Each year, tens of millions of tons of plastic waste enter the world’s oceans, breaking down into trillions of microplastic particles now spread across marine ecosystems.
Scientists warn the pollution is causing severe environmental damage, including wildlife entanglement, toxic ingestion and habitat loss, and is now affecting more than 4 000 marine species.
Doctor Ian Butler, a scientist at the University of Queensland and editor of the latest World Ocean Assessment, has been speaking to United Nations News about the scale of the crisis.
Butler stated the limits of biodegradable alternatives, and reducing plastic production may be key to addressing the problem.
–Channel Africa–
