Most of you know a lot about this problem. Probably, you are guessing the topic, while reading these lines. Well, life in plastic is not fantastic!
Plastic pollution is a widespread problem affecting the marine environment, however, we can not prevent it. It is a big problem because its decay takes hundreds of years. Accurately, it takes 800 years on land and 400 years at sea for plastic for polyethylene products to disintegrate. Notable is the fact that plastic products generate an additional 120 million tons of waste each year, 90 percent of which is dumped into the ocean. Much of this plastic ends up as trash. Single use plastics, such as straws, grocery bags and packaging products are particularly detrimental. For this reason, many developed countries are currently taking appropriate measures to reduce the use of plastic packaging. Apart from that it harms fishing industry, nautical tourism (water tourism), extraction of underground mineral resources and aquaculture. All in all, it leads to ocean pollution. But how? Floating plastics help transport invasive marine species. Also, rivers carry plastic waste from deep inland to the sea, making them major contributors to ocean pollution.
In Europe the Directive on single-use plastics is the law that was legislated by the European Union since 2 July 2019. The European Green Deal Commission controls the law. This commission is connected with the environment, climate and plastic pollution. It is important to note that one third of the 1.8 trillion euro investments from the NextGenerationEU Recovery Plan, and the EU’s seven-year budget will finance the European Green Deal, the main objective of the EU Green Deal is for the EU to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050, resulting in a cleaner environment, more affordable energy, smarter transport, new jobs and an overall better quality of life.
Source: “Banning single-use plastic: lessons and experiences from countries” UN Environment Programme report (2018)
Drink bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, drink lids, straws and stirrers are the most common items when it comes to plastic pollution. Many of us use bottles, bottle caps, food wrappers, grocery bags, straws and stirrers every day, without even thinking about it. Personally, I am aware of the fact that there are a lot of ways that can be useful for the solution of this problem. But the most important one is reducing the usage of Single-Use Plastics. Because only 9% of all plastic waste ever produced has been recycled!
Moreover, have you heard about waxworms and mealworms? They are plastic consuming organisms that can devour plastics and turn them into compost. Due to this, we should go to the market with our own cotton bags, go on picnics with reusable cutlery. Apart from that, we all can join international campaigns and coalitions calling to reduce plastic waste in the world and much more.
Don't wait for someone to change, change yourself!
Maryam Mammadli
18.01.2022
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