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The Dangers of Plastics

The Dangers of Plastics

According to estimates, 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year. 50 percent of all plastics produced, or half of these, are only intended for single use.

Every year, our oceans receive about 8 million tons of plastic waste. 

How long do plastics last in the ocean? This is a frequently asked question. Depending on the type of plastic, it can take 50 to 100 years for a plastic to decompose.

Unfortunately, this decomposition only turns them merely into microplastics and then microfibers. Unfortunately, they only become microplastics and then microfibers as a result of this decomposition. They never truly rot.

5.25 trillion pieces of plastic waste are present in our oceans, of which 269,000 tons float at the surface and 4 billion microfibers live below the water's surface per km, according to research.

About 70% of the debris in the ocean ecosystem sinks; 15% of it floats; and the remaining 15% is washed up on our beaches.

Records indicate that more plastic has been produced in the last ten years than has been produced in the entire preceding century. 

If current trends continue, there may be more plastic in the ocean than fish by 2050. Plastics account for up to 60–90% of marine pollution, according to numerous studies conducted around the world.

Deep divers and ocean crusaders say approximately 46,000 plastic pieces cover our water per mile. Every type of plastic ever produced, excluding those that have been burned, is still around in some capacity.

 

At Chaint Afrique, we are playing our part in keeping plastics out of the ocean. In our flagship circular economy project, NetCYCLE, we engage with fishing communities to collect their discarded monofilament nylon-6 fishnets through the creation of iTouchPoints, which are interactive community platforms where we collect our recycled material.

 

References: 

 

Condor Ferries

 

WorldOceanNetwork