- Greenpeace has launched an international campaign to warn against the pollution of plastic waste that reaches the European seas. The environmental partnership aims to ensure that the directives on packaging waste, which are being debated in the European Union and which must be adopted before the summer, take effective measures to tackle this problem. Among other things, European environment ministers have been urged to reduce single-use plastic packaging.
According to Greenpeace, scientists estimate that between 4.12 and 12.7 million tons of plastic reach the world’s oceans every year, about 80% from land. These figures are likely to increase, as plastic production is on the rise year after year in the world. Between 2002 and 2013 it increased by almost 50%, according to data released by Greenpeace: From 204 million tons to 299. It is expected to reach 500 million by 2020, which is 900% more than in 1980.
After China, Europe is the world’s largest producer of plastic. Every year around 50 million tons are generated in our continent, 40% for the manufacture of ships.
This plastic that reaches the sea breaks down into smaller and smaller pieces and eventually enters the food chain. Not only does it harm marine life, but it also affects humans through the fish we eat.
According to Greenpeace, only 30% of the plastic that entered the European waste stream in 2014 was recycled. 40% was incinerated and the remaining 30% was dumped in landfills. Outside these figures are the millions of plastic containers that are thrown directly into the environment. Many of them reach the rivers and eventually the seas.