How Plastic Waste Destroys The Environment & Nature

Everyone should be aware that plastic waste has destroyed the environment and nature. Plastic here, plastic there. Whether by the sea, in the city, or in the country. We usually find plastic garbage everywhere. This small plastic residue, which at first glance seems harmless to us, is a total catastrophe for the environment and its living beings. Plastic waste is everywhere and sooner or later ends up in the sea. The problem: plastic doesn’t rot. 

In this article, I would like to show you what the plastic waste of every one of us does in nature. As I would like to make all readers aware of the problem of plastic waste on our earth, in this article you will not only see current developments in the problem of plastic waste but also terrifying images of the consequences of plastic waste in the environment.

CONSEQUENCES OF PLASTIC WASTE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

According to studies by the Naturschutzbund, up to 100,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds are caused by the plastic waste we leave in our environment. At the time of throwing it away, most people simply do not know that minutes later this garbage will be in the stomach of seabirds or other animals. There, plastic (lighters, plastic bags, plastic lids, etc.) can cause blockages and fatal injuries. Sea turtles are also very vulnerable to plastic debris. They mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish and eat the plastic. Above all, fish mistake microplastics for natural plankton.

This is how plastic also enters the food chain. As you will see in the pictures below, many animals suffocate or starve from plastic waste that they think is food. Animals starve even though their stomachs are full. With plastic waste that does not decompose. Plastic prevents the digestive system of animals from working. A study on fulmars has shown that these ocean birds have an average of 27 pieces of plastic in their stomach. Plastic is expected to be found in the stomachs of at least 95% of all bird species by 2050. What applies to bird species in these statistics also applies to all other animal species.

PLASTIC WASTE IN THE ENVIRONMENT KILLING ANIMALS

The image of the seal that was caught in one of the many ghost nets (lost fishing nets) in our seas needs no further explanation. Without help, this seal would have starved to death.

Besides ghost nets, all other types of marine litter are dangerous to the seal. Plastic waste has a devastating impact on the ecosystem. Larger marine animals, in particular, are threatened by litter. If you were not aware of the problem of plastic waste, hopefully, it will light up no later than after the next picture. This turtle has been in this plastic ring since childhood. Your body couldn’t handle plastic, so this evolution came about. Since plastic does not rot, the tortoise has carried it with them for many, many years.

Plastic waste is everywhere in the environment, persists, and is supplemented by around 32 million tons each year. It’s amazing that we let it happen and that countermeasures are being implemented too slowly. We keep sawing on the branch we’re sitting on.

PLASTIC WASTE IN THE SEA AND IN RIVERS

Next, I would like to provide you with information about plastic waste in our waters:

PLASTIC WASTE IN RIVERS

Plastic particles have also been detected in rivers around the world. Microplastics (less than 5mm) from toothpaste, shower gel, and so on get into rivers through sewage. Because sewage treatment plants still can’t filter microplastics. Our rivers carry plastic waste into the sea. I wrote a detailed article on the topic of microplastics in cosmetic products.

PLASTIC LAUNCHES INTO THE SEA

Experts estimate that there will be around 300 million tonnes of plastic in the sea in 2017. Another 8 million tonnes are added each year. 300 million tons remain. By 2050 there could be three times more plastic in the ocean than fish. Since the plastic components are eaten by the fish, the plastic ends up in the food chain and returns to our plate. Plastic waste in the ocean ranges from plastic bags, buckets, water bottles, disposable razors to lighters and toothbrushes. Plastic disintegrates very slowly due to salty water and solar radiation, which is why a plastic bottle takes at least 450 years to decompose. But then the plastic is not gone.

PLASTIC STRIPS TO THE SURFACE

According to information from UNEP (United Nations Environment Program), around 18,000 pieces of plastic of various sizes float on every square kilometer of the surface of the sea. Particularly noteworthy here are the swirls of plastic garbage. Experts have analyzed ocean currents and identified special centers for plastic waste in the sea. There are six such garbage vortexes in our oceans. The largest garbage vortex in the sea is the “Great Pacific Garbage Patch”, which is the size of Central Europe. About 15% of all plastic waste in maritime regions is said to float on the sea surface, another 15% wash up on beaches.

PLASTIC SHOTS TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA

According to the Naturschutzbund, around 70% of plastic waste sinks prematurely to the bottom of the sea. Visible plastic on the surface is only a small part of the total plastic waste in the sea. Since we know that there are around 300 million tons of plastic waste in the entire ocean, there should be around 210 million tons of plastic on the ocean floor alone. It’s amazing how far we’ve come.

PLASTIC WASTE IN DEPTH

We go one step further. Marine biologists have also studied plastic components in the deep sea. The result: plastic debris in the deep sea of ​​the Arctic has increased significantly. Even if we humans only appear sporadically in this area, the Arctic is also increasingly littered with garbage. Here it is important to observe the results of the next few years.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE GARBAGE IN THE OCEAN TO DECOMPOSE?

Plastic debris in the ocean breaks down very, very slowly into smaller microplastics due to saltwater and other factors. The plastic bottle someone tossed into the sea, for example, has been around for at least 450 years before it partially disintegrates. A plastic bag is slightly thinner, it takes about 1020 years to decompose in the sea. Enough time for turtles or other marine animals to keep it as food. Styrofoam cups or food cans break down into microplastics in about 50 years. That’s half a century! Cigarette butts end up in the water very quickly. Cigarette butts take one to five years to decompose. Everyone should be aware of this long decomposition time of garbage in the environment or at sea. Really everyone!

WHAT DO WE ALL HAVE TO DO TO COMBAT PLASTIC WASTE IN THE ENVIRONMENT!

We all have to rethink so that plastic waste does not even end up in the environment. Plastic does not rot, kills animals, and is also harmful to health. By consciously living without plastic or at least without plastic, we help ourselves and the environment in which we live. Read this article on the topic of life without plastic below and find out which plastic products you can remove and replace directly from your everyday life. Register here briefly and every week I will show you some plastic items from your everyday life that you can exchange right away. You can also join our global beach cleaning group on Facebook and share your own beach cleaning group with the world.

 When it comes to existing plastic waste in the environment, we can only support existing projects and act ourselves. The picture shows the cleaning of the beach on Rügen, which is necessary but also very expensive. Cleaning beaches and coastal areas cost millions of euros every year. The Naturschutzbund regularly organizes aid campaigns to eliminate plastic waste. Once a year there is also “Coastal Cleanup Day” where you can meet lots of like-minded people. Meanwhile, many startups are also dealing with the disposal of plastic waste in the oceans. The best example is the young Dutchman Boyan Slat. With “TheOceanCleanup” he wants to collect plastic from the entire ocean surface of our earth within 5 years from 2020.