Single-use plastic bags represent a huge threat to the environment. Only 1 – 2% of plastic bags in the USA get recycled after use, meaning the vast majority are either used in landfill or end up in the oceans, putting millions of marine species at risk.

They also pose a huge inconvenience to ecosystems, clogging up pipes and drainage systems and playing a huge part in flood events.

Despite over 60 U.S. cities either putting fees on or banning plastic bags entirely, the annual figure of plastic bag use in North America still stands at 380 billion. That’s more than 1,200 bags per resident, per year.

This infographic from LearnStuff shows the impact plastic bags have on our surrounding environment and the wider economy.

Source: http://www.learnstuff.com/suffocating-the-world/