Plastic bag usage
Plastic bag levy and banning are one of the hottest topics in Singapore in 2016 and 2017. in 2011, 3 billion plastic bags were used.
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This amounts to 36 million kg of crude oil and 12 million kg of natural gas. The debate brings into account issues such as lower income families abilities to afford the levy.
Plastic bag usage
Plastic bag levy and banning are one of the hottest topics in Singapore in 2016 and 2017. in 2011, 3 billion plastic bags were used.
​
This amounts to 36 million kg of crude oil and 12 million kg of natural gas. The debate brings into account issues such as lower income families abilities to afford the levy.
Intercoastal Microplastics
A study in 2005 studying the presence and abundance of microplastic
identified six different microplastic
in four out of seven different
sediment samples.
Mangrove Microplastics
A 2013 study in the Marine Pollution Bulletin indicates that microplastics were present in all seven sediment samples collected, showing a rise in concentration of microplastics in the coastal environment of Singapore.
Waste & Recycling
In the Waste Statistics and Recycling Rate table provided
by the National
Environment Agency, the amount of plastic disposed of increased significantly in 2012, from 656,000 tonnes to 721,300 tonnes. The recycling rate has also dropped
in 2015 and 2016.
Single use plastics
With an abundance of takeaways come the problem of single use plastics. Usually created in the forms of cutleries, plastic bags, cups, straws and stirrers, these plastics are designed for a one-time use before they are promptly discarded. Their cost of production far outweigh its one-time use.
A global problem
Plastic pollution is a global problem that affects everyone living in the world. Singapore is no exception. Every thing we do can and do contribute to the problem of the growing amount of plastic here.
What can we do to help alleviate the situation? Is it even possible to solve this? While we do not know the extent of the impact of plastic pollution at this point, we should attempt to ensure that the situation does not become more dire than its current situation.
What can we, as citizens of the world, do?