How Plastic is Killing Marine Life?

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Plastic is a moldable substance. It can take any shape that why it has complete become part of our life. Even our daily routine items are also made of plastic i.e. plastic bottles, disposable items, shopping bags etc.

No one can deny the importance of plastic material, plastics saves our shipments by creating water proof covering, saves our eatables, etc. but we humans are irresponsible towards everything available in access.

Items made of plastic usually take tens of years to decompose in the soil releasing harmful chemicals, even some types of plastic material might take centuries to decompose in the natural environment.

Once the plastic material is disposed in soil and become part of it, this material blocks the seepage of water underground, mixing of oxygen, inhibits growth of plants etc.

There is an increase in trend of garments made of polyester, a form of plastic. During its manufacturing process micro-plastics are formed. These micro-plastic easily pass on to the steam and then to oceans.  Micro-plastics are also released from other processes like aging of tires etc. In oceans these micro plastics gets trapped in the bodies of marine life. Slowly micro-plastics pill up and blocks the chanals in the body of aquatic life (digestive track, air ways) causing the unfortunate death of the fishes, turtles, whales.

Copy rights CBS News

In a recent event a whale was found dead in Italy. When investigated it was found that there was 48 pound of plastic in its body that caused its death. In recent times, death toll of marine life is increasing day by day.

There is another process known as bio-magnification, when the micro-plastic becomes part of fish body it gets transferred to anyone eating the contaminated fish. So, this is one way through which human can be directly affected and so many are out there.

Different solutions are proposed by different communities like proper management, recycling etc. but via these techniques the plastic is still there. Biodegradable plastic is an excellent solution to this problem.  Biodegradable plastic can degrade in natural environment in matter of few weeks/months.  

“So, the time to take action is now and create a plastic free world”

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