The amount of plastics Australians generate in one year produces as much greenhouse gas as 5.7 million cars on the roads annually, which is more than one-third of emissions yielded annually by the country’s car fleet.
In a new study, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and WWF-Australia found that if Australia continues on its current path, the country’s plastic emissions will more than double to 42.5 million tonnes annually by 2050.
The study showed that Australia generates more single-use plastic waste per person than any other country except Singapore.
Recycling alone won’t solve the problem, though, as Australians need to cut plastic use and stop using virgin plastic, the researchers said….