Environment | Plastic pollution in oceans and water supply

Environment Quiz - Plastic Pollution (Questions)

Discover plastic pollution and how it harms wildlife and habitats. Learn where plastic comes from, how it travels, and what actions can reduce it.

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Fascinating Fact:

Rivers can carry plastic from towns and countryside into the sea. Rain and flooding can wash litter from streets and fields into drains and waterways.

Plastic pollution happens when plastic waste is dropped, blown, or dumped into the environment instead of being reused, recycled, or disposed of safely. It can build up on land, in rivers, and in the ocean, where animals may get tangled in it or mistake it for food. Some plastics also break into tiny pieces that are hard to remove.

Key Terms

Litter: Rubbish left in places where it should not be, such as parks, streets, or beaches.
Microplastics: Very small plastic pieces that can be found in water, sand, and soil.
Recycling: Turning used materials into new products so less waste is thrown away.

Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)

What is plastic pollution?

Plastic pollution is plastic waste in the environment, such as bags, bottles, and packaging, that can harm wildlife, damage habitats, and make places unsafe or unpleasant.

Why is plastic dangerous for animals?

Plastic can trap animals, cut them, or stop them from moving. Animals can also eat plastic by mistake, which can block their stomachs and make them ill.

How can I help reduce plastic pollution?

You can help by using reusable bottles and bags, putting rubbish in bins, sorting recycling correctly, and choosing products with less packaging when possible.

Try These Related Quizzes

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a threat to sealife. How exactly does plastic harm sea creatures?

[ ]	It starves them to death
[ ]	It poisons them
[ ]	It makes reproduction more difficult
[ ]	All of the above

How many marine species are harmed by plastic pollution?

[ ]	At least 700
[ ]	At least 70
[ ]	At least 17
[ ]	At least 7

To stop plastic pollution, we need to recycle. What percent of its plastic does the UK recycle?

[ ]	86%
[ ]	66%
[ ]	46%
[ ]	26%

Which country is the world’s worst plastic polluter?

[ ]	The UK
[ ]	China
[ ]	India
[ ]	The USA

Plastic waste is such a problem because it takes so long to break down. How many years does it take a plastic bottle to decompose?

[ ]	4.5 years
[ ]	45 years
[ ]	450 years
[ ]	4,500 years

Areas in the sea where plastic waste collects are known as what?

[ ]	Marine mosh pits
[ ]	Ocean garbage patches
[ ]	Sea trash cans
[ ]	Naval dumping grounds

Plastic pollution can even get into our drinking water. If you bought a bottle of water, what are the chances it would contain particles of plastic?

[ ]	25%
[ ]	50%
[ ]	75%
[ ]	90%

Coral reefs are threatened by plastic pollution as well as climate change. Experts predict that 90% of coral reefs will be dead by which year?

[ ]	2050
[ ]	2100
[ ]	2150
[ ]	2200

Tiny particles of plastic are added to cosmetic products and toothpastes. What are the particles called?

[ ]	Smallballs
[ ]	Tinybits
[ ]	Microbeads
[ ]	Littlelumps

10.

What can you do to help stop plastic pollution?

[ ]	Reuse shopping bags
[ ]	Use a steel, glass or bamboo straw
[ ]	Pick up any plastic litter you find
[ ]	All of the above

Environment Quiz - Plastic Pollution (Answers)

Plastic pollution in our oceans is a threat to sealife. How exactly does plastic harm sea creatures?

[ ]	It starves them to death
[ ]	It poisons them
[ ]	It makes reproduction more difficult
[x]	All of the above

Many animals mistake plastic for food. It fills their stomachs, so they don't get hungry - then they starve. It's also poisonous - corals that come into contact with plastic have an 89% chance of contracting disease. Also, there is so much plastic on our beaches that it affects the sand's temperature, making turtle eggs less likely to hatch

How many marine species are harmed by plastic pollution?

[x]	At least 700
[ ]	At least 70
[ ]	At least 17
[ ]	At least 7

A study by Plymouth University found that plastic pollution is a danger to a minimum of 700 marine species. The number of animals affected is huge. One estimate says that plastic pollution kills 100 million marine mammals alone every year

To stop plastic pollution, we need to recycle. What percent of its plastic does the UK recycle?

[ ]	86%
[ ]	66%
[x]	46%
[ ]	26%

Sadly, less than half of our plastic gets recyled - most goes to landfills

Which country is the world’s worst plastic polluter?

[ ]	The UK
[ ]	China
[x]	India
[ ]	The USA

India recently overtook China but both produce over 12 million tonnes of plastic waste each year

Plastic waste is such a problem because it takes so long to break down. How many years does it take a plastic bottle to decompose?

[ ]	4.5 years
[ ]	45 years
[x]	450 years
[ ]	4,500 years

Some plastics don't take as long as this, and others take much longer. Plastic bags take 10 to 20 years to disappear, but the worst plastics take up to 1,000 years to rot away

Areas in the sea where plastic waste collects are known as what?

[ ]	Marine mosh pits
[x]	Ocean garbage patches
[ ]	Sea trash cans
[ ]	Naval dumping grounds

There are 5 "ocean garbage patches" which go from the seabed all the way up to the surface. They are huge entities, covering areas as large as Russia!

Plastic pollution can even get into our drinking water. If you bought a bottle of water, what are the chances it would contain particles of plastic?

[ ]	25%
[ ]	50%
[ ]	75%
[x]	90%

A study by the World Health Organisation found an average of 325 plastic particles per litre of bottled water. Tap water fared better – “only” 83% of that contained plastic

Coral reefs are threatened by plastic pollution as well as climate change. Experts predict that 90% of coral reefs will be dead by which year?

[x]	2050
[ ]	2100
[ ]	2150
[ ]	2200

A quarter of all sealife lives in coral reefs, so their future looks bleak - another example of habitat destruction caused by humans