Sad fact shows us that our world is populated by objects which is made of plastic. Plastic is one of the materials that is commonly used by the public for a variety of things, such as bringing goods that are not quite brought only by using both hands or wrapping up something to be brought or given to someone. Because of its frequent use, plastic seems to become a necessity in the society which should be available everywhere.
As we can see, we can easily find objects which is made of plastic. There are also many kinds of plastic which is available for food purposes such as plastic bottles, plastic cups, etc. Even many more objects made from plastic which we often come across around the US. It could be said that more than 70% of the world is inhabited by the plastic objects that are certainly going to be garbage.
This is certainly a serious problem because many regions of the world are contaminated with plastic waste. As we know, plastic waste is certainly going to cause tremendous damage impacts on this earth. The garbage that pollute the sea will cause extraordinary damage on marine life. In addition to littering the oceans, plastic waste is also eaten and poison the sea animals.
Whereas if plastic waste polluting the soil, chemical substances will appear and pollute the soil. So that, it will give the reduced level of benefits and fertility. Besides, plastic waste can also kill the parser of the soil. Please be aware that new plastic can be described by the ground at least after being buried for 200 to 400 years. There is even a study says that the plastic waste can decompose within 1000 years. So, the only reasonable if the fertility rate diminished land owned.
Because of it, we often do not realize our Earth is in the garbage State of emergency. Even a collection of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean nearly covering mainland Indonesia. Well aside of that, there are still many facts that indicate if the Earth we dwell in an emergency because of the garbage condition. Here are some things which I am about to explain!
1. The Formation of Garbage in Honduras Island
Photo via: roaring earth.
One of the evidence if the Earth is currently in a State of emergency is a bunch of garbage that filled the trash off Roatan, Honduras along the 2 miles. Note that if a garbage collection is derived from the ocean waves and wind that collect so much junk from time to time. Because of the large number of garbage floats in the sea for over the years, garbage-trash ends to form an archipelago of garbage. Surely the piled up garbage that waste caused pollution of the sea is a very severe up to serious threat against a variety of marine species.
2. The collection of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean is almost the same with an area of Indonesia
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Have you guys heard about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch? This term is used to describe a collection of plastic waste in the Pacific Ocean. The Great Pacific Garbage Patch trash - this is a collection of plastic waste floating in the ocean between Hawaii and California, and now enlarged to hold measuring 1.6 million km2, or almost covering the mainland of Indonesia (1.9 million km2).
The study of The Ocean Cleanup Foundation estimates about 80,000 tons of plastic floating in the Pacific Ocean region. The location of this junk has a current of water churning and the wind is causing a variety of objects, including plastic, seaweed, and plankton. In addition, the plastic garbage were found not only in the form of microplastic, but rather to a fishing net, toys, and even a toilet seat.
It is estimated that this plastic garbage bins will continue to grow over time. Can you imagine how horriblee it would be if the Pacific Ocean is no longer blue, but a sea of garbage?
3. People indirectly eat plastic particles through seafood
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Have ever heard of this one? I bet you haven’t. The result of the large number of plastic trash that are polluting the marine environment not unlikely if a sea dweller will take microplastic which is scattered around them. According to research conducted by a team of scientists from the University of Ghent in Belgium, it shows that people who consume seafood regularly can swallow up to 11,000 small pieces of plastic per year and clear plastic particles in the body is a serious problem. Microplastic that accumulates in the body over time could pose long-term health risks.
4. Many marine animals and birds that die from plastic waste
There are million tons of plastic washed away into the sea in every year. Some of them drift into the ocean circulation currents, known as a gyre. Once it caught in a gyre, plastics will break into microplastic, which is then digested the living creatures in the sea. As a result, there are many marine animals that are experiencing indigestion causing death due to the plastic waste. Every year, there are numerous marine animals that are found dead. Not because it was killed, but many of them found the trash snagged in their stomach. These animals are found dead due to the Trash:
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In 2016, there were several beaches in the United Kingdom, Germany and the Netherlands found the carcass of 13 sperm whales stranded on the edge of the beaches. After surgery, it turned out that plastic vapor was found in its stomach. The most shocked thing again, it was found that fishing nets snagged in 15 meters along the belly of one of the Pope's corpse. The case of a sudden became the spotlight of the world, because it is proven that the oceans are already increasingly critical because of the contaminated plastic waste.
