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A "Sea" of Plastic |
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by Jeonghyun Lee | 15-02-2015 20:57
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A few months ago, I wrote an article on Hurdles Caused by Nurdles. Nurdles are small plastic pellets used to manufacture various plastic products. They pose a serious threat to the marine ecosystem as it is very likely for a marine animal to mistake nurdles as prey. Recently, a detailed research into the seriousness of the plastic pollution in oceans revealed un uncomfortable truth. The research paper, posted on the renowned journal Science, is one of the first papers to accurately estimate the amount of plastics that enter the sea through various sources. It was conducted by a team of scientists at the University of Georgia, with Prof. Jenna Jambeck as the director of the study. For the detailed report, you can visit this website: The results were quite astounding: the amount of plastic that entered the oceans just in the year 2010 can range from 4.8 million metric tons to 12.7 million metric tons. The director of the study, Ms. Jambeck was quoted as saying that the mean estimate, about 8 million metric tons, is equal to "five plastic grocery bags filled with plastic for every foot of coastline in the world". I was just shocked at this description, and learnt that the amount of plastic floating in oceans is far beyond our imaginations. What is even more heartbreaking is that the amount of plastics being emitted into the oceans, as well as the total amount, is increasing day by day. This means that there would be even more plastics in the ocean as you are reading this report now, as the research was mainly conducted in 2010. Furthermore, recent research also suggests that plastics in oceans is much more harmful than we usually think. It is reported that the toxic chemical coating from plastics, as well as the sheer presence of plastics themselves,. has a tremendous impact on the marine ecosystem. Whatever the reasons, it is time for us now to take even stronger action against plastic pollution in oceans, before they begin to threaten even our lives, which may be taking action even now. BELOW: AN INFOGRAPHIC IMAGE OF THE EQUIVALENTS OF EIGHT MILLION METRIC TONS OF PLASTIC |
 
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4 Comments
Jeonghyun Thanks for the report. What really sadden me is that the report is of 2010, 5 years before. Considering the rapid development of many countries, we can expect to increase the number of plastics waste deposited. And exponential rise in environmental hazard.
Sometime I feel really sorry to all those creatures and animals which are being disturbed by our action, which are seeing loos in their habitat to full fill our greed. Thanks for report. :)
I want to share small fact about plastics:
about 6 kg of CO2 is produced for making a plastic while only 3.5 kg of CO2 is produced for recycling plastics. so for every kilogram of plastic we recycle, 2.5 Kg of CO2 is less emitted. Considering the hazard of plastics, our team is doing our best to send the plastics produced within university premises into recycling factory.
Posted 17-02-2015 15:52
@Jeonghyun Lee- The fact is worst, beyond our expectation. If this statistic of 2010, 5 years ago is so severe, definitely the situation is more alarming now. Plastics everywhere and it is very difficult to remove those massive quantity of trash that already entered the ocean and is threatening the marine ecosystem. All we can do is start acting from today, we need institutionalized effort. Drawing attention is the first step for commencing action, I am glad you shared this alarming information. Keep on sharing :)
Posted 16-02-2015 10:07
These results are really disastrous.And as this is according to the result of resurch in 2010 there is no doubt that the plastics in marine and other water bodies have definitely increased.Those plastics are threat to bio-diversity as well as humans who have caused this.Thanks for the report Jeonghyn. :)
Posted 16-02-2015 09:59
Thanks for an informative report , Lee. Alarming statistics. Plastic pollution is a serious menace and should be stopped at the soonest . Most of the waste we produce on land eventually reaches the oceans, either through deliberate dumping or from run-off through drains and rivers. We all should understand that by disposing plastic waste in oceans/other such water bodies either intentionally or un-intentionally , we are not only polluting their water which eventually kills marine animals , disturbs bio-diversity and hence imbalances the eco-system , but also the toxins from the plastics enter the food chain, threatening human health.
Posted 16-02-2015 01:44