The oceans have been hit by an “unprecedented” tidal wave of plastic since 2005, according to a report calling for an end to negotiations on an international agreement to address the problem.
pollution plastic it is a constant problem all over the planet, at all levels. Marine life is swallowed or left in bags, waste litters beaches in even the most remote natural spaces, and microplastics return to humans through the food chain.
A report published on the PLOS One website estimates that there are about 170 trillion plastic fragments floating in the seas, mostly microplastics.
Most of these fragments have been discarded in the last 18 years.
“Pollution plastics reached an unprecedented level,” the authors warn.
This figure is significantly higher than previous estimates, and the study highlights that waste disposal is expected to accelerate over the next few decades if current rates continue.
The researchers collected samples from more than 11,000 monitoring stations around the world and collected data over 40 years, from 1979 to 2019.
Prior to 1990, there was no clear trend in the concentration of these plasticsand then until 2005 the trends fluctuated. Levels have risen sharply since that year.
“We have seen rapid growth since 2005 because there has been a rapid increase in production, while the dumping control policy plastics in that ocean limited,” one of the authors, Lisa Erdl, told AFP.
Causes of infection plastic in that ocean they are numerous. Fishing nets or buoys usually appear in the middle of the sea, while bags, clothes or car tires are present on the coast.
All this garbage eventually becomes microplastic, like “confetti on the surface ocean”, according to Lisa Erdle.
“Toxic Products”
G20 countries to double usage plastics by 2050 to 451 million tons, according to a report jointly prepared by Economist Impact and The Nippon Foundation.
In 1950, only two million tons plastics World.
Recycling, even in the most advanced countries, has so far not had much of an impact.
Without proper management plasticwaste thrown into landfills can end up in the sea.
“More recycling is needed, we are seeing a real spill of toxic products and packaging,” Erdle explained.
Between 1990 and 2005, international efforts were made to partially mitigate the problem, such as the MARPOL treaty of 1988, signed by 154 countries, prohibiting dumping plastics from boats.
But manufacturing growth has surpassed that legal framework, warns a study that advocates a new global compact.
In December, more than 160 countries gathered in Uruguay under the auspices of the UN began negotiations on this global agreement against marine pollution plasticsbut the second round must now take place in France.
The main points of the agreement are a ban on the use plastics disposable, a system of fines for polluters and taxes on producers.
Total pollution weight plastic According to the PLOS study, what has been discovered to date is 2.3 million tons.
The text analyzes data from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Mediterranean Sea. (According to AFP)
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Source: RPP
I am Ben Stock, a passionate and experienced digital journalist working in the news industry. At the Buna Times, I write articles covering technology developments and related topics. I strive to provide reliable information that my readers can trust. My research skills are top-notch, as well as my ability to craft engaging stories on timely topics with clarity and accuracy.