Plastic bags are harmful to the marine environment
photodegradation of plastic waste; Due to the presence of ultraviolet rays in the sunlight that reaches the Earth, these ultraviolet rays provide the necessary energy for oxygen atoms.
It also fuses with the plastic polymer, which weakens it and makes it brittle, transforming into small pieces that lead to a process of contamination in the water, where plastic waste and the most important of them are plastic bags. main pollutant of the sea. . Up to (85%).
Fish and marine organisms also eat small pieces of plastic, which accumulate in their stomachs, and pieces of plastic have been detected in fish, shrimp, mussels, oysters, and even seabirds
.Plastic pollution damages the marine ecosystem
Thousands of marine animals die as a result of eating or falling into plastic; In the North Pacific, fish ingest between 12,000 and 24,000 tons of plastic per year; This causes intestinal failure and death, and is then passed on to large fish and marine mammals through the food chain. A study also found that:
- A quarter of the fish in California markets have plastic in their intestines.
- Half of the world's sea turtles have swallowed plastic and are affected by it.
- About (60%) of all seabird species have ingested plastic, and by the year (2050 AD) the percentage will increase to (99%), and many of the dead birds on beaches have plastic inside.
- The plastic is swallowed by marine mammals and they become entangled in it, whales, dolphins of more than one species, sharks, reef fish and others have been found.
The effects of plastic pollution on food sources and humans
Microplastics (microplastics) are found in tap water, beer, and salt; In all samples taken in the world's oceans, and recently this was confirmed in the human placenta.
The materials used in the manufacture of plastic cause cancer and affect the endocrine glands. Which causes alterations in growth and reproduction, as well as neurological and immunological disorders.
Toxic contaminants accumulate on the surface of the plastic; Due to prolonged exposure to seawater, and when these plastics are ingested by marine organisms, toxic contaminants enter their digestive system and enter the food chain of all living organisms, and transmission of this type has been determined.
The effects of plastic pollution on tourism
Plastic waste distorts the aesthetic value of tourist destinations, resulting in lower tourism revenue. It also generates significant economic costs for cleaning and maintenance of the site. The accumulation of plastic waste on the beaches can have a negative effect; on the economy, wildlife, and the physical and psychological well-being of people.
The effects of plastic pollution on climate change
Among the practices undertaken by some parties as an alternative to dumping plastic waste in the sea; Plastic is burned to get rid of it, and this phenomenon contributes to the increase in the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. The United Nations strives through its sustainable goals for 2030. Preserve the seas and oceans from all forms of pollution.
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