90% of plastic polluting our oceans comes from just 10 rivers

[Sanguine]

Over the last decade we have become increasingly alarmed at the amount of plastic in our oceans.

More than 8 million tons of it ends up in the ocean every year. If we continue to pollute at this rate, there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050.

But where does all this plastic waste come from?

Most of it is washed into the ocean by rivers. And 90% of it comes from just 10 of them, according to a study.



By analyzing the waste found in the rivers and surrounding landscape, researchers were able to estimate that just 10 river systems carry 90% of the plastic that ends up in the ocean.

Eight of them are in Asia: the Yangtze; Indus; Yellow; Hai He; Ganges; Pearl; Amur; Mekong; and two in Africa – the Nile and the Niger.
...

https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2018/06/90-of-plastic-polluting-our-oceans-comes-from-just-10-rivers/?fbclid=IwAR1XPZvTRi-HoUHZeefRoAL3KvRJX8V3-3FSG0eTKk6u9W-m-H4z6YrmNBk

Some of these countries are used as dumps for plastic.

[TomSea]

Some of these countries are used as dumps for plastic.

That's an important statement because I was just hearing about this today.

That Trudeau fellow seems to be guiding some sort of effort on plastics in Canada, I don't know much else about it. Maybe they are going to legislate the use of plastics. But this is a good heads up for everyone, I should try to just use the same water bottle again and again basically.

[Bill Cipher]

Interesting.  And suggestive. 

[Wingnut]

Interesting.  And suggestive.

But with merit. Correct?

[Bill Cipher]

But with merit. Correct?

Yes, if I understand what you mean. 

To me, it suggests that environmentalists would get much more bang for their buck if they stopped trying to demonize every last little piece of plastic in the developed world, and instead focused on getting the developing world to build up a proper trash collection infrastructure. 

A lot of the plastic in those countries ends up in the environment because there is little in the way of a comprehensive trash collection system, so trash just gets dumped in the open and in empty lots, where it ends up getting carried to the rivers by rainfall and wind.

[Wingnut]

Yes, if I understand what you mean. 

To me, it suggests that environmentalists would get much more bang for their buck if they stopped trying to demonize every last little piece of plastic in the developed world, and instead focused on getting the developing world to build up a proper trash collection infrastructure. 

A lot of the plastic in those countries ends up in the environment because there is little in the way of a comprehensive trash collection system, so trash just gets dumped in the open and in empty lots, where it ends up getting carried to the rivers by rainfall and wind.

Yep. Spot on.  You understood and answered it...hell not only did you answer it you nailed it!   

[truth_seeker]

Recently I read that recycling was not economic. Trash companies do so, but it doesn't pay to do so.

If there is so much plastic floating in the world's oceans, I wonder if it would be economic to collect it at sea?

[Cyber Liberty]

That's an important statement because I was just hearing about this today.

That Trudeau fellow seems to be guiding some sort of effort on plastics in Canada, I don't know much else about it. Maybe they are going to legislate the use of plastics. But this is a good heads up for everyone, I should try to just use the same water bottle again and again basically.

That's not safe for cheap bottled water. Something about the plastic.

[Cyber Liberty]

Recently I read that recycling was not economic. Trash companies do so, but it doesn't pay to do so.

If there is so much plastic floating in the world's oceans, I wonder if it would be economic to collect it at sea?

Depends. Aluminum and some paper saves a lot of energy by recycling, plastic not so much. Most people don't know K-cups can't be recycled.

[Cyber Liberty]

Yep. Spot on.  You understood and answered it...hell not only did you answer it you nailed it!   

Yes, he does. Kudos @Bill Cipher !

[TomSea]

Recently I read that recycling was not economic. Trash companies do so, but it doesn't pay to do so.

If there is so much plastic floating in the world's oceans, I wonder if it would be economic to collect it at sea?

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Actually, these two surfer dudes never knew how much plastic was in the ocean, then they went over there into Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. and they saw how much there is. They started a company to clean the ocean. I've seen their ads, they are on youtube too.

How Two Young Surfers Are Cleaning Up The Ocean
Submitted by will on Wed, 09/06/2017 - 18:22

...

