Plastic Pollution

When people think about plastic, they

may think of a range of everyday objects
that serve to make our lives easier, such
as containers in which to store food,
toys, gadgets and more! In fact, plastic
is so popular in Canada today, that it
is almost impossible to imagine life
without it. However, while plastic makes
human lives easier, it makes the lives of
Plastic Waste Facts
Canada’s wildlife much harder and it
could be endangering the existence of
160,000 plastic bags are
some of our much-loved species.
used around the world
every second.
Almost 80% of plastic produced
over the last 70 years has been
By 2015, 6,300 million
thrown away.
metric tonnes of plastic waste
had been created.

9% Plastic and the Environment

There are many different ways that plastic
can enter the environment:
79% 12% • not disposing of it properly, e.g. littering;

• washed down drains from face washes

and clothing;
• spilled overboard by ships;
• escaped from factories and warehouses;
Of all of the
plastic waste • blown out of bins or landfills by the wind;
created by 2015, • abandoned, e.g. fishing nets.
9% was recycled, 12% was burnt,
So much plastic enters the environment each
79% was put in landfills or the
year that it can be found in fresh water, soil,
natural environment.
air and oceans around the world.

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 Plastic Pollution

The Problem with Plastic • death or injury caused by becoming tangled

Most types of plastic are neither in plastic waste, for example, birds that
biodegradable nor compostable. Therefore, become trapped in fishing nets or mammals
any plastic that ends up in the local caught in empty plastic containers;
environment will not break down over
• animals eating plastic waste by mistake,
time, like paper, fruit peel or natural fabrics
thinking that it is food, for example some
do. Plastic will simply remain where it is
sea turtles eat plastic bags that float in the
forever unless it is removed by humans or
ocean because they think they are jellies;
mistakenly consumed by wildlife.
• poisoning from the chemicals within the
A huge problem with the plastic that ends
plastic which can lead to illness and death.
up in the environment is the chemicals it
releases. Over time, pieces of plastic litter
will break into smaller pieces. When plastic
breaks into microplastics, it is eaten by How We Can Help
wildlife that mistake it for food.
People around the world have caused
Scarily, these microplastics contain toxic the plastic problem we face today and it
chemicals and heavy metals that are cannot be fixed overnight. The best way
poisonous and deadly to local wildlife. to stop any further harm to wildlife is by
These make their way into the food chain, changing how we think about and use
affecting not only the animal that ate the plastic.
plastic but any animal that then goes on to Some helpful tips are:
consume the first animal.
• Instead of using plastic items, such as
Threats to Wildlife straws and plastic bags, buy reusable
The largest threats to wildlife from plastic items, e.g. flasks for hot drinks and
waste in the environment are: canvas shopping bags.

• Glitter and balloons can also be

damaging to the environment and
dangerous to animals, who may
mistake them for food.

• Recycle as much of your waste as

possible.

• Safely pick up litter you see in the

environment.

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 Plastic Pollution

Glossary
biodegradable: Something that can be naturally broken down by bacteria.

compostable: Something that is biodegradable and can help support

plant growth.
endanger: To put something or someone at risk or in danger.

microplastics: Extremely small pieces of plastic in the environment resulting

from the breakdown of bigger pieces of plastic waste.
toxic: Something poisonous or harmful.

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 Plastic Pollution

Questions
1. Which of these is not a way that plastic enters the environment? Tick one.

by being blown out of bins

by being abandoned by humans
by being dug up from the ground
by being washed down drains

2. Using the infographic to help you, match the percentages to the correct fact.

9% Existing plastic that has been burnt.

Existing plastic which has ended up in

12%
landfills or the natural environment.

 79% Existing plastic that has been recycled.

3. Find and copy two examples of items that the text implies will break down over time.

• 

• 

4. ...and could be endangering the existence of some of our much-loved species.

Which word or phrase could the author have used instead of the word endangering in
this sentence?

5. Find and copy one adjective from the section titled The Problem with Plastic that
describes the chemicals found in microplastics.

6. Summarise the section entitled Threats to Wildlife in 30 words or fewer.

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 Plastic Pollution

7. Which fact from the text did you find most shocking? Give two reasons for your answer.

8. Fully explain the dangers of microplastics.

9. Conduct some research on the Internet. What is the Canadian Government currently doing
to reduce the effects of plastic pollution in Canada?

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 Plastic Pollution

Answers
1. Which of these is not a way that plastic enters the environment? Tick one.

by being blown out of bins

by being abandoned by humans
by being dug up from the ground
by being washed down drains

2. Using the infographic to help you, match the percentages to the correct fact.

9% Existing plastic that has been burnt.

Existing plastic which has ended up in

12%
landfills or the natural environment.

79% Existing plastic that has been recycled.


3. Find and copy two examples of items that the text implies will break down over time.
Accept any two of the following: paper; fruit peels; fabric.

4. ...and could be endangering the existence of some of our much-loved species.

Which word or phrase could the author have used instead of the word endangering in
this sentence?
Accept any appropriate synonym, such as: risking; compromising; jeopardizing;
damaging; putting in danger.

5. Find and copy one adjective from the section titled The Problem with Plastic that
describes the chemicals found in microplastics.
toxic

6. Summarise the section titled Threats to Wildlife in 30 words or fewer.

Students’ own responses, such as: Plastic pollution can harm wildlife because creatures
may become tangled in waste, eat the plastic by mistake and become poisoned by the
chemicals in the plastic.

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 Plastic Pollution

7. Which fact from the text did you find most shocking? Give two reasons for your answer.
Students’ own responses, such as: I found it most shocking that 160,000 plastic bags
are used every second because this is a very large number and I did not realise that
plastic bags were used on this scale. It also shocks me because it shows how few people
use reusable bags.

8. Fully explain the dangers of microplastics.

Pupils’ own responses, such as: Microplastics are dangerous because they can
be mistakenly eaten by wildlife that think that it is food. When the wildlife eat
the microplastic, they can become poisoned or killed by the dangerous chemicals
it contains.

9. Conduct some research on the Internet. What is the Canadian Government currently doing
to reduce the effects of plastic pollution in Canada?
Students’ own responses, such as: In 2022, the Canadian government banned the
import and manufacture of single use plastics of single use plastics such as straws,
cutlery and ring carriers. It is the first of four phases of regulations aimed at reducing
single-use plastics in Canada.

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