VIDEO Most Ocean Plastic Pollution Carried by 10 Rivers

[misskit]

LONDON — The equivalent of one garbage truck full of plastic waste is dumped into the world’s oceans every minute, equal to 8 million tons a year. New research suggests that 90 percent of that waste gets into the oceans through 10 major river systems.


“It seems that larger rivers preferentially transport plastic and these are rivers with a large population. You could reduce river plastic loads tremendously by focusing on these 10 rivers,” lead researcher Christian Schmidt of Germany’s Helmholtz Center for Environmental Research, told VOA.


Two of the rivers are in Africa - the Nile and the Niger – while the remaining eight are in Asia – the Ganges, Indus, Yellow, Yangtze, Haihe, Pearl, Mekong and Amur.


Researchers analyzed studies that examined the plastic pollution load in rivers, and compared the figures to the quantity of waste that is not disposed of properly in each river catchment or watershed.


The results suggest reducing waste in those rivers would go a long way to tackling ocean plastic pollution.


“Actually, it’s very simple. You have to improve waste management, particularly in developing countries with rapid economic growth. So, this is a waste management problem there. But globally, ((it’s)) not exclusively developing countries. Littering is the other source of river plastics, countries like Germany,” says Schmidt.


The ecological consequences of oceanic plastic pollution are difficult to foresee, but scientists are clear that it is already deeply affecting marine life. So-called microplastics – found in cosmetics - are often mistaken for food. One recent study by the University of Ghent in Belgium calculated that humans eat up to 11,000 plastic fragments in their seafood each year.


“The microbeads, they might be more harmful for aquatic life, but the larger pieces, over time they are brittle and form a secondary source of microplastics,” according to Schmidt.


It is estimated that 5 percent of plastic is recycled effectively. Total global plastic production was 322 million tons in 2015, a figure that is expected to quadruple by 2050.


Schmidt and his colleagues hope their research offers a potential focus for cleanup programs.

https://www.voanews.com/a/ninety-per...-/4134909.html

[CaptainNemo]

Major importing economies need to agree WTO environmental tariffs and penalities.

[David48atTD]

Linking to an earlier related story ... https://teakdoor.com/world-news/18070...bage-site.html (Caribbean becomes a huge floating garbage site)

[katie23]

Watched the docu "A plastic ocean" about a month ago. Don't know if it's on youtube, but it must be searchable somewhere. It's around 1.5 hours long. It has a depressing tone, but it's the truth. Plastics are killing the whales, fish, other sea creatures and birds. Sigh....

And to think that in the movie The Graduate, plastic was viewed as the material of the future. It's our boon & bane...

[Wilsonandson]

This novel 3-D animation dives into how our consumption of plastics has affected marine species deaths and increased human health risks, and it explores possible long-term solutions. Motion graphic artist Andreas Tanner uses his compelling infographics to educate viewers on all aspects of plastic production, consumption, and breakdown. “Due to particular currents in the Pacific Ocean, a new continent has been born: a mass of plastic waste the size of Europe.” Tanner also offers ideas for alternative and sustainable buying habits to reduce our reliance on plastic.

[Looper]

Two of the rivers are in Africa - the Nile and the Niger – while the remaining eight are in Asia – the Ganges, Indus, Yellow, Yangtze, Haihe, Pearl, Mekong and Amur.

Trust the grubby chinks to have half the rivers on the list.

[Neverna]

The last time I walked beside the Nile, I didn't see much plastic in it. Things must have deteriorated a lot recently.

[HuangLao]

The last time I walked beside the Nile, I didn't see much plastic in it. Things must have deteriorated a lot recently.

Perhaps the story in question might be a bit exaggerated....

[david44]

The last time I walked beside the Nile, I didn't see much plastic in it. Things must have deteriorated a lot recently.

You get a better perspective in denial ( if the crocs don't lick yer nipples nevertiti) pharaoh nuff