How did the plastic crisis begin? How do plastics affect ocean ecosystems? Where do we even begin to address this global issue? PCX’s Circular Economy Director, Vincent Kneefel, gives the lowdown on the entire picture of plastic in a module about Plastics & the Circular Economy. This is part of an educational series about the ocean for Sustainability Unlocked, a platform where sustainability is taught by industry experts themselves.
Since large-scale plastic production began in the 1950s, plastic waste has increased exponentially throughout the years, raking up a global plastic debt of over 8 million tons. Of the total plastic ever produced, only 9% is recycled and 2% is reused, with the rest ending up in landfills or back in nature. Furthermore, 11 million metric tons of plastic enter the ocean each year. Kneefel explains the disastrous effects this has on biodiversity, climate change, human health, and even tourism.
Pieces of post-consumer plastic float above a manta ray in the waters of Bali, Indonesia
Photograph by Vincent Kneefel
“Breaking the plastic wave” is how he describes the concerted efforts we need to take to stop plastic from leaking into nature. This includes transitioning to a circular economy, which can be achieved if more organizations use this three-pronged strategy: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials, and regenerate nature. More details are discussed in the video.
Vincent Kneefel recently joined PCX as its Circular Economy Director. Prior to this, Vincent held leadership roles at WWF, Accenture, and the United Nations Global Compact. He has spent the last decade working on circular economy, cleantech, and smart cities strategies. Vincent is an award-winning underwater photographer and author of topics on ocean conservation. He has dedicated his life to safeguarding the ocean’s future.
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