Quiz Yourself

Plastics Impacts Quiz

Plastics Impacts Quiz

How much do you know about the impacts of plastics on landair, and water?

There is a small wait at the end while we tally your results. Please stay on the page.

0%

What form of plastic pollution is most common in the world today?

Plastic Bottle
Correct! Wrong!

Terrestrial microplastic pollution is the most prevalent form of plastic pollution— estimated at 4 to 23 times higher than marine plastic pollution. The Earth’s soils may be more saturated with plastic pollution than oceans and an estimated 80 percent of plastics found in marine environments are first disposed of on land. The amount of plastic waste found on land is weighed at millions of tons.

How much daily-use plastic is actually recycled?

trash waste pollution
Correct! Wrong!

Only 9% of the plastic we discard every day is recycled or incinerated in waste-to-energy facilities. Much of it ends up in landfills, where it may take up to 1,000 years to degrade, leaching potentially toxic substances into the soil and water.

When toxic chemicals are released into the soil from plastics, who does it affect?

animals and land pollution
Correct! Wrong!

Everyone is affected when toxic chemicals are released into the soil. It poisons the plantlife, the animal life living within the soil, contaminating the entire food chain until humans are exposed.

Which two cities have the most microplastics in their atmosphere?

London Bridge surrounded by fog
Correct! Wrong!

Human exposure to microplastics is largely through inhalation due to the prevalence of microplastic pollution in the atmosphere. In both London and Beijing, there are several thousand plastic particles per cubic meter, meaning these cities hold the largest concentrations of microplastics in their atmosphere.

When in the atmosphere, microplastics affect ____

Correct! Wrong!

Microplastics not only impact human health, but they also interfere with environmental processes, such as cloud formation, precipitation, and cloud lifetime. Because microplastics are able to alter these processes, they have the potential to impact temperature, rainfall, and climate change.

How many grams of plastic do we consume weekly?

Person holding a plastic credit card
Correct! Wrong!

Studies show that we ingest up to 5 grams of microplastics per week, which is roughly equivalent to the mass of a credit card.

How do microplastics make their way into wastewater?

Correct! Wrong!

Microplastics make their way into water through unique avenues. Municipal treatment facilities only remove up to 90% of microplastics. When washing clothes, more than 700,000 synthetic fibers are released into water. Synthetic fibers are linked with microbeads, which were found in cosmetic products sold in the United States till their ban in 2015.

True or False: Using conventional water treatment practices do not work to reduce the presence of microplastics in water.

wastewater treatment facility
Correct! Wrong!

Most water treatment facilities in the United States are equipped with the infrastructure needed to limit microplastics. Studies show that conventional treatment operations - primary and secondary filtration - have a 99% efficiency in removing microplastics from water.

Plastics Impacts Quiz
Plastic Pollution Pupil

Cleaning up plastic pollution

You’re a Pupil when it comes to Plastic Pollution. You are probably just embarking on your journey to prevent plastic pollution and there is so much to learn and so much you can do. Action starts at the individual level, and your changes can have macro impacts on microplastic pollution. Keep taking this quiz to become a pro!
Plastic Pollution Proficient

Reusable water bottle

You are a Proficient in Plastic Pollution. You might think you know all you need because you live by the 3 Rs of Plastic Pollution (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle), but do you know all 6 Rs? There are 3 additional Rs of Plastic Pollution (Remove, Refuse, and Rally) that can help you level-up in your plastic philosophy. Keep up the good work and soon you’ll be a pro!
Plastic Pollution Professional
You’re a Plastic Pollution Professional! You probably care a lot about the health and wellbeing of the planet, which is why you were drawn to preventing plastic pollution. Don’t stop here! Make more than a single-use out of your knowledge and spread awareness about what you know!

Share your Results: