The 3 facts about plastic pollution on the planet that you need to know

Recent data shows that plastic production could quadruple by 2050 – the date when this material could surpass the number of fish in the ocean

Plastic pollution is a growing global problem, as indicated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP). Data shared by the agency shows that this type of contamination can alter habitats and natural processes, reduce the ability of ecosystems to adapt to climate change and directly affect the livelihoods of millions of people, in addition to affecting their ability to produce food and their social well-being.

Faced with this veritable mountain of plastic waste, he listed three shocking facts that you need to know about its situation in the world.

1. Have you ever heard of the plastisphere?

Plastics, especially microplastics (particles smaller than 5 millimeters), are already ubiquitous in nature, warns UNEP. Their impact on the planet is so great that they are becoming part of Earth's fossil record and a formal marker of the Anthropocene, considered by many experts to be the current geological era.

But that's not all: this material gave its name to a new marine microbial habitat called the "plastisphere." It is a community of microbes that grows as a thin layer of life (like a biofilm) on the outside of the plastic and would be analogous to the biosphere, as explained by Ocean Portal, the Ocean Initiative of the Smithsonian Institution in the United States.

"On microscopic scales, microbes such as bacteria, algae and other single-celled organisms gather and colonize plastic and other objects floating in the water. Even small pieces of marine debris the size of a pinky fingernail can act as microbial aggregation devices ", describes Ocean Portal.

2. Neither bottles nor bags: what is the most common plastic waste?

The most common plastic waste in the world is cigarette butts, whose filters contain tiny fibers of cellulose acetate, according to an interactive UNEP website. Each year, they generate around 766.6 million kilograms of toxic waste.

When improperly disposed of, these items decompose under the influence of sunlight and moisture, releasing microplastics, heavy metals and other chemicals that cause long-term mortality of marine life. In turn, these toxic substances enter the food chain and cause serious impacts on human health.

Cigarette butts are followed by other everyday waste, such as: food packaging, bottles, bottle caps, supermarket bags, straws and liquid mixers.

3) There will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050

Since 1964, plastic production has increased 20-fold, reaching 311 million tons in 2014. That number will likely double in 20 years and nearly quadruple by 2050, estimates “The New Plastics Economy: Rethinking the Future of Plastics,” a report published in 2016 by the World Economic Forum and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (a US non-profit charity dedicated to the circular economy).

The document highlights that at least 8 million tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year, which is equivalent to throwing away the contents of a garbage truck every minute. If no action is taken, the document warns, this number could increase to two per minute by 2030 and four per minute by 2050.

UNEP reinforces the point: if historical growth trends continue, global production of primary plastic will reach 1.1 billion tons by 2050. Furthermore, considering that the products of this material can remain in the ocean for hundreds of years in their original form (and even longer in small particles), the quantity is accumulating day by day.

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation report refers to research that suggests there are more than 150 million tons of plastic waste in the sea. Therefore, he notes that "without significant action, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight by 2050."

Despite these alarming numbers, it is still possible to do something positive about it. Citizens, governments, industry and other stakeholders need to take concrete steps, such as creating laws to ban unnecessary plastics; redesign products to eliminate problematic packaging, containers or items; provide reliable and transparent information; and try a zero-waste lifestyle, suggests UNEP.

Source: National Geographic Brazil