The amount of plastic waste in the world’s seas and oceans is a very serious problem. It is currently estimated that there are approximately 150 million tonnes of this waste. However, this amount is set to continue to increase and directly threaten not only marine and ocean life, but also human life.
Scientists are reasonably concerned, based on a recent expert study, that unless there is a radical change in the approach to this issue over the next 40 years
- much of the marine fauna and flora will be wiped out
- the proportion of plastics in food will increase, with negative impacts on human health, and
- the amount of plastic waste in seas, oceans and land adjacent to them will increase to 1.3 billion tonnes.
Sports giant as role model
One of the world’s leading sportswear and footwear brands has started to make extensive use of processed, recycled plastic waste to replace polyester.
The recycled plastic has been used in collaboration with another specialist company to develop a unique yarn that is used in the production of eco-friendly functional clothing and sports shoe uppers.
Inspiration from Neighbours
Several Slovak companies have focused on recycling not only recycled plastic bottles, but also old fishing nets, which are deadly traps for many animals in the seas and oceans, although they are no longer actively used by hunters.
These environmentally friendly technological practices certainly have a future, but the problem at present is the relatively high price of the final products, which reflects the rather high costs of processing the raw materials.
In the Czech Republic
There are also companies in our country that have the future of our planet at heart and have decided to add at least part of their product range to products made from processed plastic waste. For example, they offer backpacks, women’s and men’s sweatshirts and T-shirts.