23/08/2021
Plastic. It’s everywhere.
From food packaging to fabrics and face wash, this modern “miracle” invention can be found in some shape or form in nearly all of the products that we purchase and use. While this might be convenient for us, that is about where the accolades of this material end.
Sri Lanka is an island nation with a population of 21.4 million. Sri Lanka generates 7000MT of solid waste per day with the Western Province accounting for nearly 60% of waste generation. In 2017, Sri Lanka was ranked fifth in the list of countries that release plastic and polythene waste to the ocean. Plastic waste generation in Sri Lanka is estimated at 1.59 MMT/year and mismanaged plastic is estimated at 5%.
The majority of plastics end up in landfills and much of it never makes it that far; plastic also has a tendency to wind up in local waterways and our oceans. While we might understand that plastic pollution in the world’s oceans is not a good thing, we are only just beginning to realize the impact that plastics have on marine ecosystems.
Plastics consistently make up 80% of all marine debris studied. There may now be around 5.25 trillion macro and microplastic pieces floating in the open ocean.
There are an estimated 270,000 tons of plastic floating on the surface of the ocean and according to a recent study authored by researchers at Plymouth University, a staggering 700 different marine species are threatened by its presence. More than this, researchers believe that plastic plays a role in rising rates of species extinction.
Research found that 693 species had been documented as having encountered plastic debris, with nearly 400 involving entanglement and ingestion. Between entanglement, ingestion and ecosystem damage, the threat of plastic pollution impacts marine species both large and small.
“We found that all known species of sea turtle, and more than half of all species of marine mammal and seabird had been affected by marine debris – and that number has risen since the last major study,” explains Sarah Gall, one of the report’s authors.
We have seen around 52 percent of the world’s wildlife disappear in the past 40 years, and if we continue to dump plastic into the world’s oceans, this number is set to increase exponentially.
The good news is that we can all help turn the tides for marine animals. Although humans are to blame for plastic pollution, this means we also have the power to stop this marine destruction. So, if you want to stand up for the world’s marine animals, the best place to start is with your personal plastic consumption.
Follow the 3R concept: reduce, reuse and recycle
Follow and contact us Aukat for recycle and reduce plastic from our beautiful Sri Lanka and Earth
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