Tens of millions of tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year. Is it harmful to animals?

Tens of millions of tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year, shocking animals.

It is reported that in June+10, 5438, a pile of garbage was thought to have washed into the sea from the Mogagua River in Guatemala in a rainstorm, stretching for several miles and extending to the coast of Rocatan, a small island in Honduras in the Caribbean, which is only the tip of the iceberg for the whole plastic garbage to enter the sea. Greenpeace estimates that 654.38+27 million tons of plastic waste enter the ocean every year.

In recent decades, the output of plastic products has soared to an alarming level, and human beings produce about 300 million tons of plastic every year. From 2002 to 20 12, human beings produced more plastic waste than the whole 20th century, which had a devastating impact on animals and the ocean. A dead bird was found on Midway Island in the North Pacific Ocean, and its stomach was full of plastic garbage eaten by mistake. )

With the increasing global population and increasing demand, the destruction trend of plastic waste will only accelerate, and because this material will not be easily degraded, it cannot be eliminated in the environment.

Plastic garbage may block the stomach and digestive system of marine animals, or entangle their bodies. According to the data of the United Nations Environment Programme, thousands of seabirds, turtles and other animals suffer terrible deaths from plastic waste every year. About 60% seabirds have eaten plastic fragments to some extent, and by 2050, this number will increase to 99%. A whale stranded on the coast of Norway. )

Because of the low density of plastic waste, plastic waste can catch a ride on ocean currents and spread all over the world-from Pacific islands to British beaches and even the Arctic Circle. These wastes are usually concentrated in the main ocean circulation of the earth, which is a huge rotating ocean current system.

One of the five major circulation areas in the subtropical zone is now seriously polluted. It is named "Pacific Garbage Patch"-a huge plastic garbage patch between Hawaii and California. (Garbage floats at the mouth of Este Bay in Tondo, Manila, Philippines. )

Although plastics are not easy to degrade, when they are exposed to sunlight or physical friction, they will break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Although these microplastics are not necessarily toxic, they can attract and accumulate toxic pollutants already existing in water, such as DDT pesticides and PCBs. Plastic pollution in Manila Bay, Philippines. )

Microplastics is usually consumed by small marine organisms, such as plankton and mussels, and then eaten by large animals. At present, scientists do not understand this process, but they are worried that toxic chemicals will accumulate with the increase of the food chain, causing harm to animals and even people who eat contaminated seafood.

Plastic waste pollution causes millions of dollars in losses to the global economy every year, including beach cleaning, tourism, fisheries and aquaculture.

The turtle was found at the Marine Corps Base in pendleton, north of San Diego. It was dehydrated, underweight and hypothermia. It was also found that it had ingested plastic. Turtles often mistake floating garbage for food, which may lead to intestinal obstruction, ulcer, gastric perforation and death. In addition to direct injury, these animals may have a false sense of fullness, which will lead them to stop breeding and eventually starve to death. Research shows that about half of the turtles in the world consume plastic.

Plastic nets and fishing lines are especially harmful to animals. Entanglement can cause an animal to suffocate, and it may also prevent it from eating or breathing out of the water. Divers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration tried to rescue seals trapped in abandoned plastic fishing nets.

According to the research of Plymouth University, 80% entanglement will lead to direct injury or death, which also highlights its impact on endangered species, such as Hawaiian monk seals and red turtles. This stranded whale was found dead in Morobe, USA. )

Henderson Island, located in the South Pacific, 1988 has become a world cultural heritage. Scientists in university of tasmania estimate that there are about 37.7 million pieces of plastic waste on the island, which is probably the most polluted place in the world. There are 67/kloc-0 pieces of plastic waste per square meter of beach, which is the highest density of plastic waste in history.

Protecting the environment starts with you and me!