How can you prevent plastic from reaching the sea?

If we continue at this rate, there will be more plastic in the sea than there is fish by 2050, according to an estimate by the World Economic Forum.

Ocean pollution is one of the greatest challenges to be solved in the coming years.

If you take a look at oceans today you’ll see large islands of garbage and invisible remains of microplastics in every corner you look. 

The most obvious solution to reduce plastic in the sea is to drastically reduce the use of plastic in your daily lives.

The European Union has already outlined the first strategy on reducing plastic, which will include the forthcoming ban on single-use plastics. 

Another solution that has been proposed at a legislative level is the imposition of some form of tax on plastic which is largely responsible for the pollution in the ocean. 

Today these types of one time use plastics are still cheaper to manufacture than other more sustainable alternatives.

Let’s not forget, that plastic is often produced from oil which also has implications on climate change. 

Creating a better waste management system and increasing vigilance to prevent discarded plastic from ending up in the sea, could bring us another step closer to the solution.

Keep in mind that, although plastic recycling systems have improved immensely, not all plastics can be recycled. 

Complastic bacteria

In 2016, a team of Japanese scientists discovered a bacterium called Ideonella sakaiensis 201-F6, which was capable of digesting polyethylene terephthalate (PET).

This bacteria has since become widely used in various ways such as single-use plastic bottles. 

Since then, many scientists have been working on developing biotechnological solutions to take advantage of this capacity, which comes from an enzyme called PETase, to improve the recycling of this type of plastic.

Other organisms are also demonstrating surprising capabilities that can help us recycle plastic: in 2017, another study published in the journal Current Biology told us about a worm, of the Galleria mellonella species, that was capable of bio-degrading polyethylene. 

Reducing

On an individual level it’s relatively easy to reduce the amount of plastic we use in our daily lives. 

All you need to do is pay attention to what you buy and to use more reusable products.

There are also more and more alternatives popping up to help reduce the plastic you generate.

More and more people are targeting the Zero Waste culture and refusing to buy super packaged and food with plastic packaging.

Changing personal habits is an important step to solve the problem of plastic pollution in the oceans of the planet.

The Ocean Cleanup
Crédito: The Ocean Cleanup

Can plastic oceans be cleaned?

Even if you suddenly stop generating plastic waste, the damage has already been done. There are already millions of tons of plastic in the world's oceans and seas.

There are some initiatives that aim to clean up the sea. One of the most famous is the Ocean Cleanup project, started in 2012 by a 20-year-old boy. 

It is a system that passively collects marine debris through huge floating structures that have well calculated dimensions and depth to avoid damaging the fauna and flora. 

This structure is placed in an area where there are marine currents that are used to collect plastic.

This system aims to reduce the surface area of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, the largest marine garbage dump in the Pacific.

It reduced garbage by 50% over a period of 5 years. 

After a first attempt in which many problems were identified, its second prototype is now successfully capturing the plastic garbage. 

In fact, it appears that the system has also successfully collected 1-millimeter microplastics.

The Norwegian tycoon who wants to clean up the ocean

Another macro-initiative aimed at solving the marine plastic problem comes from a millionaire named Kjell Inge Røkke who made his fortune through extracting oil.

His non-profit organisation REV Ocean was founded in June 2017. One of its projects is the construction of the largest ocean research vessel that will seek, among other things, new solutions to clean plastic from the oceans.

In any case, the problem is complex and the solution is not unique, but it is necessary to put the batteries to end this problem that is affecting both the ecosystems of the oceans around the world.

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