How much plastic is in the sea? What quantities are we talking about? It is estimated that between 4.8 and 12.7 million tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, having already accumulated in our seas more than a whopping 150 million tons.
And where can we find it? Plastic can be found in every corner of the planet; plastics have even been found at a depth of 10,000 meters. However, five areas have been identified where there is a high concentration: they are known as “islands” or “soups” of plastic.
The main consequences of plastic in the sea are:
Entanglement: plastic debris can cause entanglement in some marine animals, which can hinder their development and even cause the animal’s death.
Interference in feeding: they also interfere in the nutrition of some animals that confuse the pieces of plastic with their usual food, sometimes blocking their stomach and/or intestine and causing death.
Release of chemicals: the long process of decomposition, microplastics and nanoplastics are accompanied by the release of chemicals harmful to life in ocean waters.
Harmful to humans: although it may not seem like it, we also ingest these materials, although the repercussions this could have on our health are still unknown.
Presence of bacteria: there are some species of bacteria that develop on plastics, which move freely and can act as vectors of dispersion in ecosystems that are not adapted to them.