Beat Plastic Pollution

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The World Environment Day 2018 was held on the 5th of June, under the theme “Beat Plastic Pollution”. The main objective of the theme is to persuade people to change their everyday lives, in order to reduce plastic pollution. As the host nation of the World Environment Day, India is believed to utilize its traditional knowledge and modern technology towards a plastic free nation.

Plastic, is an extensively used material in day-to-day life. Perhaps it is the most harmful trash in the world. For the last few decades it has severely affected animals and the health and lives of human beings. Not being biodegradable, plastic disposed at present is said to remain in nature for another thousands of years!

Careless disposal of plastic can have alarming consequences. Effects on marine animals are fatal. Plastic harness can restrict movements of seals, killing them through starvation, or infection from deep wounds caused by the tightening material. Both seals and whales get caught in transparent plastic nets and drown. Marine birds diving for fish get their wings tangled in plastic pollutants. Sea turtles swallow plastic bags thinking that they are jelly fish, which results in blocking of their digestive tract or cause infection followed by death. Plastic thrown on land can enter drainage lines and choke them resulting in floods in local areas.

Eight million metric tons of plastic wind up in our oceans every year. 91% of the plastic waste is not recycled. There is more micro plastic in the oceans than there are stars in the Milky Way! If plastic production is not restricted, Plastic pollution will outweigh fish pound for pound by 2050. Hence it’s our duty to beat the Plastic Pollution before Plastic beats the whole planet.

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