Andrew Cooper and Alex Schulze met in college and became friends. They took a trip to Indonesia one year and realized how bad the ocean plastic problem was there.  This inspired an inner search to find a way to help put an end to the issue. They began coming up with ideas as to how they could help, soon enough they realized their goal was attainable and officially started their journey with 4Ocean.

They founded 4Ocean in January and have had an incredible response due to the fact that people realize how big of an issue cleaning up the ocean is. And they want to help!

http://www.soundofheart.org/galacticfreepress/content/how-two-young-surfers-are-cleaning-ocean

I saw one of their videos, I don't know how bad it is but they did scoop up plastic out of the ocean.

Those videos really have some views of how bad it is, nothing like this, that I know of, here in the US

[bigheadfred]

Uh huh.

Plastic microbeads.

My leg makeup ain't worth a damn without them.

[bigheadfred]

Ideonella sakaiensis.

[Cyber Liberty]

Ideonella sakaiensis.

Good info! Thanks @bigheadfred !

[Sanguine]

That's not safe for cheap bottled water. Something about the plastic.

I have a nice water bottle that is safe plastic and goes through my dishwasher.  I don't buy bottled water; I use the reusable one. 

[Sanguine]

Yes, if I understand what you mean. 

To me, it suggests that environmentalists would get much more bang for their buck if they stopped trying to demonize every last little piece of plastic in the developed world, and instead focused on getting the developing world to build up a proper trash collection infrastructure. 

A lot of the plastic in those countries ends up in the environment because there is little in the way of a comprehensive trash collection system, so trash just gets dumped in the open and in empty lots, where it ends up getting carried to the rivers by rainfall and wind.

Your statement brings up another problem - the way I understand it much/most of the 3rd world plastic problem is because 1st worlders dump their used plastic on them.  If the areas that used the products had to also handle the disposal of them, they would find ways to cut down on the use instead of sending them to New Mexico or Bangladesh.  That applies to all trash. 

I think overpackaging is a real issue. 

[Cyber Liberty]

I have a nice water bottle that is safe plastic and goes through my dishwasher.  I don't buy bottled water; I use the reusable one.

Same here.

[thackney]

That's an important statement because I was just hearing about this today.

That Trudeau fellow seems to be guiding some sort of effort on plastics in Canada, I don't know much else about it. Maybe they are going to legislate the use of plastics. But this is a good heads up for everyone, I should try to just use the same water bottle again and again basically.

Health advocates advise against reusing bottles made from plastic #1 (polyethylene terephthalate, also known as PET or PETE), including most disposable water, soda, and juice bottles. According to The Green Guide, such bottles may be safe for one-time use, but reuse should be avoided. Studies indicate that the containers may leach DEHP—another probable human carcinogen—when they are in less than perfect condition.

https://www.thoughtco.com/reusing-plastic-bottles-serious-health-hazards-1204028

[IsailedawayfromFR]

Anybody seen a bonafide report that a certain level of plastics are not good for your health?

i know I have read that drinking 1,000 cokes a day is lethal, and they have a chemical effect on the body.

[bigheadfred]

Anybody seen a bonafide report that a certain level of plastics are not good for your health?

i know I have read that drinking 1,000 cokes a day is lethal, and they have a chemical effect on the body.

What people need to look at is how much plastic they eat every day.

[dfwgator]

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Actually, these two surfer dudes never knew how much plastic was in the ocean, then they went over there into Malaysia, Indonesia, etc. and they saw how much there is. They started a company to clean the ocean. I've seen their ads, they are on youtube too.


I saw one of their videos, I don't know how bad it is but they did scoop up plastic out of the ocean.

Those videos really have some views of how bad it is, nothing like this, that I know of, here in the US

Just goes to show that there's no problem that good old-fashioned Capitalism can't fix.

[IsailedawayfromFR]

What people need to look at is how much plastic they eat every day.

once u look at it, how do you know it is 'too much'?

Isn't that the question to ask?

[bigheadfred]

once u look at it, how do you know it is 'too much'?

Isn't that the question to ask?

parsing
sussing
gargling

went in fo a muh term ity bra

gurl seys what bust

the condom

[IsailedawayfromFR]

parsing
sussing
gargling

went in fo a muh term ity bra

gurl seys what bust

the condom

are u babbling again?