Plastics reaching the world’s oceans have increased by an “unprecedented” amount since 2005 and could nearly triple by 2040. If no further action is taken, according to research published Wednesday.
It is assumed that 171 trillion plastic particles were floating in the oceans in 2019According to a peer-reviewed study led by the 5 Gyres Institute, an American organization that campaigns to reduce plastic pollution.
marine plastic pollution May increase by 2.6 times by 2040 anticipate this presence unless global legally binding policies are introduced.
The study analyzed surface-level plastic pollution data from 11,777 ocean stations in six major marine regions covering the period from 1979 to 2019.
“we found one An alarming trend of exponential growth of microplastics in the global ocean since the beginning of this millenniumMarcus Eriksen, co-founder of 5 Gyres Group, said in a statement:
A global agreement is needed
“We need a strong and legally binding global agreement from the UN. It’s about plastic pollution that stops the problem at its source,” he said.
Microplastics are particularly dangerous to the oceans, as they not only pollute the water but also damage the internal organs of marine animals that mistook the plastic for food. In addition, these parts enter the human body through the trophic chain.
Experts added that the research showed that: The level of marine plastic pollution in the oceans has been underestimated.
“The numbers this new research brings are surprisingly extraordinary,” Paul Harvey, a plastics expert and scientist at Environmental Science Solutions, an Australian consulting firm focused on reducing environmental pollution, told Reuters.
The United Nations began negotiations on a global agreement to tackle plastic pollution in November with the aim of drafting a legally binding agreement by the end of next year.
According to the Greenpeace organization, Without a strong global agreement, plastic production could double in the next 10-15 years and triple by 2050.
A separate international agreement to help conserve biodiversity in the world’s high seas was signed on Sunday, although it has yet to be ratified by signatory countries.
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