The dire state of the world’s oceans can no longer be ignored. Discarded plastic waste — particularly single-use plastic — is putting marine life at risk.
It’s not only big chunks of plastic and bags that pose a danger: plastic exposed to salt water and ultraviolet solar rays can fragment into minuscule microplastics that are easily ingested by birds, fish and simple marine life forms, eventually leaching chemicals into the food chain.
Businesses, consumers and investors are starting to pay attention — and it’s about time. Without a practical and expedient approach for tackling discarded plastic, waste management systems will become overwhelmed.
Communities dependent on industries such as fishing and tourism, in particular low- and middle-income countries, could experience irreparable economic harm, not to mention health, safety and environmental damage.
That’s…
