks into smaller pieces called microplastics and nanoplastics. These tiny fragments enter the food chain and have been found in our water, the air, and even inside our own bodies. No one knows exactly how long it takes plastic to break down but it’s estimated to take hundreds of years. And while it lingers, it releases toxins and threatens wildlife.

Plastic and Climate Change

Plastic is made mostly from fossil fuels like oil, gas, and even coal. This means our use of plastic increases the demand for these planet-warming fuels. Making plastic and burning it in incinerators releases greenhouse gases and toxic air pollution, which worsen global warming.

By continuing to rely on plastic, we’re also continuing to rely on dirty, climate-damaging fuels.

The Single-Use Problem

Not all plastic is bad but the kind we use once and throw away causes the biggest harm. Only about 9% of plastic is recycled. The rest ends up in landfills, oceans, or gets burned.

What Can We Do?

The good news? We can all help.

Wherever you live and whoever you are, you can take steps to reduce plastic use. Say no to single-use items, choose reusable options, and support bigger changes in your community and country. Together, we can protect wildlife, our health, and the planet’s future.

Hidden Plastics

Plastic is hiding in plain sight - in places you'd never imagine.
Much of it ends up contaminating our soil, rivers, and oceans - harming wildlife and, ultimately, us.
It’s time to phase out hidden plastics and we need to act quickly.

These everyday items all contain plastic. How many did you know about?

CHEWING GUM

Millions of us enjoy chewing gum for fresh breath and dental benefits - a habit dating back thousands of years.
While people once chewed chicle, a natural tree sap, most modern gum is made from synthetic polymers - plastics derived from oil, similar to those in car tyres.

Surprising as it sounds, we’re actually chewing on plastic that doesn’t just disappear, it lingers in the environment.

Switch to a plant based chewing gum

TEA BAGS

Your morning cup of tea might come with an unwelcome ingredient - plastic.

Many tea bags contain a thin layer of polypropylene to keep them sealed. But once used, that plastic can break down into tiny pieces, polluting soil, rivers, and eventually the sea.

It’s hidden, but it’s there - in some of the most familiar brands.

Check the box - some teabags are plastic free or try the switch to loose tea.

TOBACCO FILTERS

Tobacco products are the most littered item globally, with cigarette filters containing microplastics and over 7,000 toxic chemicals.
Around 4.5 trillion are discarded each year, polluting oceans, rivers, parks, and soil.
Cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and smokeless tobacco all contribute to the growing plastic pollution crisis — with filters being the second most common form of plastic waste worldwide.

You know it - QUIT!

CLOTHES

Fast fashion can sometimes feel like the only affordable option, but did you know that much of the ‘high street’ fashion contains plastic?

Not just in packaging but also in the material the clothes are made from.

Unfortunately, this then finds its way into our waterways when we wash our clothes or ends up in landfill where synthetic fibres can take 500 years to break down!

Buy second hand or look for natural fibres.

WET WIPES

Wet wipes may seem convenient, especially for babies, but most contain plastic and don’t break down like toilet paper.

Made from polyester and wood fibres, they’re often wrongly flushed, causing sewer blockages and polluting waterways. Shockingly, they make up 93% of the material behind bloackages in the sewage system.

Reusable wipes are a good alternative. If you use disposables make sure you don't flush them.

PAPER CUPS

Paper coffee cups are mostly paper but coated with polyethylene plastic, making recycling nearly impossible without specialist facilities, most of which don't exist locally.

As a result, most cups end up in landfill, contributing to plastic pollution and leaching toxins into the environment.

Always remember your reusable coffee / tea cup.

DRINKS CARTONS

Milk and juice cartons contain hidden plastic, mixed with paperboard and aluminum.

While companies like Tetra Pak say they’re recyclable, plastic quality degrades each time it's reused. Recycling delays plastic waste, but doesn’t eliminate it - eventually, it still ends up in the environment.

Buy in glass or aluminium cans whenever possible as these are more easily recyclable.

BALLOONS

Balloons pose the highest plastic risk to seabirds and threaten all marine life.

When released, they can cause choking, starvation, or entanglement. Even “biodegradable” balloons may persist in seawater for years. If used, dispose of them in a garden compost bin, never near water, to reduce environmental harm.
Find out more on the Surfers Against Sewage website.

Choose paper decorations that will last for years.

Take Action: Join the Fight Against Plastic Pollution

Surfers Against Sewage have launched a bold new campaign, The People vs Plastic, taking aim at the real culprits behind our plastic crisis: the major polluters and broken systems that keep us trapped in a cycle of waste. It's time to stop blaming individuals and start holding big business accountable.

Explore the campaign here and discover how you can be part of the movement.

Here’s how you can take action today:

Participate in or organise community clean-up events.
Email a business that you believe could do better. You may find some of the suggestions in this handy template useful when starting conversations or contacting businesses. Please feel free to adapt it to your needs.
Contact your local council to ask what steps they’re taking to tackle plastic waste and support sustainable local businesses.
Write to your MP to demand stronger government action on plastic pollution and climate change.

Your voice matters - use it to push for real change.

If you would like more information on ways to reduce plastic waste at home, at work, or in your community, we have a series of articles available on our website that are a good starting point.

You can also visit the Stroud District Action on Plastic website, which offers valuable information and resources for individuals and organisations in Gloucestershire committed to cutting down their plastic footprint.