Plastic-filled oceans

The world has already witnessed an unprecedented surge in plastic pollution that has contaminated our soil, our water and our food. If this situation persists and no further action is taken, scientists fear that the amount of plastic found in water bodies across the world will nearly triple by 2040. The effect this will have on marine life and ecology will be catastrophic.

One can imagine the extent of pollution by the fact that around 171 trillion plastic particles were afloat in the oceans by 2019. This in turn has given rise to a new toxic problem of microplastics that have permeated deep into the web of life. It isn’t just marine animals such as fish and sea turtles that now present traces of microplastics within them, but the same have been transferred via sea food and other sources in humans as well. While some tests have concluded that microplastics can cause damage to human cells, their ubiquitous nature calls for more research on the matter before we can fully understand the extent of harm it can have on the human body. What is ultimately necessary is advocacy and legislation. Countries around the world must rally together to phase out the use of plastic. Unfortunately, strong resistance has been posed by multinational corporations and businesses who rely on the cheap price of plastic for profits.

International organisations such as the UN have largely been useless at negotiating with countries and trying to find a middle ground. Now, the situation has gotten so adverse that radical changes instead of relaxed negotiations is the need of the hour. Simultaneously, new alternatives that are cost-friendly must be sought as a viable replacement. This global problem requires concerted efforts, but the onus lies most on countries producing, using and dumping the most amount of plastic.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2023.

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