Tourists Contribute to Plastic Waste in the Mediterranean Sea
Did you know that we can find seven percent of the world’s plastic pollution in the Mediterranean Sea? It’s crazy to think that the home of one percent of the water in the world has so much plastic, and more than crazy, it is sad, but it is true.
Single-use plastic is the most common —including straws, bottles, coffee cups, and bags— and the one we are urged to stop using, or at least, minimize our use of. Every year, about 200 million tourists visit the area, which has increased marine litter in about 40 percent, and 95 percent of that is plastic waste, according to a report by the World Wildlife Fund.
As we bombard marine life with plastic and more plastic, we also generate microplastic, which is being consumed by them and could end up on your plate. The Mediterranean Sea is a beautiful and very popular holiday destination, so if you’re heading there for the holidays, be mindful of what you’re bringing with you. Avoiding single-use plastic that can help reduce your plastic footprint and contribute to less plastic being stranded in the sea.
China is the world’s largest producer of plastic, followed by Europe, who dumps 50,000 tonnes of plastic in oceans and rivers all over the continent every year. Since 2017, more and more people are aware of how much impact plastic pollution is having on our planet, and more organizations are taking steps towards banning single-use plastic. India, for example, announced a plan to eradicate single-use plastic by 2022 and the UK government plans to achieve this by 2042.
We don’t need to wait for everyone else to get it done before we do something about it. You too can take steps toward minimizing your use of plastic at home. Recycling helps decrease the impact this material has on the environment.
Sunrise Sanitation provides residential, commercial and industrial recycling services. Contact us for more information.
