New times, new challenges.
We have seen how plastic production has increased[1] to 300 million tons in 2013, of which 78 million is destined for the production of plastic[2] packaging. The extraordinary growth of this type of garbage has resulted in many plastics escaping collection and treatment systems and ending up in other places, like the seas or oceans and becoming a big landfill.
32% of plastic produced ends up in the sea forming floating islands of waste
Every year, around 10 million tons of garbage[3] ends up in the seas and oceans. Most is plastic waste and, of this waste, plastic packaging represents[4] 32%. Plastic waste dumping is currently equivalent to emptying a garbage truck into the sea every minute. In the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, there are floating islands[5] or waste patches which weigh around 100 million tons, of which 80% are plastics. 80% of marine plastics originate from land. The main causes are river water discharges, hydraulic dam spills, tourism garbage, and industrial activities. If we are not able to stop this dumping and pollution rate, it is estimated[6] that there will be more waste plastics in the oceans than fish by the year 2050!
Plastics affect the fish, and if we don’t change our mentality, there will be more plastic in the sea than fish
Just think, the time required for nature to break down plastics can be hundreds of years.
The main problem or consequence of these floating plastics is, on the one hand, that marine species can get entangled in them and also eat them. If marine fauna ingests these plastics, especially microplastics (small particles of plastics decomposed by the sun) and chemical additives, this can lead to a significant potential source of contamination.[7] On the other hand, these plastics usually have toxic substances which may be incorporated into the environment or water.
The focal point of regional pollution is China, which bears 30% of the responsibility, followed by Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, among others.[8]
Want to know more?
i The book Stop garbage. The truth about recycling, Alex Pascual, February 2019
► Video about plastics in the ocean (ENG)
http://oceantoday.noaa.gov/trashtalk_garbagepatch/
► A can inside a fish. Very clear and concise
►Documentary: Garbage island: A full ocean plastic (ENG)
i Marine pollution article. Environmental Health Perspectives (ENG)
http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/123-a34/#r2
i Tide of plastic rubbish discovered floating off idyllic Caribbean island coastline, Independent (ENG)
i GREEN PAPER On a European Strategy on Plastic Waste in the Environment (ENG, FR, CAST)
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/ES/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52013DC0123
i Web about a Global Coalition Movement to make a free plastic world (ENG)
http://www.plasticpollutioncoalition.org
► Captain Charles Moore discoverer of floating garbage islands (ENG)
[1]. “New Link in the food chain?”op.cit.
[2]. The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy., Ellen MacArthur Foundation, January 2016
[3]. Libro verde: sobre una estrategia europea frente a los residuos de plásticos en el medio ambiente, European Commission. Eight million found it in “The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy,”op.cit.
[4]. The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy,” op.cit.
[5]. Libro verde: sobre una estrategia europea frente a los residuos de plásticos en el medio ambiente, European Commission. Eight million found it in “The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy,”op.cit.
[6]. “The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy,” op.cit.
[7]. Libro verde, op.cit.
[8]. “Which countries create the most ocean trash?” Article The Wall Steert Journal
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[6]. “The new plastics economy. Rethinking the plastics economy,” op.cit.
[7]. Lib
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