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How Plastic Pollution Is Choking The World Oceans Captured Science History

Herman Mitchell

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Published in Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking The World S Oceans (Captured Science History)

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Plastic pollution is a major environmental problem that is harming the world's oceans. Plastic waste can take hundreds of years to decompose, and it can accumulate in the ocean, where it can be ingested by marine life or break down into smaller pieces that can be harmful to the environment.

The problem of plastic pollution is growing rapidly. In 2010, an estimated 8 million tons of plastic waste entered the ocean. By 2050, that number is expected to increase to 150 million tons per year.

Plastic pollution is a threat to marine life, the environment, and human health. It is important to take action to reduce plastic pollution and protect the world's oceans.

Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans (Captured Science History)

by Danielle Smith-Llera

4.7 out of 5

Language	:	English
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Print length	:	78 pages

Plastic pollution comes from a variety of sources, including:

Land-based sources: Plastic waste from land-based sources can enter the ocean through rivers, stormwater runoff, and littering.
Ocean-based sources: Plastic waste from ocean-based sources can include lost fishing gear, abandoned ships, and plastic debris from ships.
Microplastics: Microplastics are small pieces of plastic that are less than 5 millimeters in size. Microplastics can come from a variety of sources, including the breakdown of larger pieces of plastic, the use of microbeads in personal care products, and the shedding of synthetic fibers from clothing.

Plastic pollution can have a variety of negative impacts on marine life, the environment, and human health.

Ingestion: Marine animals can ingest plastic waste, which can block their digestive tracts and lead to starvation.
Entanglement: Marine animals can become entangled in plastic waste, which can restrict their movement and cause injury or death.
Habitat destruction: Plastic waste can accumulate in marine habitats, such as coral reefs and seagrass beds, and damage the ecosystem.

Pollution: Plastic waste can pollute the ocean and release harmful chemicals into the environment.
Climate change: Plastic waste can contribute to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Tourism: Plastic waste can damage the tourism industry by making beaches and other coastal areas less attractive to visitors.

Seafood safety: Plastic waste can contaminate seafood, which can pose a health risk to humans.
Drinking water safety: Plastic waste can contaminate drinking water sources, which can pose a health risk to humans.
Cancer: Some types of plastic waste can contain chemicals that have been linked to cancer in humans.

There are a number of solutions to plastic pollution, including:

Reducing plastic use: We can reduce the amount of plastic waste that enters the ocean by reducing our use of plastic products.
Recycling plastic: We can recycle plastic waste to reduce the amount of plastic that ends up in the ocean.
Cleaning up plastic waste: We can clean up plastic waste from the ocean using a variety of methods, such as beach cleanups and ocean cleanup devices.
Developing new technologies: We can develop new technologies to help us reduce plastic pollution, such as biodegradable plastics and plastic-eating enzymes.

Plastic pollution is a major environmental problem that is harming the world's oceans. It is important to take action to reduce plastic pollution and protect the world's oceans. There are a number of solutions to plastic pollution, and we all have a role to play in reducing our impact on the environment.

Trash Vortex: How Plastic Pollution Is Choking the World's Oceans (Captured Science History)

by Danielle Smith-Llera

4.7 out of 5