Every bit of plastic ever manufactured still exists
Wednesday, November 19th, 2008Consider this:
Plastic in the ocean may be one of the most alarming of today’s environmental stories. Plastics, like diamonds, are forever! Because plastics do NOT biodegrade, no naturally occurring organisms can break these polymers down. Instead, plastic goes through a process called photodegredation, where sunlight breaks down plastic into smaller and smaller pieces until there is only plastic dust. But always plastic remains a polymer. When plastic debris meets the sea it can remain for centuries causing untold havoc in ecosystems.
And then have a look at the Pacific’s ‘trash circles’. There is 6 times more plastic than plankton in certain areas. Alarming enough?…
The trash circles in the Pacific currents and can float for hundreds of years at the center of the circular currents — providing toxic food for fish and birds, and reducing the number of plankton. Research shows 6 pounds of plastic to every 1 pound of plankton in this cauldron.
