Ocean Poisoning By Plastic

      The garbage patches of the oceans are larger than previously believed. This is unsurprising news. Garbage pours into the oceans by thousands of tons daily. There are many coastal cities and communities in developing and in undeveloped countries that dispose of their garbage by having it go directly into the oceans. Huge amounts of garbage are dumped into rivers and bodies of water that feed into the oceans.
      Billions of people rely on plastics, styrofoam and other non biodegradable materials, without having a way of properly disposing of these materials.
      Hugely profitable food, beverage, fast food and other companies have done nothing to change the materials they use, knowing full well their materials are destroying the oceans.
       Proper waste management is virtually nonexistent in much of the world, so the oceans become the recipient of the waste. The failure to adequately remove non biodegradable materials is a worldwide problem not confined to individual countries. Waste travels and poisons beyond borders.
       Synthetic clothing and other textiles release billions of particles and fibers of plastic and other oil based contaminants, largely through the washing process. These contaminants cannot be filtered out. Ocean poisoning by clothing and other textiles is completely unaddressed.
       There is no concerted, consistent (not an occasional) cleanup to keep rivers and coastal communities clean, especially in the underdeveloped world.
        There is no response by governments to address plastic and other oil based contaminants in coastal or international waters.
        Many people believe technology is the answer, and that technology can cleanup the mess that humans have created. Technology is of no benefit if it is the excuse to continue being lazy and destructive.
         Even if an ocean cleanup of garbage patches can work, what it will remove from the oceans daily will in no way equal the thousands of tons of plastics and other non biodegradable waste that enters the oceans daily. Furthermore, most of the plastic and other non biodegradable waste breaks down into smaller pieces that disperses and never makes it to the garbage patches.
         The ocean cleanup project is one small effort to make a dent in a huge problem, but is far from the answer in and of itself.
          Single use styrofoam, plastic straws and other products must be limited or better yet, banned.
          Proper waste management needs to be treated as a global problem and concern.
          Corporations must be held responsible for the waste that they produce. For example, many food, fast food and beverage corporations are hugely profitable. They are not held accountable for the expensive damage they incur from their contribution to ocean contamination.
          Synthetic clothing and other materials add to the poisoning of the world's waters. A global effort is needed to create synthetic materials that do biodegrade and to rethink how we cloth, dress, and use materials.
          Microplastics used in cosmetics, cleaning and other products must be banned.
           A massive, worldwide initiative should be undertaken to cleanup coastal areas, waterways and many other areas. This project can employ millions of people. There is enough money in the nonprofit world and private sector that can fund this necessary effort. Money is not lacking, only the will might be.
          Ocean poisoning by plastic and other non biodegradable materials is an under addressed catastrophe requiring interventions and actions far beyond what is listed here. Plastic poisoning of the oceans continues to be a disaster in the making.