What is Plastic Waste Doing to Our Oceans? 7 Shocking Facts

What is Plastic Waste Doing to Our Oceans? 7 Shocking Facts

Coastal changes are happening so quickly that they need the necessary care. When it comes to the earth's water resources, plastic waste has caused significant harm, including dead zones, the death of marine life, a reduction in amphibian reproduction, and many other effects.


There is no rejection of its criticality, which is self-justified. The amount of waste is increasing daily, and something has to be done. For small-scale jobs and cleanups, renting mini skips hire is an easy and affordable way to get rid of rubbish.


Statistics About Plastic In The Oceans: 

Over 8 million tonnes of plastic debris are dumped into the oceans each year. That would be like pouring plastic from a garbage truck into the ocean once every minute. 


Whales Are The Greatest Consumers Of Plastic Waste:

According to a recent survey, whales filter out-feed inside the waters, eating thousands and thousands of plastic debris every day. During the feeding season, blue whales, the largest dwelling issue in the world, are estimated to devour approximately 230 kg and 4 metric tonnes of plastic, or over 10 million pieces of plastic every day. 


Each Year, About 8 Million Tonnes Of Plastic Debris End Up In The Oceans: 

Only a tiny quantity of plastics have been made whilst plastic production commenced in the Nineteen Fifties, and the accompanying plastic waste become on the time alternatively plausible. However, 60% of the 300 million tonnes of plastic waste that we produce every year now ends up in landfills or the surroundings.


With a predicted eight million tonnes of decomposing fabric getting into the sea every year, plastic pollutants remain considered one of the biggest troubles dealing with the marine ecosystem. Plastic garbage currently covers over 40% of the sea's surface, and if human consumption of plastic continues up, it's predicted that by 2050, there might be extra plastic inside the ocean than fish.


The Ocean Contains More Micro Plastic Particles Than The Milky Way's Stars: 

Larger plastic waste sites that break down into smaller pieces are one of the many sources of micro plastics. Furthermore, micro beads—tiny fragments of synthetic polyethylene plastic that are found in cosmetics and health products—can evade filtering screens and end up in oceanic waters, endangering marine life.


Plastic Is Dangerous In Two Ways:

Sunlight and wave activity can break down ocean plastic into smaller particles called micro plastics, which can then enter the food chain. When it finally breaks down (which, in the case of a plastic bottle, can take hundreds of years), the procedure emits pollutants that further pollute the sea (see references).


More Plastic Than Fish:

We release up to 12 million metric tonnes of plastic into the seawater annually. Go straight to the references. That amounts to nearly 26 billion pounds annually — equivalent to more than 100,000 blue whales. There will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. 


Plastic Garbage Is Mistaken For Prey By Animals:

Plastic waste floating in the water can be confused for food by animals. When an animal eats plastic, its stomach just fills up with plastic and it loses its appetite, so eventually it will not eat and die of starvation.


Plastics are already deadly because they are laced with toxic chemicals, but pollutants that free-float in seawater can settle on the surface, making them an even more toxic meal for marine animals. These pollutants get into the digestive tracts of marine species that eat plastic, and they accumulate up the food chain over time.


Every Year, 100,000 Animals Perish Due To Entanglement:

And these are only the creatures that we come across. Reports of marine life becoming entangled in plastic waste are frequent. Every year, between 500,000 and one million tonnes of ghost fishing gear—fishing gear that fishermen have lost, abandoned, or discarded—enter the ocean by washing away from ships and shorelines or being tossed from fishing boats.


Any marine life that swims in its path is trapped as it floats throughout the water, which can limit the creatures' range of motion and make it challenging for them to get out and about or feed. 


An Extra Tip:


Three Billion People Worldwide Rely On Fish As Their Primary Source Of Protein:

Making ocean health crucial, especially for developing nations where their primary source of food and money is fish. Even 70% of the protein consumed daily in certain coastal villages comes from fish.


Microplastics are increasingly being found in seafood, endangering our food safety and security. Although the effects of eating seafood tainted with plastic are unknown, it is known that about 210 commercially significant species have consumed plastic waste.


Final Words:

We may now envision the situation in the upcoming years based on these facts. If we take steps to remediate the current plastic waste and decrease its use going forward, we can eventually control and lessen adversities. We shall be able to make better options for a healthy and prosperous future with the support of alternatives to plastic.


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