Media release – Plastic Free July, 1 July 2021

Plastic Free July Launches ‘My Plastic Action Counts’ Campaign

Plastic Free July launches ‘My Plastic Action Counts’ campaign to remind Australians that their actions count for more than just avoiding waste. Millions of Australians are starting Plastic Free July today to collectively create a healthier planet and healthier communities.

Australians are the biggest consumers of single-use plastic waste in the world, producing an average of 59kg of plastic waste per person a year, only 15% of which has been recovered. 1,2 Plastic waste is not only littering the planet, but now littering our bodies too, with the average person ingesting up to 5 grams of microplastic particles a week.

The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked a surge in PPE use and unfortunately single-use gloves, masks and bottles of hand sanitizer have been found in waterways and oceans around the world. 3 While 92% of
Australians continue to support policies and action to reduce plastic waste, over two-thirds (66%) of participants have found it harder to make changes to reduce single-use plastic, so it has never been a more important time to sign up and take part – to make a difference on this issue we care about. 4

“Our waste disposal and recycling efforts are fighting a tide of new plastic waste that is being created every day,” said Rebecca Prince-Ruiz, founder and executive director of Plastic Free July and the Plastic Free Foundation. “If we only start to manage plastic waste once it is in the bin, we’re not going to fix the problem. Instead, ‘My Plastic Action Counts’ celebrates the power we all have to live our values and protect our health, our communities and our environment through waste avoidance and reduction. Every person can be part of the solution, and every action counts towards this shared goal.”

Plastic Free July is a real grassroots movement, with families and friends across the country reducing their plastic footprint by taking small but smart steps to reduce single-use plastic in their day-to-day lives.
In 2020, participants each reduced 21kg of waste and together contributed to 900 million kg of plastic waste avoided worldwide. The majority (85%) of participants made changes that have become habits beyond July and a way of life with many sharing stories with others. 4

Choosing to refuse single-use plastic ‘turns off the tap’ of plastic waste at the source, reducing the chemicals we are exposed to when using the products and reducing the toxic impact of its life cycle.

Reducing waste we can avoid and recycling what we can’t is significantly more impactful than landfills or clean-ups. 5 Furthermore, buying from businesses that are doing the right thing such as using recycled content in packaging creates opportunities for a circular economy for plastics rather than contributing to the production of yet more virgin plastics by the petroleum industry.

“There are millions of Australians doing the right thing by choosing to refuse single-use plastics. Over the last 12 months we’ve seen our participants staying COVID-19 safe at the same time as still taking steps to reduce harm to the environment. Now is the time to join in and make a difference by looking at the plastics in your life, simply look in the bin, look at the litter that is on the street around you, and pick one or two alternatives such as choosing reusable fabric masks or coffee cups, choosing unpackaged produce or switching to a bar of soap. Together our plastic action counts towards the health of our planet and people,” said Prince-Ruiz.

Many participants around the world will kick of the challenge by taking part in a ‘Plastic Free Morning Tea’ at work, at home and out in the community. It is a tangible and delicious way to get others involved and start having conversations around plastic-free ideas, sharing solutions and making a real difference together.
Join in to be part of the Plastic Free July movement, learn more and make a difference, visit www.plasticfreejuly.org.

1 https://www.minderoo.org/plastic-waste-makers-index/
2 https://environment.gov.au/system/files/pages/5a160ae2-d3a9-480e-9344-4eac42ef9001/files/national-waste-report-2020.pdf
3 Patrício Silva AL, Prata JC, Walker TR, et al. Increased plastic pollution due to COVID-19 pandemic: Challenges and recommendations. Chem Eng J. 2021;405:126683. doi:10.1016/j.cej.2020.126683
4 https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/PFF-Impact-Report-2020-screen.pdf
5 https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/the-plastic-pollution-issues/

TASMANIAN TIMES: Hobart Food Service Goes Plastic Free.