Stunning photographs and videos of trash floating on the surface of the oceans, such as in the highly-publicized Great Pacific Garbage Patch,“ have raised global awareness of the marine plastic debris problem. And look who is behind it - the plastics and recycling industry. Also did you know that reusable bags when used to carry foods can leave bacteria stuck on the bags. Under the recent EU single use plastic directive Ireland is expected to reach a 90% collection rate for plastic drinks bottles by 2029 and in 2021 a ban on 10 different single-use plastic items will kick in.

For instance, microbeads in body care and household products, such as toothpaste and paint, are plastics. Recent research has shown plastic pollution to be as ubiquitous in the global environment as the more familiar pollutants like lead. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, at current rates of pollution, there will likely be more plastic in the sea than fish by 2050.

I've been promoting the #PlasticFree movement on social media ever since Blue Planet II brought to our attention just how bad the plastic pollution problem is, and I'm throwing my support behind several initiatives to tackle it. So when headlines hit earlier today that the government may be about to ban plastic straws I should have been thrilled - but I'm not.

While thin compostable plastics like carrier bags might break down in the ocean, the thicker and more robust PLA used to line coffee cups and make cup lids, clear plastic tumblers, drinking straws, and other stretchy food lids packaging is expected to act like traditional plastic in seawater , and won't break down at all.

Also, plastic is not really recycled,” but downcycled,“ which means that instead of making a new plastic package from an old one, the plastic is reprocessed into products of lesser quality or value which are not further recyclable and not possible to recycle.