It is well-known that plastic is harmful to the environment. Policymakers have repeatedly repeated this fact over and over. Although plastic can be a valuable resource in many aspects, plastic pollution cannot be sustainable.

• Packaging accounts to just over 40% total plastic usage.

• Each year, more than 500 billion plastic shopping bags are being used around the world. Every minute, around one million bags get used.

• Plastic bags are designed to last 15 minutes on average.

• We have produced more plastic over the last ten than all of the century.

• According to Container Recycling Institute, the U.S. sold 100.7 million plastic beverage bottles in 2014. That's 315 bottles per individual.

• 57% were plastic water bottle units, with 57.3 million sold in 2014. This is an increase on the 3.8billion plastic water bottles sold back in 1996, the first year that data is available.

• Producing bottled waters requires approximately 6 times the amount water as it does in the containers.

• Beverage cans account for 14%. It is much higher when labels and caps are taken into account.

Are you aware just how grave the plastic pollution problem?

Although there have been plastic bans in some cities and countries all over the world, the demand to end single-use plastics remains strong.

Some governments and organisations are trying to reduce plastic use and improve the environment. Certain retailers have also taken responsibility for the environment by committing to reduce the amount of plastic that they produce.

Iceland, a British supermarket chain that sells furniture, has plans to get rid of single-use plastics. Numerous retailers across the country have begun to target plastic straws.

Our plastic consumption has an impact on the environment, and it is up to us to make informed choices. These lesser-known facts about the plastic you really need to know are here.

1. Only 9% can be recycled from plastics

According to the Guardian's report, 8.3 billion tons have been made of plastic since 1950s. This is roughly the same weight as more than 800,000. Eiffel Towers.

Despite the fact plastic is being made every year and its continued production, UNEP says that only 9% is recycled and only 12% are incinerated. The remainder of plastic is found in landfills and dumps.

2. Each minute, 2 million plastic bag are used worldwide

Although it might seem unbelievable, Ecowatch claims that approximately 500 billion to 1 trillion bags are used annually worldwide.

According to New York City Department of Environmental Conservation, New Yorkers annually use 23 million plastic bags each year. That's why it's so important that the city banned plastic grocery shopping bags.

The ban on plastic bags has proven to be extremely successful in countries that have them. In the UK for example, a plastic bag charge of 5p (7c), introduced in 2015 led to an 83% reduction in plastic bags use.

According to a government study, 1.3 billion plastic bag production in Britain continues each year.

3. Some areas of the world are against single-use plastics

2017 was the year Kenya introduced one its most severe laws against plastic bags. Kenyans could be jailed for up to four-years or face a $40,000 fine (PS31,000) if caught making, selling, or using plastic bag.

China, France & Rwanda are among the other countries that have prohibited, partially banned or taxed single usage plastic bags.

This site contains information about other cities or countries that have implemented plastic bans.

4. Each minute of every working day, a truckload of plastics is dumped into our oceans.

According to a World Economic Forum report, 32% (of all plastic packaging) ends up in the ocean every year. This amount is equivalent of dumping one garbage truck worth of plastic every minute.

5. Plastic makes up 73% global beach litter.

National Geographic says 73% of all beach trash is plastic.

6. Every minute, one-million plastic bottles are sold

According to the Guardian, around 1 million plastic containers are sold every minute worldwide. This number is likely to grow by 20% annually by 2021 if there's no change.

A similar report revealed that over 480 billion plastic drinkable bottles were bought worldwide in 2016, an increase of 300 million per year a decade earlier.

In addition, less than half (47%) of 2016's bottles were recycled. Only about 7% of the bottles collected were reused, with the remainder ending up in landfills and the ocean.

7. The ocean could have more plastic by 2050 than fish

A joint report by the Ellen MacArthur foundation and the World Economic Forum showed that plastic pollution is increasing at an alarming rate.

The report predicts oceans to contain at most 937 million tonnes of plastic and only 895 millions tons fish by 2050.

8. 10 rivers carry as much as 95% of the plastic polluting oceans.

According to World Economic Forum researchers only 10 rivers originate from Asia or Africa.

The study shows that eight of the rivers in Asia are identified as Yangtze (Indus), Yellow, Hai He Ganges Ganges Ganges Pearl and Amur. Two of these rivers can also be found in Africa: Nile (Niger)

However, this study doesn't include all of the waste found at seas and oceans. This only covers plastic waste transporting to the oceans by rivers.

The WEF said that both the high population in the area as well as poor waste management systems are two of the common traits all rivers named share.

9. By 2050, more than 99% will be seabirds that eat plastic

According to the United Nations' estimates, plastic consumption causes the death of approximately 1 million marine species and 100,000 other marine animals annually. Scientists also believe that if plastic pollution continues at the current rate, by 2050, 99 percent of the world’s seabird species could be inhaling plastic.

In addition, it is believed that more than 90% all birds and fish have plastic particles. This happens because plastic breaks down into tiny pieces when it reaches the sea. These small pieces are then taken by fish and other marine animals.

10. Microplastics are consumed by the average person each year at 70,000

According to Environmental Pollution's study, this is equivalent to 100 microplastics in one meal.

A UK-based research team placed sticky surfaces on petri dishes in three UK homes. After only 20 minutes, each dish accumulated on average 14 microplastics.

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