An estimated 11 billion cigarette filters are released into the environment in Germany every year. They are mostly made of cellulose acetate, a type of plastic. In addition, cigarette filters also contain numerous other toxins.
The plastic polystyrene has become indispensable in the automotive, construction, medical, household and electrical sectors. It has many advantages - but the decisive factor for the future is the transition to a circular economy so that the plastic can be used several times.
Measures against plastic pollution are urgently needed. However, it is unclear with which instruments this can be done. The Single-Use Plastics Directive stands for the attempt to reduce the input of plastic by private consumers mainly by means of information, e.g. with a specially developed label.
In 2019, the Single-Use Plastic Directive was adopted by the European Union to declare war on plastic pollution. But how far-reaching is the directive and how great are the effects it achieves? The researchers from the joint project InRePlast set out the contents, deficits and requirements for the further development of the directive in factsheet 19.
More and more plastic is polluting the environment and endangering humans and animals. Current scientific studies in sewage treatment plants show that a large amount of different plastic products and plastic packaging ends up in the sewage system and in the environment through various pathways.
Plastic waste poses significant problems for many municipalities: Overflowing rubbish bins and carelessly discarded single-use plastic products or packaging cause direct inputs into the environment or via drains into wastewater.
Wet wipes, sanitary towels and tampons are important hygiene products that many people use in their daily lives. Often, the products are partly made of plastic and can end up in the environment if not disposed of properly.
Plastic pellets are used in large quantities in industry as a raw material for further processing into plastic products. In 2019, 14 million tonnes of plastic were processed by over 7,000 companies in Germany. The small pellets can enter the environment at various points in the supply chain.
Fresh fruit and vegetables in supermarkets are often packed in plastic nets, from which micro plastic particles can detach and enter the environment. The researchers from the joint project InRePlast clarify in Fact sheet 14 which entry paths are particularly important, how much politics is already doing to combat the problem and at which points there are further options for action.
