The Plastic Pollution Crisis

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The Plastic Pollution Crisis
by Amit Hassan \| 10-05-2023 21:07 0
Plastic pollution has become one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. The production of plastic has increased dramatically since the 1950s, and it is estimated that over 8.3 billion metric tons of plastic has been produced to date. Shockingly, around 60% of that plastic has ended up in landfills or the natural environment, where it can take hundreds of years to decompose. Plastic pollution is particularly damaging to marine life, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering our oceans each year. It is estimated that by 2050, there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish by weight. Marine animals often mistake plastic for food or become entangled in plastic waste, leading to serious harm or death. Microplastics, which are small pieces of plastic less than 5mm in size, have been found in oceans, lakes, and rivers around the world, potentially causing harm to human health. The economic and social costs of plastic pollution are also significant, with the World Economic Forum estimating the cost to the tourism, fishing, and shipping industries at around $13 billion per year. To tackle this issue, it is essential to reduce plastic consumption, improve recycling rates, and promote sustainable alternatives to single-use plastics. Governments, businesses, and individuals all have a role to play in reducing plastic pollution and protecting our planet for future generations.

Dormant user Amit Hassan

2 Comments

James Mentor says :
Hello Amit! This is your mentor James.

60% of 8.3 billion tons of plastic waste would refer to nearly 5 billion tons of plastic waste being disposed in landfills or in the ocean. What a devastating number. A new concept I've learned is also about microplastic, which not only resides in ocean plastic, but also even in the atmosphere which could accumulate in our very own lungs. Consumption of fish that has accumulated microplastic would also result in more plastic in the human body. Thus more effective recycling of plastic waste is needed.

Thank you for this article!! Can't wait to read more of your writings.
Posted 29-05-2023 14:26

Yewon Mentor says :
Hello Amit! Again, this is your mentor Yewon.

In this report, you have pointed out a very important issue, plastic pollution.
As you mentioned in your report, plastic is becoming a big problem for the earth because the waste that is hard to degrade is increasing rapidly. Those plastic waste is causing severe problems to the marine ecosystem and to the whole world.
Especially, have you heard of a plastic island? I think it would be nice to investigate it and share it with us in the next report!!

Thank you for your great work!
Posted 22-05-2023 21:47