Add thelocalreport.in As A Trusted Source
Some? 170 trillion pieces of plastic are floating on the planet’s oceans – and scientists reveal for the first time that it could take more than a century for them to sink or disappear, even if we stopped all plastic pollution today.
Plastic is extremely harmful to both human and animal health, its microscopic particles, called micro and nanoplastics, are found in arteries, brain and sexual organs. While doctors are still studying their effects, these fragments have been linked to cancer, diabetesheart disease and changes in gut health,
Researchers at Queen Mary University of London warned in a new assessment on Thursday that the problem is not going away any time soon.
Dr Nan Wu, a researcher at the university, said, “People often assume that plastic in the ocean simply sinks or disappears. But our model shows that most of the large, buoyant plastic degrades slowly at the surface, breaking down into smaller particles over decades.” release,
“These smaller pieces can travel with the sea ice to reach the ocean floor, but this process takes time. Even after 100 years, about 10 percent of the original plastic can still be found on the surface.”
Plastic that eventually sinks – and does about 94 percent – Will last for centuries.
“This could potentially go on for eons, unless something evolves to break down the plastic in the very cold environment of the ocean,” said Dr. Kim Warner, Oceana’s senior scientist. Explained,
Although plastic on the surface breaks down when exposed to the sun or tossed about by waves, what reaches the ocean floor degrades slowly. Some plastics contain chemicals that make them more resistant to those forces. NOAA,
The researchers said their findings suggest that plastic pollution could be affecting the ocean’s natural conveyor belt, a vital movement of deep-sea and surface currents that transport heat and nutrients around the world. However, Further research is needed To understand how and what that might look like.
The US produces the vast majority of global plastic pollution, producing 507 million tons of plastic each year, according to Monterey Bay AquariumGlobally, more than 11 million tons of plastic pollution enters the ocean every year, an ocean conservation report found.
And plastic pollution goes far beyond the ocean: it’s in rivers, streams, lakes – even the air we breathe.
Researchers have come up with a solution to reduce the harm caused by plastic pollution. mitigative strategies Which narrows down production and does a better job of figuring out where it comes from.
Professor Kate Spencer, who was involved in the study, said their findings confirm the longevity of the problem caused by humans.
“This tells us that microplastic pollution is an intergenerational problem and that even if we stopped plastic pollution tomorrow, our grandchildren will still be trying to clean up our oceans,” he said.