- · The death of the Pope in Wakatobi, Indonesia
Photo via: regional.kompas.com
Surprisingly, the huge problem of waste is also becoming a worst case in Indonesia. There are still many regions in Indonesia which are contaminated with plastic waste. One of them is in Wakatobi. There was 1.7 tons of plastic waste were scattered in the coastal areas and beaches around Wakatobi. Whereas Wakatobi is already set as a World Biosphere Reserve. Even in the deepness of 5 to 10 meters, are still found as many as 24 pounds of garbage that dominated the plastic bottle, and there are also garbage such as nets, nappies and plastic jar. Surely it threats the marine ecosystems. This is evidenced by the presence of a whale carcass stranded findings in the waters of Wakatobi. After surgery, it turned out that the belly of the whale was filled with plastic waste weighing 5.9 pounds.
You guys need to know that Indonesia is the number 2 of plastic garbage contributor to the world's largest ocean, i.e. achieve 187.2 million tons. First occupied by China with 262.9 million tons per year. In third place was the Philippines reached 83.4 million tons followed by Viet Nam 55.9 million tons per year. Isn’t that pathetic?
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In 2015, Chloe Garland, a member of the rescue team found a turtle females died. After the surgery, in his throat found plenty of plastic waste, there was even a wire rod in its stomach. The latest research from the Schuyler Qamar University of Queensland that was published in Global Change Biology says about 52% of sea turtles around the world have been consuming plastic waste
Not just the Pope or sea turtles, plastic garbage polluting the malignancy of the Sea also affects the populations of sea lions. Many sea lions were found dead due to injuries to consuming plastic waste. Not only that, most of them also got tangled in fishing nets which was the main cause of the death.
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Plastic pollution impact is great for fish because sadly they also consumed it as well. A number of studies show that most of the fish consume food which people never eat it before and it is the plastic microfiber. In addition, these microscopic garbage came in with the water past the gills breathing as a tool for marine animals making their breathing is not working well due to clogged with microplastic.
Sea birds have also been found with a wreck and its belly full of plastic waste condition. This incident occurred on the Midway Island around years ago. There were a bunch of Albatross seabirds which ate everything that floated and considered as edible food, then they returned to the nest to feed their babies. But sadly. as a result, there were many Albatross babies died with their stomachs full of plastic waste. It is estimated every year there are ten thousands of Albatross who die eating the plastic waste. Are you surprised as I am?
5. Plastic is also found in the digestive tract of the deepest animals in the sea
Photo via: http://www.bhataramedia.com
Not just the sea surface are contaminated by microplastic, because microplastic is also found in the body of the crustaceans, marine animals that inhabit the deepest parts of the ocean in the earth i.e. Most Mariana. The researchers reported, in fact among the six deep sea trench in the Pacific, no one is free from plastic contamination. It shows that the chances of all marine ecosystems contaminated microplastic is very high.
6. The famous pure and clean Arctic Seas has been contaminated by plastic waste
The Arctic Ocean that is known as the most pure and clean water also cannot escape from the contamination of plastic waste because there are hundreds of billion pieces plastic garbage found floating in the oceans of the Arctic. The garbage dump is expected to have a weight range from 100 up to 1,200 tons, with an estimated 400 tons each containing 300 billion plastic items and the results of these findings has shown that the pollution in this Earth have reached the alarming rate.
7.Salt Has Been Contaminated Microplastic
According to research conducted by Hasanuddin University (Unhas), Makassar and Oceanography Centre Indonesia Institute of Science (LIPI) who have made the study against the content of the microplastic in the salt and fish in Indonesia. As a result, it found out that the existence of 10-20 particle microplastic per kilogram of salt. Types of plastic found in salt is similar to findings in water, sediment, and its biota. Alleged plastic micro on salt is derived from sea water that has been polluted. In addition, there is also the possibility of the inclusion of the micro-plastic after harvesting because of the extensive use of plastic.
8. Mumbai, India were flooded with plastic waste
Photo via: www.nationalgeographic.com
As a developing city, Mumbai seems to become a home to many tons of garbage. Plastic waste into settlers along the coastline in Mumbai. When the rainy season comes, the water level will rise, the garbage dump crashing into the city, piling up along the road and pavement. But keep in mind that Mumbai produces 10 thousand metric tons of garbage each day. The majority of trash that ends up in landfills located in Deonar suburbs. Even the garbage disposal has been transformed into a land of garbage which is completely pathetic.
There are also some sad facts that show when our Earth is currently in a State of emergency the trash, especially plastic waste. We are as human beings certainly being one of the parts in this huge plastic rubbish pollution because sometimes we do not realize where some of us dump our trash. Meanwhile the use of plastic waste keeps increasing every year. Now we have to realize not to use plastic in a big number again. Reducing the use of items made from plastic and recycle plastic waste is the easiest way for us to help reduce the amount of garbage the current world is constantly increasing and please keep in mind not to throw litter into the River because of the trash will be emptied into the sea. From now on, let's say “SAY NO TO PLASTIC!”
