155 Million Metric Tons of Plastic Predicted to Clog Earth's Oceans in 10 Years
Nine million metric tons of plastics have been polluting our oceans and will continue to do so in the coming years. A recent study led by Jenna Jambeck of the University of Georgia can give figures to prove this.
As cited by Reuters, the latest 2015 investigations revealed that nine million metric tons more are expected to pollute marine life by the end of the year. This is an increase from 2010's report with approximately eight million metric tons of plastics that have been spreading in every foot (30 cm) of 192 coastal countries every year.
In the survey, it came out that China has contributed at least 30 percent of the overall plastic pollutants in coastal areas with 2.4 million tons of plastic wastes.
Other major polluting-countries are revealed including: Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Egypt, Malaysia, Nigeria and Bangladesh.
The United States, on the other hand, is in the top 20 with combined coastal areas in Europe in the 18th rank.
Quartz reported another separate study conducted by Andrés Cózar, a marine ecologist at the University of Cadiz which has similar findings with Jambeck's study specifically on data proving China and the other Asians countries appearing on top of the list of the highest contributor of plastic wastes deposited in oceans.
Cozar said that this is attributed to densely-populated cities in China like Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Tianjin-such places are also considered being one of the most populated in the planet.
"China generates a lot of garbage-per unit of GDP, more than India or Indonesia," Cozar said.
Meanwhile, Bloomberg Business said that the recorded amount of plastic wastes in oceans is 191 times more than how much the Titanic could displace.
The publication further said that the total weight of plastic pollutants may increase up to 155 million metric tons by 2025 if no changes were made.
