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Thread: 90% of all plastic ocean waste comes from 10 rivers in 2nd & 3rd world countries

  1. #1

    90% of all plastic ocean waste comes from 10 rivers in 2nd & 3rd world countries

    Article on a study showing that the most important work to be done to improve the plastic pollution problem, is to address economic development and recycling and waste amelioration in 10 major river systems.

    Of course, removing plastic nurdles from beauty products and getting rid plastic shopping bags is still a good thing, but it's a drop in the proverbial bucket compared to what is streaming into the oceans from the "major polluter" countries.

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ia-Africa.html

  2. #2
    Senior Member Pod of Cali Merman Storm's Avatar
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    There is someone who wants to clean the oceans by dragging around big nets a very slow speeds (so fish don't get caught). Hes missing the point. The nets need to be at those 10 rivers, not in the middle of the ocean.
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  3. #3
    Every little bit counts as far as cleanup goes, though.

    It's better if we can stop plastic use at the source. Don't use the stuff if you can help it. It never completely breaks down.

  4. #4
    Senior Member Euro Pod Echidna's Avatar
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    Yep, I've known this for a while.
    Frustrating to see how Europe passes one ban after the other (drinking straws and cotton swabs/Q-tips are next), even though most European countries religiously recycle every last bit, while elsewhere the trash gets dumped wholesale in the respective rivers or ocean.

    Of course, banning nurdles would still be a good move, as you cannot remove those from the system and it all ends up in the water supply.
    They haven't gotten around to it though...too busy passing laws concerning very useful items that don't really pose a problem with the european garbage system, but oh well.

  5. #5
    Yes. Thank you for posting this. I had learned about this a while back and I am getting increasingly frustrated that we are so concerned about banning things that we aren't addressing the root issues. Sure, refusing to use plastic straws and bags is a great start. But the reality is that enacting bans has consequences and it doesn't do anything about the plastic that's already out there.

    Additionally, there are *so many* other products that are single use plastics that cannot just be outright banned. For example, there are tons of single use items in the medical industry that are made of plastic. These are used for sanitary purposes. You can't just ban them without a viable alternative.

    Personally, I'd like to see more efforts put towards better recycling systems here in the U.S. (you would be shocked at how many municipalities have NO recycling program) as well as a bigger effort put into cleaning up what is out there already. Ensuring that we don't add to it is great and all, but those plastic islands out in the oceans aren't going to go away unless we do something about them.

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  6. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by Yeka View Post
    Personally, I'd like to see more efforts put towards better recycling systems here in the U.S. (you would be shocked at how many municipalities have NO recycling program) as well as a bigger effort put into cleaning up what is out there already. Ensuring that we don't add to it is great and all, but those plastic islands out in the oceans aren't going to go away unless we do something about them.
    Tell me about it. We just got a notification from the waste removal company about recycling policy changes. Among other things, they are no longer accepting any plastic bags for recycling. Fortunately the local supermarket has a bin in the front of the store to collect bags for recycling.

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