Plastic Free July: The Plastic Clogging European Freshwater Environments

Given that around 80 percent of plastic rubbish found in the ocean gets transported there by rivers, many experts believe focusing on fresh water environments is one of the best solutions for tackling marine waste. The Plastic Rivers report from Earthwatch Europe and Plastic Oceans UK has revealed that plastic bottles are the most prevalent form of plastic pollution in Europe's rivers and streams.

Food wrappers were the second most visible item in the continent's freshwater, followed by food wrappers and cigarette butts. Plastic can take 500 years to bio-degrade in a marine environment and last year, the EU parliament approved plans to ban single-use plastics like straws, cups, plates and cutlery by 2021.