Plastic can take anywhere from 20 to 1000 years to decompose. At this time, it poses a threat to marine life and our natural environment.
Furthermore, fish and other marine life often mistake small pieces of plastic for food, which can lead to them choking or being poisoned by it. Other creatures like sea turtles, have been trapped in plastic packaging and suffocated to death.

When the government introduced a 5p charge for single-use
plastic bags in supermarkets, it reduced their use by 85%.