en
de en

Knowledge about waste: Why is plastic waste harmful?

Plastic is almost impossible to avoid in our everyday lives. From packaging material to garden furniture, we find it everywhere. Ultimately, plastic is nothing other than an artificial material. Its long durability is both a curse and a blessing. It’s great when it helps our purchased products last for a long time, but what happens when we want to dispose of it? It can take centuries for individual items, like plastic bottles, to break down completely. It's no wonder plastic is so harmful to our environment!

More plastic than seawater

If plastic is disposed of properly in Germany, part of it can be recycled. But not everyone separates their waste accurately, and not all countries have a functioning waste management system. Among other things, this leads to the fact that the majority of plastic waste ends up in the ocean. A beach full of plastic is not only unattractive but also dangerous for both humans and animals. It’s a real burden on the environment.

What happens to the animals?

Sea animals and sea birds are severely affected by plastic waste. They can accidentally eat plastic because they confuse it with their usual food,  leading to serious health problems or even death. Animals like seals and whales often get caught in plastic waste, like nets that are lost when fishing at sea. Similar things can also happen to plastic bags or other plastic waste that has landed in the sea. Plastic can even, ultimately, enter our food chain if fish or other marine animals ingest microplastic particles, making it as harmful to humans as it is to animals.

What exactly are microplastics?

Microplastics are tiny pieces of plastic. They can be created through the decomposition of plastic, or can already be part of the original product. They are often byproducts of the cosmetics industry. If they get into the digestive system of a fish that later ends up on our plate, we can find ourselves eating our own garbage. This is not only unappetising but can also negatively impact our health.

How should we handle plastic?

The aforementioned scenarios make it clear that it’s important to consume plastic consciously and above all, to dispose of it properly. If plastic ends up in the plastic waste and not in an unintended bin, it can be incinerated or even reused. In this way, you can do yourself and the environment a great favour, and without exerting a lot of effort. HAILO offers you various stylish and practical bins just for this purpose. Whether you want a modern pedal bin like the HAILO Öko Uno Plus M with a 17-litre capacity, or you want a more tech friendly bin, like the products in the Big-Box Swing range, with their self-closing lids - HAILO fits in every household. We use the latest technology to create stylish storage space, even if it’s just for your excess plastic.

Our product recommendations

Subscribe now