This past week, millions celebrated Easter with egg hunts and chocolates. While Easter is a significant holiday, symbolizing hope and renewal, it has evolved to include games, crafts, and community gatherings. However, behind the festive Easter baskets and bunnies lies an unfortunate environmental cost: unfound plastic eggs and discarded decorations can contribute to environmental degradation. Plastic Easter eggs, commonly found in Easter baskets, are typically made of polyethylene, a commonly produced plastic and a major source of microplastics. This material is also found in many other products, such as plastic bags.
In this week’s Map of the Week, plastic pollution, including plastic bags, is highlighted based on a 2022 Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) survey. Plastic pollution on beaches is closely related to production and consumption patterns. During holidays like Easter, the production and consumption of items like plastic eggs, fake grass, and aluminium wrapped chocolate increases, often leading to improper disposal and environmental contamination [1]. In the areas of high litter accumulation, these plastics degrade and bioaccumulate as macro- and micro-plastics. These are ingested by marine species, entering the food web and eventually affecting both environmental and human health [2]. Additionally, the large-scale production of plastic requires significant quantities of non-renewable energy sources. Considering hundreds of millions of plastic eggs are estimated to be produced annually, significant emissions are generated just for Easter alone.
You can help mitigate the environmental impacts by opting for more sustainable alternatives. For instance, choosing biodegradable decorations from natural materials, using eco-friendly Easter eggs made from paper or wood, and reusing existing materials to reduce waste.
What else can we do?
- Trash Collection mobile app: Clean Swell® App - Ocean Conservancy
- Join Ocean Conservancy to urge lawmakers to hold plastic producers accountable: Redesign a Future Without Plastic Pollution
More information:
- For more information on plastic pollution, review this previous Map of the Week.
- Microplastics: European Commission Overview
- European Union and global microplastic policies: Brochure, Zero Pollution Action Plan, and Plastics strategy
The data in the map are provided by EMODnet.
[1] https://water.europa.eu/marine/europe-seas/pressures-impacts/marine-litter